Archaeological findings indicate that human habitations
existed in the city since prehistoric times. Vadodara passed
through the hands of the Guptas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas,
Solankis, the Sultans of Delhi and the Mughals before passing
on to the Marathas. It owes its present day grandeur to
Maharaja Sayajirao, a great patron of art, architecture
and music.
Vadodara, originally 'Vadapadraka' means a village amidst
the banyan trees. Historical findings take us back to the
9th century where we find reference to a town called Ankottaka,
which can be identified as present day Akota. Located on
the right bank of the river this place was prone to floods
and therefore in the later period Vadapadraka displaced
Ankottaka as the administrative headquarters.
Prime Attractions
Lakshmi Vilas Palace:
Designed in Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, the
palace built by Maharaja Sayajirao in 1890 is till date
the residence of the royal family. Its ornate Darbar Hall
has an Italian mosaic floor and walls with mosaic decorations.
The palace houses a remarkable collection of old armoury
and sculptures in bronze, marble & terracotta.
Vadodara Museum and Picture Gallery:
Founded by the Gaekwads in 1894 AD, the museum has an
impressive collection on art and archaeology, natural history,
geology and ethnology. The adjoining art gallery has a great
collection of old European masters: Veronese, Giordano,
Zurbaran, some Flemish and Dutch School of paintings, Turner
and Constable, a collection of Mughal miniatures and valuable
palm-leaf manuscripts of Buddhist and Jain origin.
Kirti Mandir:
Meaning 'Hall of Fame', it's a memorial for the Gaekwad
rulers. Designed in the Hindu style, it is a magnificent
stone building with domes, terraces, balconies and a central
'shikhara'. It is decorated with murals by the famous Indian
artist, Nandlal Bose.
Nazarbagh Palace:
Built in the old classical style, the palace was used
on ceremonial occasions by the Gaekwads. It now houses the
royal family heirlooms.
Makarpura Palace:
A beautiful palace designed in the Italianate style, the
Makarpura is now used as a training school of the Indian
Air Force.
Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum:
This museum houses the royal collection of art treasures
of old masters like Raphael, Titian and Murillo as well
as modern western and Indian painting; Greco-Roman exhibits,
Chinese and Japanese art; and a large collection of contemporary
Indian art.
Pratap Vilas Palace at Lalbag:
Built as the residence of the royal family, the Pratap
Vilas is an extravagant and flambuoyant building built in
the Indo-Saracenic style. The palace houses a remarkable
collection of old armoury and sculptures in bronze, marble
and terracotta.
Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad University:
The erstwhile ruler of Baroda, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad
built Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad University, also known
as MSU, over a hundred years ago. The University is one
of the bigger universities in Western India and the only
one in Vadodara. The notable faculties here are the Faculty
of Fine Arts and the Faculty of Performing Arts.
Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary:
Located in the Bharuch district, the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife
Sanctuary stretches over an area of 608sq. kms. It boasts
of abundant plant and animal life. Here you can see leopards,
sloth bears, sambar, wild dogs, hyena, barking deer and
a variety of birds.
How to Get There
Air:
Various domestic airlines connecting Ahmedabad , Delhi
, Mumbai , Daman, Pune.
Rail:
Vadodara is on the Western Railways, Mumbai, Delhi and
Mumbai, Ahmedabad line.
Road:
State transport buses and private luxury coaches connects
various centres of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Delhi and Rajasthan. Vadodara is 112 Kms. from Ahmedabad
and 420 Kms. from Mumbai.
