Construction of Hawa Mahal
1799 · Kachhwaha Dynasty
Jaipur gains its most iconic silhouette — the Palace of Winds.
In 1799, Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh commissioned what would become Jaipur's most iconic silhouette. Designed by the architect Lal Chand Ustad in the form of Krishna's crown, the Hawa Mahal — the "Palace of Winds" — rises five storeys in pink sandstone.
Its honeycomb façade of 953 small latticed windows (jharokhas) allowed the royal ladies of the court to observe the bustle of the streets and festivals below while remaining unseen, in keeping with the customs of the time.
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