Situated on the banks of the river Vishwamitri Vadodra (Baroda) is the capital city of the erstwhile Gaekwad rulers and is also known as the garden city of Gujarat. Baroda is the western derivative of the term; 'Vadodra' meaning 'City of Banyan Trees'. It is an important cultural center of India, known for its art galleries and museums. Vadodra is located in the eastern part of the state of Gujarat and is a pleasant, medium sized city.



Places of Tourist Interest in Vadodra:

•Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery

Founded by the Gaekwad in 1894, it has impressive collections of art and archeology, natural history, geology and ethnology. It has an excellent collection of art objects and paintings, including the famous Akota bronzes dating from 5th Century A.D. Other treasures include a full-fledged gallery of Tibetan Art. Visit Maqbara, which is the oldest Mughal monument in the town.

•Khanderao Market

This is a palatial building erected by Sayaji Rao in 1906-07 at a cost of about Rs. 5 lakhs. It was presented by him as a gift to the Municipality on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of his administration. The Municipal Offices are located in this building. The main entrance resembles in architecture with that of the gate of Dabhoi Fort. The perforated stone prepares are after style of the Agra Screens.

•Maharaja Fatehsingh Museum

The museum has the royal collection of art treasures and works of old masters like Raphael, Titian and Murillo as well as modern western and Indian paintings, Graeco-Roman exhibits, Chinese and Japanese art, and a large collection of contemporary Indian art.

•EME Temple

Unique in concept and design, the EME Temple is a geodesic structure covered with aluminium sheets. Run entirely by the army authorities, this temple is a major attraction for both tourist and devotees.

•Laxmi Vilas Palace

The Royal Family's residence is an extravagant building in Indo- Saracenic style. 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.

•Sayaji Sarovar

The Sayaji Sarovar or Ajwa lake, 22 kms away from the city is the principal source of water. It is formed by damming the Surya river and Vaghali Nala. Work on the scheme was started in 1885 and was completed in 1890. The gardens at Ajwa are patterned after the famous Brindavan Gardens of Mysore. The illumination of fountains is a major attraction for tourists.

•Darbar Hall

Considered as one of the most famous museums of the country it was built in 1894. The picture gallery which offers an excellent collection of originals by famous British painters Turner and constable and many others attract tourists from every part of the country. The Egyptian mummy and skeleton of a blue whale are major attractions for those who visit the museum. Other treasure includes the famous Akota bronzes dating the 5th Century A.D., A collection of Mughal miniatures, a full fledged gallery of Tibetan Art and oils by several European masters.

Excursion of Vadodra:

Kayavarohan

Popularly known as Karvan, it is situated on National Highway No. 8. It is both a place of pilgrimage and a picnic spot. A beautiful Shiv Temple built recently houses an attractive idol of Lakulish. Ancient sculptures and relics belonging to the 2nd century have been excavated from this historical place.

Pavagadh

A mountainous place with the historical town of Champaner nearby. The town has beautiful mosques Juma Masjid and Shah-ki-Masjid built in early Mohamedan Era. It is 50 kms away from Baroda and accessible by bus and train.

Shukaltirth

Legend surrounds the Vishnu temple here on the banks of the river Narmada. A fair is held every November in this pilgrim center, which is 89 km from Baroda.

How to get there:

By Air

You can get into Vadodra on a domestic flight, and it is reasonably connected to the rest of the country by domestic airlines like Indian airlines and Jet airways. The nearest international airport is about 100 km away in Ahmedabad.

By Train

At Vadodra railway station you can get on and off both super fast and premium trains like Shatabdi and Rajdhani express, as well as travel the humble passenger trains. It is well connected to the other parts of the country.

By Road

Vadodra is 112 kms. from Ahmedabad and 420 kms. from Mumbai.