Jaigarh Fort
जयगढ़ क़िला
A military fortress built in 1726 on the hilltop above Amber Fort. It houses Jaivana, the world's largest wheeled cannon, and offers panoramic views of Amber Fort and Maota Lake.
Jaigarh Fort ('Fort of Victory') was built in 1726 by Jai Singh II on the 'Eagle Hill' above Amber Fort. It served as a military stronghold protecting Amber Fort and the royal treasury, and its walls extend 3 km along the ridge. It was never breached. The fort's main exhibit is the Jaivana cannon, cast in 1720 in the fort's own foundry. The barrel is 6.15 metres long and the cannon weighs 50 tonnes, making it the largest wheeled cannon in the world. It is said to have been test-fired only once, and the cannonball landed 35 km away. Visitors can explore the foundry ruins, the armoury, the Royal Artillery Museum and three huge underground water reservoirs (legend has it they hid royal treasure, and the Indian government carried out large-scale excavations in 1976). Also on site are the royal palace Laxmi Vilas, gardens and a puppet theatre. The ramparts offer the best panoramic view of Amber Fort and Maota Lake below. Entry for foreigners is 200 rupees (not included in the combined ticket, but a same-day Amber Fort ticket gives a discount), and it is open 09:00 to 17:00. Getting there: a stone-paved path of about 1 km climbs from Amber Fort (about 20 minutes on foot, fairly steep), or you can take a taxi around the winding mountain road in about 10 minutes. From here you can continue along the ridge road to Nahargarh Fort (about 15 minutes). Allow 1 to 1.5 hours, scheduled after Amber Fort and before the sunset at Nahargarh Fort. Note: the grounds are large with almost no shade, so bring water. There are many monkeys, so do not show any food.
Opening hours
09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Amber (Amer) Fort
- Panna Meena ka Kund
- Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing
- Jal Mahal
- Royal Gaitore Cenotaphs
- Nahargarh Fort
- Govind Dev Ji Temple
- City Palace