Located right at the heart of Vadodara is the gorgeous Laxmi Vilas Palace. The city is a cultural hotspot with lovely people, food and of course the tiny ice-cream stores at every nook and corner. The only thing that stands stronger and shines brighter than the scorching sun is the Laxmi Vilas Palace. Here are ten interesting facts we bet you didn’t know:
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The Laxmi Vilas Palace Is Four Times Bigger Than The Buckingham Palace
The Lakshmi Vilas Palace is four times bigger than the Buckingham Palace in London (Pretty impressive, huh?) It is the largest private dwelling built till date. The palace has 170 rooms and was built for just two people. The construction of the palace started in 1868 and it took 12 years to complete building the palace. However, an eerie incident is related to the palace too! The architect of the palace, Major Charles Mant, hung himself before the palace could be completed. He studied his calculations and thought the palace would collapse. But the Laxmi Vilas Palace still stands proud after 125 years. Mumbai Will Soon Have Buckingham Palace-like Ceremonial Drill At Police Headquarters.
The Palace Cost A Whopping £180,000
The Palace Cost A Whopping £180,000The palace is built with a number of local and international resources. Red sandstone was shipped from Agra, marbles of Rajasthan and Italy and blue trap stone from Pune were used in the construction. Take that Ambani! At the time of completion, the palace cost a whopping £180,000. Mind you this was over a century ago where an entire day cost a few annas. MillionaireAsia Declares Baroda’s Maharani As The ‘Modern Maharni’ Of Indian Kingdom Dynasty.
The Palace Has The Most Number Of Stained Glasses In The World
The palace has a clock tower stands 300ft in the air. However, the bell was never used since it was a nuisance to the residents. Instead a red light would be switched on when the king would be in residence. This practice is followed even today. Another thing that makes Laxmi Vilas Palace stands out is that it has more number of stained glasses than any other palace in the world.
The Palace Complex Has A Gold Course And A Museum
The palace was built by Maharaja Sayaji Rao III and He named it after his third wife, Rani Laxmibai from Thanjore. Today, it remains the official Royal residence of the Gaekwads of Baroda. Apart from the clock tower, the palace boasts of a zoo, and a museum. Parts of the palace grounds are now used as a golf course and is accessible to the citizens of Baroda.
Watch the video to see how magnificent this palace this!
First Published: January 11, 2021 4:00 PM