Jaipur Guide
The Gates of Jaipur's Pink City
Jaipur city gates on one walk: Chandpole, Surajpole, Sanganeri and Ajmeri Gates, Tripolia Gate to the City Palace, and the Isarlat tower's view over the Pink City.
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II laid out Jaipur in 1727 as a walled city on a grid, entered through fortified gates in its crenellated walls. Several still stand, painted the same terracotta pink as the bazaars behind them: Chandpole on the west, Surajpole on the east, and Sanganeri and Ajmeri Gates on the south side.
Inside, Tripolia Gate, the triple-arched entrance to the City Palace from Tripolia Bazaar, is still reserved for the royal family. Nearby rises Iswari Minar Swarga Sal, better known as Isarlat, the tower Sawai Ishwari Singh raised in 1749 to mark a victory; its narrow ramp climbs to the best view over the old city's rooftops.
The gates cost nothing to see and are best taken in on a walk through the old city, early in the morning before the traffic builds. The main street from Chandpole through the chaupars to Surajpole crosses the walled city from west to east and passes close to Hawa Mahal.
6 Sights
The Gates of Jaipur's Pink City, One By One
Open any of them for its history, what to look for and how it fits into a day.
Good To Know
Visiting The Gates of Jaipur's Pink City
How many gates does Jaipur's walled city have?
- The old city was planned with seven main gates, and most still stand, including Chandpole, Surajpole, Sanganeri Gate and Ajmeri Gate. A later New Gate was cut into the southern wall.
Can I walk between the gates?
- Yes. The main street from Chandpole to Surajpole runs straight across the old city; walking it with stops takes a couple of hours, and a cycle rickshaw covers it faster.
Why is Jaipur called the Pink City?
- The old city was painted pink, a colour associated with hospitality, to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1876, and buildings inside the walls are still required to keep the colour.
More in Jaipur: The Royal Gardens of Jaipur · every sight in Jaipur
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