Amer Fort was begun in 1592 by Raja Man Singh I, the general of Akbar, on the site of an older fortress, and enlarged by Jai Singh I and his successors for the next century. It was the capital of the Kachwaha rulers until Jai Singh II built Jaipur on the plain in 1727. The fort sits on a spur above Maota Lake, with Jaigarh on the ridge above it and the old town of Amer at its feet.
Inside, the sequence is Jaleb Chowk, the great courtyard; the Diwan-i-Aam of pillared sandstone; the Ganesh Pol, the painted gate; and beyond it the private palaces — the Sheesh Mahal with its mirror mosaic, the Sukh Niwas with its water channel and sandalwood doors, and the Zenana courtyard. The Shila Devi temple, with its silver doors, is by the entrance.
It is the most visited monument in Rajasthan and one of the six Hill Forts of Rajasthan inscribed by UNESCO in 2013. The walk up from the lake is the way to arrive; the sound-and-light show runs after dark.
What to see
| Name | Where | What it is known for |
|---|---|---|
| Sheesh Mahal | Inside the Ganesh Pol | The mirror palace; a single candle lights the ceiling. |
| Ganesh Pol | Between the public and private courts | The painted three-storey gate, c. 1640. |
| Diwan-i-Aam | First court | The hall of public audience; forty pillars. |
| Sukh Niwas | Private court | The pleasure hall with a water cascade for cooling. |
| Shila Devi Temple | By the entrance | The Kachwaha family goddess; silver doors. |
| Jaleb Chowk | Entrance | The great courtyard where the army assembled. |
| Maota Lake | Below the fort | The lake and the Kesar Kyari garden. |
| Sound and light show | Evening | Hindi and English slots. |
Worth knowing
- Open from eight in the morning; arrive early.
- The walk up from Maota Lake takes twenty minutes; jeeps go from the road.
- A composite ticket covers Amer, Nahargarh, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Albert Hall and Sisodia Rani garden.
- Jaigarh is a separate ticket, reached by a road from behind the fort.
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