Travel - India

Facade of Hawa Mahal

In 1876, Prince Albert visited from Britain. His wife was Queen Victoria, the most powerful monarch in the world, so naturally the Maharaja of Jaipur wanted to impress Albert. To make Jaipur beautiful for the visit, the Maharaja had the whole city painted terracotta pink, a color representing welcome and hospitality.

This shows part of the Hawa Mahal, a palace even older than the “Pink City” conversion. The small windows and lattice screens allowed royal ladies to see festivals and everyday life in the street below without being seen themselves.