Palace of the Winds in India: Maharaja Harem with 950 windows and no stairs

India is a country with its own unique culture and amazing architectural structures. The Palace of the Winds, located in Jaipur, is just one of them. Built in the 18th century by Indian Maharaja for numerous wives, this palace has a unique internal structure that creates a cool microclimate in it, and differs from all other palaces in that there are no stairs.

Palace of the Winds, or Hawa Mahal, is part of the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh palace complex, which ruled this region of India at the end of the 18th century. From an architectural point of view, this building is essentially only part of a huge complex, and it was intended specifically for the numerous harem of the ruler.

Palace of the Winds is so named for its unique design. Hundreds of windows are located in such a way that there is always a light breeze in the palace's premises, which gives coolness. This is a carefully planned ventilation system that impresses with its perfection. And even when the sweltering heat reigns on the street, a comfortable microclimate is created inside the palace. There are more than 950 such windows-openings, many of which are decorated with stained-glass windows.

The history of the construction of this complex is no less interesting than its unique architecture. The building itself is built of pink sandstone and has a very picturesque facade. Originally, the palace was conceived as a temple in honor of the god Krishna, and even its facade was designed so that it resembled a headdress - the crown of a 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 review 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 Maharaja's wives sat opposite the window and watched the outside world.

In addition to the unique ventilation system, the Palace of the Winds has one more architectural difference: there are no stairs in their classical sense. The building consists of 5 levels, floors, the movement between which is carried out by special gentle transitions.

Today, Maharaja's former harem is open to the public and is a tourist highlight of Jaipur. In addition to the unique palace, there are museums and numerous souvenir shops.