Hawa Mahal
One of Jaipur’s most iconic structures, Hawa Mahal was built by Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799. The palace, designed by the architect Lal Chand Ustad, was built as a continuation of City Palace complex.
Its red and pink sandstone façade is dotted with 953 small jharokhas (windows) through which royal women could observe street life and processions without being seen, as in purdah. The latticework also allows air to flow through, which helps keep the interior cool even in peak summer months.
Hawa Mahal is less palace in the traditional sense than an architectural screen — functional, symbolic and deeply intertwined with social customs in Jaipur.