Tuesday, September 22, 2026

History Highlights

The Palaces of Orchha: A Bundela Capital on the Betwa

On a rocky island in the Betwa River, in a quiet corner of central India, stands one of the country’s most atmospheric palace complexes, the fort of Orchha. Cross the

The Man Mandir of Gwalior: The Painted Palace of a Musical King

Rising sheer from the plains of central India, a long flat-topped hill of yellow sandstone lifts the great fort of Gwalior high above the city that shares its name. Along

Amer Fort: The Hilltop Palace of the Kachhwaha Rajputs

Rise early in Jaipur and drive a few kilometers north into the Aravalli hills, and you come upon one of the great sights of India. Above a still lake, on

The Palace of Khudayar Khan: The Shining Facade of Kokand

In the town of Kokand, in the fertile Fergana Valley of eastern Uzbekistan, a long tiled facade rises above a broad approach like a wall of jewelry. This is the

The Tash Hauli Palace of Khiva: A Jewel Box of the Desert Khans

Step out of the sunbaked lanes of Khiva and through a modest doorway in a high mud-brick wall, and you enter a world that seems to belong to a storybook.