Laxmi Vilas Palace is the private residence of Vadodara’s royal family in India. Occupying over 500 acres, the palace was once the largest private home in the world, measuring four times the size of Buckingham Palace. The 170-room structure was built at the behest of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III in 1890. When built, it boasted a number of modern amenities such as elevators.
Laxmi Vilas Palace was the largest private dwelling place at the time of its construction, and today, it holds the record of being the world’s largest private palace.
Major Charles Mant, the main architect of the palace, designed the structure in the Indo-Saracenic style. It was a revivalist architectural style popular among British architects in India during the late 19th century. These British architects combined the decorative elements of Indo-Islamic architecture with the basic structure of Gothic revival or Neo-classical buildings. Laxmi Vilas Palace was adorned with multi-colored marble, intricated carvings, mosaic tiles, palms, fountains, and several artworks belonging to the famous Indian artist Raja Ravi Verma.
