Navlakha Palace Gondal Home > Gujarat > Attractions > Palaces > Navlakha Palace Gondal

Navlakha Palace Gondal

Gondal’s major tourist attractions have a large number of forts and palaces of extreme beauty that are spread across the historic town. Of all the forts that grace the city, the oldest and easily one of the most beautiful of all the palaces remains to be the Navlakha Palace.Dating back to the 17th century, the imposingNavlakha Palace and its radiating architecture are a wonder that promises to engulf and encapsulate the viewer in its beauty and grandeur.

With its carefully crafted stone carvings and its delicate balconies, The Nalvlakha place is the heaven for any lover of architecture.

Imposed on the river bed, The 30 meter long palace also houses a rich variety of artifacts in its museum that display the various gifts, letters and other pleasantries given to the Sir Bhagwatsinhi by various notable figures if his era who gave it to the king in his honor.

History

Gondal once served as the capital city of former princely state which was ruled by the erstwhile, respected and royal Jadeja - Rajput clan. The walled town or rather the fortified city is situated on the banks of river Gondali. The current state of the city of Gondal is a testimony to the legendary and visionary ruler Sir Bhagwatsinhji. Sir Bhagwatsinhji not only personally pioneered social reforms in the state but he alsodesigned the development pattern of the town.

Sir Bhagwatsinhji's lofty education and hisfrequent visits to Europemolded his artistic ideas and sensibilities. One can see the direct authority of that in the architecture and planning of the city built during his tenure.

Constructed back in the 17th century, the beautifully grand Navlakha palace remains as the oldest buildings in Gondal. The Navlakha Palace houses an awe inspiring old world charm. Its stand out architectural elements includes astonishingly carved arches, striking balconies, impressive courtyards and gorgeous spiral staircases. Moreover, the Navlakha Palace also houses an attractive private museum inside its grand complex. The durbar hall of the palace is also graced by some beautiful artifacts, graceful animals, an array of majestic wooden furniture’s and more.

Architecture

The Navlakha Place and its complex lives upto its reputation of being the oldest and arguably the most beautiful building in the town of Gondal. The Navlakha palace is situated on the riverbank of river Gondali. Based on a grand stone; the Navlakha palace scales up to the monumental height of at least 30 meters above the riverbed.

The approach to the palace is through the high and lofty gateways that share their space with the grand clock tower from the side of the town. Once you are done admiring the beauty of these humongous and graceful gateways, the entrance makes way to a huge open space with administrative blocks. On the opposite end, a grand staircase with railings leads to the finely and artistically carved pavilions on the terrace. The 17th century palace also boasts of ‘The grand Darbar Hall’. Huge windows make way to an elongated gallery that offers stunning and mesmerizing view of the river.

The Darbar hall at the Navlakha Palace showcases several exquisite and charming elements like luxurious chandeliers, stuffed panthers and antique Belgian mirrors. The Private palace also houses some of the most valued gifts, artifacts and letters written to the king by several noted personalities on his 50th birthday.

Present Status

Despite being extremely old, The Navlakha palace has survived the lashes of time and still manages to hold its charm and grandeur with all its glory. The collectibles of the kings have now been made public through the museum which draws intrigue and attracts tourists from India and abroad. Its carvings, balconies overlooking the rivers have also been kept in perfect shape to ensure that the tourist take back an unforgettable experience of the architectural beauty of the grand Navlakha palace.

How To Reach Gondal

The royal Navlakha palace is located in the heart of the city of Gondal which is a well connected place. Once there, local unmetered auto rickshaws can be taken to reach the grand palace or any other tourist destination of the historical city.

By Road

The city of Gondal lies at a distance of 39kms from the city of Rajkot. Several buses run by the government connect the two cities. The city of Ahmedabad is located at around 260 kms from Gondal and that too is connected by roads and state transport.

By Plane/Air

The nearest airport from Gondal is located at Rajkot (39kms). Rajkot is well connected with domestic airline carriers operating from Rajkot with a decent frequency.

By Train/Rail

Gondal is located on the Rajkot – Viraval line on the western railways. The junction of Gondal is frequented by trains from major cities within the country and the state in particular.

Related Image

Navlakha Palace Gondal
Navlakha Palace Gondal
Navlakha Palace Gondal
Navlakha Palace Gondal
Navlakha Palace Gondal
Navlakha Palace Gondal

Also Browse Following Under This Section

Related Topics

Rivers And Lakes

Nature has bestowed Gujarat with the beauty of geographical landscape. To make the State look even more beautiful it is adorned with lakes and natural forests, the Satpura ....

Hill Stations

Gujarat is famous for its rich cultural tradition and heritage. Over time, Gujarat has been exposed to a variety of cultures - European, Hindu, and Islamic ....

Dwaraka Beach

Dwaraka is yet another holy and sacred place ...

Nagoa Beach

The Union territory Daman Diu is a beautiful...