Heritage

Amar Mahal Palace is the architectural gem located on the National Highway towards Srinagar. Built like a French Chateau on a hill overlooking the river Tawi, is a beautiful palace of red sand stone which stands amidst most picturesque horizons of Jammu. Once the residential palace of Raja Amar Singh, the palace has been converted into a museum and is looked after by Hari-Tara Charitable Trust. The museum has the golden throne on which Maharaja used to sit, which is made up of 120 kg pure gold. The museum has a gallery of paintings and a library in which about 25,000 books on various subjects and disciplines have been presented.

Mubarak Mandi also called the Royal Dogra palaces have a history of more than 150 years. A very beautiful architecture, blended with Baroque, Mugal, Rajasthani and European styles, attracts the tourists in large number to this spot. The most striking sections of the complex are Sheesh Mahal, Rani Charak Mahal, the old Army Head Quarter, the Foreign Office and the Grey Hall where the Maharaja used to hold his Darbar. The Mubarak Mandi Complex includes the famous Dogra Art Gallery situated in the erstwhile Pink Hall. The museum is a treasure house of miniature paintings from the traditional Hill Schools of art especially the Jammu School of Art, Kangra School of Art and Basohli School of Art. The collection includes hundreds of rare pictures, a gold bow and arrow of the Mughal king Shah Jehan and also hand written Persian manuscripts of Shahnama and Sikandernama. This complex surrounds a beautiful courtyard and a fabulous garden.

The ancient Bahu Fort in Jammu is believed to be originally built by Raja Bahu Lochan about 3,000 years ago. It was refurbished by the Dogra rulers in the 19th century. The fort is a religious place and within its precincts is a temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, the presiding deity of Jammu. The temple is known locally as the "Bawey Wali Mata temple". Just beneath the fort is the terraced Bagh-e-Bahu Garden laid in the style of Mughal gardens which affords panoramic view of the Jammu city and underground fish aquarium.