India is a country with its own unique culture and amazing architectural structures. The Palace of the Winds, located in the state of Jaipur, is one of them. Built in the 18th century by an Indian maharaja for his numerous wives, this palace has a unique interior design that creates a cool microclimate in it, and differs from all other palaces in that it has no stairs.
The Palace of the Winds, or Hawa Mahal, is part of the palace complex of Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, who ruled this region of India in the late 18th century. From an architectural point of view, this building is essentially just a part of a huge complex, and it was intended specifically for the ruler’s large harem.
The Palace of the Winds is named for its unique design. Hundreds of windows are arranged in such a way that there is always a light breeze in the palace rooms, which provides coolness. This is a carefully planned ventilation system that amazes with its perfection. And even when there is sweltering heat outside, a comfortable microclimate is created inside the palace. There are more than 950 such window-openings in the building, many of which are decorated with colored stained glass.
The history of the construction of this complex is no less interesting than its unique architecture. The building itself is made of pink sandstone and has a very picturesque façade. Initially, the palace was conceived as a temple in honor of the god Krishna, and even its façade was designed in such a way that it resembled a headdress – the crown of the deity. But later Sawai Pratap Singh changed his mind, and it was decided to make it a palace for his beautiful wives. Numerous windows also performed a purely utilitarian function, namely, they served to view what was happening on the street. The fact is that the wives of the rulers were forbidden to show themselves to strangers, and according to legend, each of the wives of the maharaja sat opposite the window and watched the outside world.
In addition to the unique ventilation system, the Palace of Winds has another architectural distinction: it has no stairs in their classical sense. The building consists of 5 levels-floors, movement between which is carried out along special gentle passages.
Today, the former harem of the Maharaja is open to visitors and is a tourist highlight of the state of Jaipur. In addition to the unique palace, there are museums and numerous souvenir shops.
