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Hawa Mahal Palace in pink city, jaipur, Rajasthan, India

The city of Jaipur is one of India's architectural wonders. It houses some of the country's most ornate royal palaces -- elaborate structures designed hundreds of years ago that still captivate visitors today.


Largely built in the 1700s under the order of Rajput ruler Sawai Raja Jai Singh II, Jaipur is surrounded by a city wall and several defensive forts. Conceived as a commercial center in the state of Rajasthan, it was considered ahead of its time due to the use of grid iron city planning.


A romantic dusty pink hue -- which has defined the city since 1876, after it was painted pink to welcome Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert -- gives Jaipur its status as the "Pink City," as it is commonly known.