Spread over 12,40,771 square feet, the Jai Vilas palace is a three-story building and is the current residence of the Scindia family.
Situated in the heart of the beautiful city of Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, the Jai Vilas Palace is what royalty is made of! With a classic ode to European architecture, the royal palace is inspired by Tuscan, Italian, and Corinthian styles.
The royal palace belongs to the House of Scindia (Hindu Maratha dynasty) that once ruled in Gwalior. Spread over 12,40,771 square feet, the palace is a three-story building and is the current residence of the Scindia family.
The Jai Vilas Palace is not only grand in appearance but also has a royal history attached to it. Let us take a look at some lesser-known facts about Jyotiaditya Scindia's Rs 4000 crores Jai Vilas Palace.
1. Jai Vilas Palace: 560 kg of gold
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Many are unaware that the interior of the Jai Vilas Palace hall is adorned with 560kg of gold. The hall is where the king used to hold his meetings. The design of it is influenced by the Neoclassical and the Baroque styles.
2. Jai Vilas Palace: Eight elephants were suspended from the ceiling
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Jai Vilas Palace was built with different themes in mind. The first floor of the palace is Tuscan, the second - Italian-Doric, and the third is inspired by Corinthian and Palladian design. According to the Incredible India Tourism information, when it was built, eight elephants were suspended from the ceiling of the Durbar hall to estimate if the roof was strong enough to take the weight of two gigantic chandeliers - 12.5m high, weighing 3500 kg and donning 250 bulbs.
3. Jai Vilas Palace: Unique silver model train
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The royal Jai Vilas Palace has a model train made of solid silver at the dining table. The vessel ride was used for carrying brandy and cigars for the guests.
4. Jai Vilas Palace: Rare and historic art collection in the museum
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The Jai Vilas Palace has 400 rooms in it. Out of these, 35 have been converted into a museum wing. The museum displays the Maratha Scindia Dynasty's collection that consists of expensive assets like a silver chariot, palanquins, silver buggy, vintage luxury cars. It also houses the original shield of Jhansi Ki Rani and swords from the reign of Aurangzeb and Shah Jahan.
5. Why was Jai Vilas built? Who lives there?
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The Jai Vilas Palace in Gwalior was built in the 19th century. As per Outlook India, the grand palace was built to welcome Prince George and Princess Mary of Wales who visited India in 1876. Jai Vilas Palace is home to and inherited by Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, grandson of Jivajirao Scindia.
6. Jai Vilas Palace is worth Rs 4,000 crore
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The 19th-century palace whose foundation was laid in 1874 under the patronage of Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia was designed by British Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Michael Filose. According to reports in Business Insider, the palace valued at Rs 1 crore back then, is worth over Rs 4000 crore today.
