BARODA CITY

Ahmedabad Anand Bharuch Bhuj Baroda Bhavnagar Dwarka Gandhidham Junagadh Kutch Palitana Porbandar Saputara Surat Siddhpur Rajkot

     Known as Vadodara in the past, is the city of Baroda which means the place of banyan trees. It was once the capital of the princely Gaekwads, Vadodara is a graceful city of palaces, parks, temples and museums. It came under the rule of Maratha dynasty of Gaekwad in 1730.

     The Gaekwads ruled from Baroda for a few decades under the leadership of the Peshwas and gradually carved out an independent kingdom in close association with the British empire. The Gaekwads' power, reached its zenith with Sayajirao Gaekwad's accession in 1891.

     Baroda can boast of one of the finest palaces in India. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad commissioned the famous British Architects, Major Mant and Chisolm to work on Laxmi Vilas palace - one of the grandest palaces in India.

Places to visit
NAZARBAGH PALACE
       Built in the old classical style, the palace was used on ceremonial occassions by the Gaekwads. It now houses the royal family heirlooms.

MAKARPURA PALACE
       A beautiful palace designed in the Italinate style, the Makarpura is now used as a training school of the Indian Air Force.

PRATAP VILAS PALACE AT LALBAGH
       This was originally built as the residence of the royal family, the Pratap Vilas. It is an extravagant mansion built in the Indo-Sarcenic style. It houses a remarkable collection of old armoury and sculptures in bronze, marble and terracotta.

       The palace is a riot of columns and arches drawn from a variety of traditions including South Indian, Central Indian, North Indian and Islam. The entrance takes one as if in trance with the exquisitre carvings as well as stuffed tigers embellished on the walls.

       The Darbar Hall has mosaic floors, seven domes, 12 chandeliers, intricately sculpted cedar balconies and a silver throne. It is spread over an area of 720 acres with gardens and a golf course. One can visit Shastragar to see the Royal armoury.

MAHARAJA FATEH SINGH MUSEUM
       This is the royal collection of art treasures of old masters like Raphael, Titian and Murillo as well as modern ,western and Indian painting, Graeco - Roman exhibits, Chinese and Japanese art and a large collection of contemporary Indian art.

KIRTI MANDIR
       The family vaults of the Gaekwad rule, it is decorated with murals by the famous Indian artists, Nandlal Bose.

VADODARA MUSEUM AND PICTURE GALLERY
       Founded by the Gaekwads in 1894, this museum houses impressive collections of Art and Archaeology, Natural History, Geology and Ethnology. There are miniature paintings and narrative paintings by different artists.

       Maharaja Sayajirao III Gaekwad of Baroda acquired choice items from across the world. This includes Silver plated Copper Trays from Tanjore, a Shiva Natraja from 11th Century South India, 6th Century Sculptures from Shamlaji in Gujarat, an excquisite 9th century ivory-inlaid book box from North India, Jain bronze dating to 5th century AD.

        The upper floor of the building comprises among all a section on natural history, ethnology and geology. The adjoining Art Gallery has a great collection of European old masters : Veronese, Giordano, Zurbaran, some Flemish and Dutch scholl paintings; Turner and Constable, a collection of Mughal miniatures, and valuable palm-leaf manuscripts of Buddhist and Jain origin.

Ahmedabad Anand Bharuch Bhuj Baroda Bhavnagar Dwarka Gandhidham Junagadh Kutch Palitana Porbandar Saputara Surat Siddhpur Rajkot