Lalgarh Palace and Museum

The palace was built between 1902 and 1926 and displays a mix of Rajput, Mughal and European architectural styles. The building was commissioned by the British controlled regency for Maharaja Ganga Singh (1881-1942) while he was still a minor; he named the palace after his father Maharaja Lall Singh. The three-storey complex is coated in red sandstone quarried from the Thar Desert. The complex features magnificent pillars, elaborate fire-places, Italian colonnades and intricate lattice and filigree work. At present the palace houses The Shri Sadul Museum which is located in the west wing. It also contains the fourth largest private library in the world, and the residence of the Bikaner royal family.

Junagarh Fort (Bikaner Fort)

This is one of the few major forts in Rajasthan which is not built on a hilltop, and was built in the reign of Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler of Bikaner, who ruled from 1571 to 1611 AD. The construction was completed in 1594. Despite repeated attempts to capture the fort, it was not taken, except for a lone-day occupation by Kamran Mirza, second son of the Mughal Emperor Babur. In the battle, the Mughals were defeated by the Rathors. Built over an area of 5.28 hectares, the fort includes several palaces, temples and pavilions, in a mix of architectural styles.