Sattais Katcheri Hall in Amber Fort near Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

© R.M. Nunes/Getty Image

History with a view. Amber Fort near Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Most first-time visitors know Jaipur, in Rajasthan, India, as the Pink City, but the earlier royal capital was centered on Amber Fort. That's where much of the dynasty's political and architectural history was shaped. The fort developed over more than a century, beginning under Raja Man Singh I in 1592 and continuing under later Kachwaha rulers who controlled the kingdom that eventually became Jaipur State. The royal family moved to the newly planned city of Jaipur in 1727, but Amber continued to serve ceremonial functions.

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