Kota City Palace

Housed in Kotah’s historic City Palace — the ancestral seat of the Raos and Maharaos of Kotah — the Museum has been open to the public since 1970 C.E. The Museum has rich collections of arms and armour, royal regalia and ritual paraphernalia, textiles and objets d’art, and world–famous miniature paintings and wall frescos.

According to tradition, the foundations of the City Palace (also known as the Garh) were first laid in 1264 C.E. by Prince Jait Singh of Bundi on the spot where he sacrificed and buried the severed head of the defeated Bhil Chieftain Koteya who had previously ruled the region. The name ‘Kotah' is often said to memorialize the human sacrifice (nar bali) of Koteya, although it may equally reference the presence of a strong fort, or kot.

The foremost tourist attraction in Kota is the 'Garh'. This large complex, also known as the City Palace, is built in a predominantly Rajput style of architecture. The palace is a sprawling complex of suites and apartments built by different rulers of the Rajput dynasty at different times in history.