The walled city of Jaipur is on every traveler’s list of places to visit in Jaipur. It is unmissable. This area is referred to as the Parkota or Purana Shahar by the locals. The Walled City of Jaipur holds an exceptional place for historians, researchers, and architects because it is unique and an excellent model to examine for city planners too. Lately, this Walled City of Jaipur is also called Jaipur Heritage City.

The Walled City of Jaipur | A Detailed Information

Most Jaipur guides and travel websites claim Jaipur was the first planned city in India; they are referring to the walled city. However, this is not completely accurate and there are many riders. Jaipur Walled City is important in many ways. Here are the reasons for the same.

The Importance Of Walled City Of Jaipur

Here are a few reasons why the Jaipur Walled City is important.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Walled City of Jaipur was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in July 2019. This area is historic and the oldest part of the city. The founder of the city, Sawai Jai Singh II, ensured every aspect of the city was in line with his scheme of things; this explains the broad roads, well-planned markets, and allocation of demarcated spaces for specific activities and people. The walled city Jaipur’s UNESCO status has increased the number of tourists visiting Jaipur

Tourist Attractions in Jaipur

Many of the tourist attractions in Jaipur can be experienced in the walled city area. It is unlikely travelers will skip the walled city during the trip to the Pink City. Here are a few of these tourist attractions of Jaipur

• Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal remains an iconic tourist attraction in Jaipur. It requires a little introduction. The building stands out in the Bazaars of Jaipur. Read the complete Hawa Mahal Guide – The Hawa Mahal Guide | Exploring the architectural marvel

• Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a solar observatory dating to the early 18th century. It is one of a kind with fully functional instruments to date with precision & accuracy.

• Issar Laat

Built as a victory tower, Issar Laat can be found in Tripolia Bazaar not far from the Choti Chaupar or Tripolia Gate.

• Jaipur City Palace

Jaipur City Palace is a royal abode. The descendants of the princely ruler of Jaipur reside in parts of the Jaipur City Palace; many sections are open for visitors to explore and include museums dedicated to textiles, attires, weapons, and photography. Read the complete guide on Jaipur City Palace – A walk with museum curators | Jaipur City Palace

• Govind Dev Ji Temple

Govind Dev Ji Temple is the most revered deity in Jaipur. Travelers visit Govind Dev Ji Temple to experience the energy; a rarity in most temples. Want to know more about Govind Dev Ji Temple in Jaipur? Read Devotees at Govind Dev Ji Temple

• Shopping in Jaipur Bazaar

Shopping is one of the must-do activities in Jaipur. It rates very high and most sought-after thing among travelers. The Walled City of Jaipur has many bazaars like Johari Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar, and Sirehdyodi Bazaar. Read the complete Jaipur shopping guide- Markets & Places To Shop | Jaipur Shopping Guide

The Walled City Of Jaipur Facts & Map

Jaipur City Wall | Meaning & Picture

The walled city of Jaipur was enclosed by a 6-meter-high and 3-meter-thick fortification wall. This wall often called the Jaipur wall encircled the entire city. The purpose of the wall was to provide security to the city from attacks by the enemy forces. The area enclosed in this wall is called the Walled City of Jaipur. Today, this wall has been heavily encroached on and has almost vanished except in certain places. Most heritage experts believe within the next decade, the remaining Jaipur Wall will cease to exist given the rate at which encroachments are taking place. Ironically, the government has done very little to save the Jaipur Wall. The pace at which illegal encroachment has taken place during the current reign of government is mind-boggling. It seems collusion is the main reason for its destruction. Here is a picture of the Jaipur wall. I would like to direct you to my previous blog on Jaipur heritage that highlights why saving the heritage in Jaipur is vital Read Why does our attitude towards heritage need a change?

Jaipur City Wall & Jaipur Gates

One could enter the walled city through the gates. These gates, some refer to as Jaipur Gates, are 7 or 8 depending on different opinions. People who exclude Samrat Gate consider the walled city of Jaipur to have 7 gates. Here is an in-depth guide to Jaipur Gates- The story of old Jaipur gates

There are three large squares called Chaupar and 9 Chowkries or quarters in the Walled City of Jaipur. The names of Chaupar are Badi Chaupar, Choti Chaupar, and Ramganj Chaupar. The names of 9 Chowkries are Purani Basti, Chowkri Topkhana Desh, Chowkri Topkhana Hajuri, Modikhana, Vishveshwarji, Ghat Darwaja, Ramchandraji, Gangapol, and Sarhad.

Walled City of Jaipur Map

Here is an outline of the Jaipur walled city map for reference purposes.

Image courtesy-Shubham Sisodia project urban design Indian city Jaipur

Jaipur City Wall vs. the Great Wall of Amer

Very often, travelers confuse the Jaipur Wall with the Great Wall of Amer. People refer Amer Wall as the Jaipur Wall. In fact, both these are separate. The Great Wall of Amer is in Amer Town, near Amer Fort whereas, the Jaipur Wall is part of the walled city of Jaipur. You will find superb views from the Great Wall of Amer but that is not the case with Jaipur Wall. Read more about The Great Wall of Amer in Why the Loss of the Great Wall of Amer is Inevitable? Here is a picture of Amer Wall.

Unique Things To Do In Jaipur Walled City

There are two unique things to undertake in Jaipur’s walled city.

Walking Tour in Jaipur

The first one is a walking tour in Jaipur Walled City. The walk allows you to explore the city from a distinct perspective and represents a unique experience in itself. Read a detailed heritage walking tour in Jaipur guide- Heritage walk in Jaipur

If you prefer undertaking a self-guided walking tour in Jaipur, read How to do a free walking tour in Jaipur

Food walk in Jaipur

The second one is a food walk in Jaipur’s walled city. Although the food is not unique but allows you to experience the food culture of the walled city. Considering the type of food outlets, it can best be termed as the Jaipur street food walk. You might enjoy this detailed Jaipur street food guide- What are the best street food places in the walled city of Jaipur

You might also enjoy reading this Jaipur Food Walk Guide, which I undertook a few years ago – Jaipur food walk in the walled city

Walking tour in Jaipur vs Food walk in Jaipur

If you possess time for just one and have to choose between two, here are my recommendations. A Food Walk in Jaipur is best done during the late afternoons; the Heritage walking tour is best in the early hours. Heritage walking tour allows you to “bond” better with the Pink City; the start of a romantic affair, for many. If you prefer your taste buds to do more “work”, you already have the answer.

Street Photos From The Walled City Of Jaipur

Travelers are enchanted with the streets of the walled city of Jaipur, for many reasons; each has its own. What I can say with certainty is that the Jaipur walled City streets and markets are never dull even for a moment. They are ever buzzing. This can be overwhelming for some people especially travelers from different parts of the world. As requested time and again, I will share pictures from the walled city of Jaipur, both the streets and the market. If you enjoy such sights, you may consider undertaking my walking tour in Jaipur.

The above sight is unique to the markets of the walled city of Jaipur.

The walled city is a chaotic busy place during the business hours. The above picture from Badi Chaupar in the walled city area depicts one such sight.

Never a dull moment in the streets of the markets of the walled city of Jaipur.

Travelers opt for the street side cafe in Europe for people-watching, it is much simpler in Jaipur. A walking tour in Jaipur is all that you need for people-watching.

If you enjoyed these pictures from the Jaipur walled city, you might enjoy my blog posts posted here-Street photography in Jaipur