Motibagh Palace is one of the fabulous buildings of Punjab. The Palace is situated near Gurudwara Motibagh and has been attracting hoards of tourists and the local people for its fabulous architecture and beautiful sculptures. This palace of architectural expertise has become the integral part of the history of Patiala. Motibagh palace served as principle residence for the Patiala Royal family till the late 40"s. As they shifted to the New Motibagh Palace, that is now treated as the permanent residence of Maharaja of Patiala and his family. Thus known for its architecture, length and design it is considered as one of the largest royal buildings of India.
Architecture of Motibagh Palace
Motibagh Palace which was originally built in 1840 by the Maharaja of Patiala, Narinder Singh and the construction got completed during the reign of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in the early years of 20th Century. After Independence, this palace was donated to the Government of India by Maharaja Yadavindra Singh - the successor of the royal family.
This palace stands for its beautiful grandeur and architectural marvels which has been treated with great honor. It is one of the most decorative buildings of modern India which extends in huge area with north, south, west and east zone. While the North Zone has been converted into a Museum and a taxidermy art gallery by the Indian Government; the eastern wing i.e. the Old Motibagh Palace is converted into National Institute of Sports. The National Institute of Sports and Sports Museum has been the center of training for thousands of promising sports personalities. Also a number of festivals are celebrated in this palace which defines the grandeur of the royal family.
Sheesh Mahal at Motibagh Palace
This magnificent four-storey residential building"s beautification has gone to a different height with a surrounding terraced garden and water ways. It has a palace made of glasses called Sheesh Mahal. This heritage building has huge walls made of stones, the arched front areas. Highly decorated grills and crowing domes adding to the manifold beauty of the palace.
The back part of this wonderful palace is now an amusement park attracting visitors of all ages from within the country and around the world. There are two huge water tanks on both side of the front area of Sheesh Mahal. There is an amazing rope bridge which is named as Lakshman Jhoola, connecting Motibagh Palace with Bansar Garh, which has the Natural History Gallery. This place attracts the tourists with its display of stuffed animals and birds.
Route to Motibagh Palace
One can reach Patiala very easily and visit all the places of attractions. The nearest airport is Chandigarh and one can take cabs to reach Patiala. Train services are there connecting Patiala to the different other important cities of India. Patiala can be reached from the surrounding areas using the bus services also.
