Since the early 17C, Junagarth Fort has been home to a string of royal palaces behind its impregnable red sandstone walls marked with 30 bastions. Take some time to admire the Anup Mahal, where the maharajas were crowned and which is richly decorated..

Lalgarh Palace was built in 1900 by the Maharaja Ganga Singh and was designed by the famous architect Sir Swinton Jacob. This huge red sandstone building, a mix of Rajput, Muslim and British influences, was the home of the royal family from the 1920s..

Bikaner attracted merchants and bankers from the late 15C onwards. Taking advantage of the strategic location of the town, an important staging post for caravans after crossing the Thar, the most astute of these quickly amassed huge fortunes. As in o..