Ramnagar Palace:The Palace complex at Ramnagar comprises of Shish Mahal , Purana
Mahal and Nawa Mahal which are close to each other . These Mahals are located
on the slopes of the Ramnagar Hill presenting a vista of the valley. The access
to the palace is obtained by stairway with retaining walls on its sites.
Purana
Mahal: The Palace is a fairly big
complex of rooms rising to three stories
with high walls and watch towers at regular intervals. The wa;lls of the room
are decorated with stucco are fine lime work and painted with floral and
geometrical designs. The wooden members of the ceiling are also profusely
decorated. The corner of roofs is projected looks like lotus flower.
Nawa
Mahal: The complex comprises of an
inner courtyard surrounded by halls . It has two entracesfacing each other. The
walls are also Eaternally high are supported by buttresses. The halls have
false ceiling of wooden beams are rendered with floral design painting cornice
just below the ceiling. There are fireplaces in the room meant for warming
during severe winter season.
Sheesh Mahal It Comprises of Two forecourts having bastions at the corners.
Behind these, There are halls and rooms with Flat ceilings on either side of
the centeral passage. The Darwar Halls has mural painting showinga Influence of
Pahari Schools (Ramnagar school of Paintings),having things from the
Ramyana,The Mahabharata and the Bhagwata. The court and battle scenes connected
with Raja Sucheet singh are also depicted beside some lithograph of later
periods. The walls of Rang Mahal adjoining the Shish Mahal are also decorated with
mirrors and Paintings in panels. The Painting depict hunting and court scenes
and those of nayikas,Raginis and Krishna
Ramnagar Fort : Another historic building in the area just near the Sheesh
Mahal is the Ramnagar Fort overlooking Mansa Devi Nallah which was built by Raja Suchet Singh.
It is entered by a narrow bridge over the moat. The fort is square on plan with
polygonal bastions rising to three stories on four corners. The parapet wall
having machicolation in three tiers all along is further strengthened by
bastions in the middle of its back and inside are images of Ganesha, Durga and Hanuman. Around the central
courtyard are magazines, cells and moat about five meter deep around the fort.
The Archaeological Survey of India took over this fort in 1972 for its
renovation and protect it.
