Jaisalmer was an important staging post on the caravan route between India and Persia, Arabia and the West. It therefore comes as no surprise that the town boasts a number of splendid havelis in pink-ochre sandstone, built by the rich merchants of the 18C and 19C. The Patwon ki Haveli (19C) – the largest and most beautiful of these – stands in a narrow street in the lower town and is adorned with a finely sculpted façade with 60 balconies, each of which is different in style. The sculptural work here is particularly remarkable.