Amber Fort.

	Amber Fort, Jaipur
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The mighty Amber Fort (Jaigarh), built in 1600, stands high on the hill behind Amber.

As the Kuchwahas were on friendly terms with the Moghuls, the fort saw few battles, and its immense cannon - the largest in Asia, which needed one hundred kilos of gunpowder for one shot and could send a ball 35km - was never fired in anger.

The small museum collection displaying artillery, old maps, medals, stamps and photographs, plus the odd fifteenth-century spitoon, is unspectacular, but has an interesting hand-drawn floor plan of the palaces at Amber.

The Amber Fort is also renowned as the most likely hiding place of the Kuchwahas' famous lost treasure . A huge hoard of gemstones and jewelry disappeared after Independence, probably to prevent its confiscation by the government. Income tax officials scoured the building with metal detectors in 1977 but found nothing.

Most people walk to Amber Fort from the village, but it's quite a long climb; the alternative is to descend to the valley and follow by vehicle the much longer road that leads to both Jaigarh and Nawalgarh

Amber Fort:
daily 9am-4.30pm; Rs50, Rs25 extra for camera, Rs100 extra for video.