Laxmi Vilas Palace
The Gaekwads' Colossal Royal Residence
Overview
Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, is a vast Indo-Saracenic royal residence commissioned in 1878 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and completed in 1890 to designs by British architects Charles Mant and Robert Chisholm. Set in a complex of over 500 acres, it is reputed to be one of the largest private residences ever built, often cited as several times the size of Buckingham Palace, and remains the home of the Gaekwad family, former rulers of Baroda State. Its Durbar Hall gleams with Venetian mosaic and Belgian stained glass. MyTripMyTravel arranges escorted access to the public wing.
Laxmi Vilas Palace is the largest thing most visitors have never heard of. Completed in 1890 for Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the reforming Maharaja of Baroda, it spreads across more than 500 acres and is routinely described as one of the biggest private residences on earth, a claim its sheer bulk, several times the footprint of Buckingham Palace, makes easy to believe.
It is a showpiece of the Indo-Saracenic style: British architects Charles Mant and Robert Chisholm fused Mughal domes and Rajput detailing with European engineering, Italian marble, and Venetian mosaic. The Durbar Hall, with its mosaic floor, Belgian stained glass and chandeliers, is the set-piece; the grounds hold a museum, a golf course, and the family's own collections.
Crucially, this is still a home, the Gaekwads live here, so only part of the palace is open. MyTripMyTravel arranges the audio-guided visit to the public wing and grounds, with the context on Sayajirao's remarkable reign that turns a big building into a real story.
At a glance
Laxmi Vilas Palace in brief
What to see
Highlights
The Durbar Hall
The ceremonial hall with Venetian mosaic floor, Belgian stained glass and chandeliers.
Indo-Saracenic facade
Mant and Chisholm's fusion of Mughal domes, Rajput detail and European engineering.
The grounds
Over 500 acres of gardens, with a golf course laid out within the estate.
Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum
The royal art collection, including European and Indian works, on the estate.
The royal collections
Armoury, artworks and regalia of the reforming Gaekwad dynasty.
Visitor information
Our tips
Use the audio guide, the palace is enormous and thinly labelled otherwise.
Remember it is a private home; only the public wing is open to visitors.
Interior photography is restricted, so shoot the facade and grounds.
Add the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum on the estate for the art collection.
Good to know
Laxmi Vilas Palace, your questions
Is Laxmi Vilas Palace really bigger than Buckingham Palace?
Its 500-plus-acre complex is often cited as several times the size of Buckingham Palace, and it is regularly described as one of the largest private residences ever built. It remains genuinely vast.
Can I go inside?
Only the public wing is open, since the Gaekwad family still lives here. The audio-guided route covers the Durbar Hall and principal state rooms; interior photography is restricted.
Who built it?
It was commissioned in 1878 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and completed in 1890 to designs by the British architects Charles Mant and Robert Chisholm, in the Indo-Saracenic style.
How long should I allow?
About 1.5 to 2 hours to see the public rooms, the grounds, and ideally the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum on the estate.
Visit with us
See Laxmi Vilas Palace, properly.
A private, chauffeured visit with a licensed expert guide, timed for the best light and the smallest crowds. We fold Laxmi Vilas Palace into a wider Vadodara and West India itinerary, built entirely around you.
- Skip the queue where possible, at the right hour
- Licensed local guide who brings the story to life
- Private car and chauffeur, door to door
Plan your trip
Plan a visit to Laxmi Vilas Palace
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