LVP and Balmoral Castle

Shiv Makwana
23-EN-420
EN-3502 Tragedy
CIA II Module 2, 2024
A comparative study between Lakshmi Vilas palace, Vadodra and Balmoral Castle, Scotland
The Lakshmi Vilas palace in Baroda, Gujrat is one of the world’s largest residential palaces
covering an area of 700 acres. It is said to be four times bigger than the Buckingham palace in
London. It was made by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. The royal family is currently
residing in the palace, Samarjitsinh Gaekwad and his wife Radhikaraje Gaekwad. The palace
is named after Maharani Lakshmi Bai, wife of Maharaja Sayajirao.
The palace was made by the architect Major Charles Mant. The construction took almost 12
years. He was one of the most famous architect of the time. It is said that he had fits of paranoia
and depression and died while the project was going on. It was suspected to be a suicide because
he fears the palace was a mirror image of what he had initially planned and would result in the
main gate coming at the backside of the palace. After his death Robert Fellows took over the
project.
The Balmoral castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland is the private residence of the British royal
family since 1852. Impressed by the castle’s beauty it was purchased by Prince albert. But they
thought it was too small for everyone and thus it was reconstructed. It has been passed down
for generations. It covers an astounding area of 50,000 acres. It was built by Prince Albert,
completed in 1856. Inside it has forests, gardens and farmlands. It also home to various kinds
of wildlife. The unique and huge architecture and landscape make it one of the grandest palaces
and thus the symbol of the British royals.
The Castle shows Scottish Baronial style of architecture which was very popular in the 19th
century. It is similar to other Scottish medieval castles and baronial styles. It also has
inspirations taken from gothic and renaissance architecture styles. It reflects the personal tastes
of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria because they were the ones who made the new buildings
which are currently there.
The Lakshmi Vilas palace features many different types of architecture styles, but primarily
focuses on indo-saracenic style. It also has influences from roman, Mughal and gothic styles.
The palace has grand pillars and towers which influence from the roman style. It also has dome
like structure which replicate the Mughal architecture. The walls are carved with intricate
designs and beautiful figures. The palace has huge lush green courtyards and gardens. It also
has water fountains with sculptures inspired from the European culture.
The Lakshmi Vilas palace has rich European interiors. It has marble structure, paintings
inspired from European arts, oil paintings, and even venetian mosaic floors. Many furniture
and chandeliers were imported from Europe. The ‘darbar hall’ is one of the most beautiful
rooms in the palace. It has high ceilings with brown balconies hanging in the courtroom.
Venetian marble mosaic flooring makes it even more appealing. The ceilings have beautiful
glass chandeliers. The stained window make the room vibrant and lively. It is fine mix of
English and Indian architecture. The hall serves a purpose for big gatherings and dance and
music concerts.
The palace was highly advanced for its time when it was built. It has elevators and room
cooling techniques with pipes installed on the outside walls, plumbing , etc. we can see that the
Maharaja was in awe of paintings and sculptures because throughout the palace corridors we
see different types of art works from different parts of the world.
The Balmoral Castle has high towers with cone like roof which gives the castle a very
medieval English aesthetic. It has a famous clocktower which is very prominently visible in
the skyline. The castle top is lined up with battlements for the defence of the castle. The castles
roof classically shows prominent Scottish architecture. There are small turrets and finials
throughput the castle which enhance the gothic style of the castle.
The castle exterior is made of granite which gives it its grey colour. It mixes perfectly with
the surrounding landscape. The castle was the work of a Scottish architect, William smith. The
castle has a very romantic medieval aesthetic. It is also symmetric because prince albert wanted
balance and symmetry. He was very involved in designing the castle and thus it is very dear
and close to the royal family even still. While being beautiful and extravagant the castle is also
highly functional as it has many living spaces for the royal family members.
The castle also has fine stonework in the corridors , near the windows and even around the
doors. The interior reflects a Victorian style of décor which has wood panels, fireplaces, and
many decorative furnishings. It also has Victorian arches, deep set windows, and gothic
stonework. It makes it feel mysterious and romantic.
The castle has been passed down for many years and since then it has gone through many
renovations. They have managed and tried to still preserve the original style of architecture and
not change it too much that it loses its speciality. So still the overall style remains the same. It
is the symbol for the medieval Scottish heritage and the grandeur of the British royal family.
Both the palaces show culture and heritage of a distinctive royal family. they reflect different
kinds of cultural and architectural traditions. Lakshmi vilas palace showcases European and
indo-saracenic style with modernity and a fusion of different cultures. Whereas Balmoral castle
shows Scottish architecture with renaissance inspirations. They both show the grandeur of the
royal families and are a symbol of the royal traditions and culture. It also shows the interest of
both the families in art and heritage of different cultures. It is thus representation of the royal
families and their preferences of different art forms.

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Shiv Makwana

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