->John of Reading at 16:13, 7 August 2021

2021-08-07T16:13:40Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}

{{Infobox building
| name = Makarpura Palace
| image = Baroda Makarpura.jpg
| completion_date = 1870
| location = [[Vadodara]], [[Gujarat]], [[India]]
}}

'''Makarpura Palace''' was a [[Gaekwad]] royal palace in the city of [[Vadodara]], [[Gujarat]] state, [[India]]. It was built by Maharaja Khende Rao in 1870, in the [[Art of Italy|Italian]] style. <ref name="A1">{{Cite web|title=Incredible India {{!}} Makarpura Palace|url=https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredible-india-v2/en/destinations/vadodara/makarpura-palace.html|access-date=2020-12-19|website=www.incredibleindia.org}}</ref> It was used as summer residence and hunting resort by the Royal Family. <ref name="A2">{{Cite web|last=HoVB|date=2009-09-17|title=Makarpura Palace|url=https://historyofvadodara.in/makarpura-palace/|access-date=2020-12-19|website=History of Vadodara - Baroda|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="A3">{{Cite book|last=devidasan|first=M. k|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PYboDwAAQBAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA219&dq=makarpura+palace&hl=en|title=Rags To Uniform|date=2020-02-10|publisher=markmybook llp|isbn=978-81-944167-6-0|language=en}}</ref>

==History==

It was built by Maharaja Khende Rao in 1870.<ref name="A1"/><ref name="A3"/> It is said that [[Malhar Rao Gaekwad]], brother of [[Khanderao II Gaekwad]], who ruled Baroda from 1970 to 1975, destroyed a portion of this palace. <ref name="A2"/> It was extended and renovated by [[Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III]]. The palace was used as a training school by the [[Indian Air Force]] for many years.<ref name="A2"/>

==Location==

[[Khanderao II Gaekwad]] spend a lot of time at Dhaniavi which is near [[Makarpura]]; it was then called ''Shikarkhana''. Due to its proximity to deer reserves, the palace site was selected at Makarpura.<ref name="A2"/>

==Structure and Landscape==

The palace is a three-storey structure which is divided into two parts. One part was built by Khanderao II Gaekwad whereas the other part was built by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Both parts look the same and reflect [[Renaissance architecture|Italian renaissance architecture]]. Both these parts are connected by corridors at the ground and first floor levels. There is also a single-storey [[Porte-cochère|porte-cochere]] with Italian-style multifoil fountains. <ref name="A2"/>

It has more than one hundred ornate brick rooms, along with frame-arch balconies and wooden staircases. The size of the arch gets smaller as it goes up.<ref name="A2"/>

The rear portion of the palace consists of series of terraces which are connected by staircases and are shaded by [[Chhajja|chhajjas]].<ref name="A2"/>

The palace has a Japanese-style garden which is spread across 130 acres. It is designed by [[William Goldring]], the architect of the royal botanical gardens. The garden was named Kew and featured a swimming pool and a lake with swans. There were ivory fountains which were activated to welcome the king when he visited the palace.<ref name="A1"/><ref name="A2"/><ref name="A3"/>

The interior of the palace which once had painted ceilings, grand wooden staircases, stucco panels, chandeliers, wooden furniture, etc. is currently in a very dilapidated condition. <ref name="A2"/>

==See also==
*[[Makarpura]], industrial area in Vadodara

==References==
<references/>

{{Vadodara topics}}
{{coord|22.2412|73.1949|type:landmark_region:IN_source:enwiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Tourist attractions in Vadodara]]
[[Category:Palaces in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Baroda State]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Vadodara]]

{{India-palace-stub}}

Makarpura Palace - Revision history

->John of Reading at 16:13, 7 August 2021