Chattar Manzil: A Palace of Awadh’s Rulers
Site at a Glance
- Country
- India
- Primary era
- Early Modern
- Eras represented
- Early Modern
- Civilizations
- Unclassified
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Palace
On this page5 sections
History
A palace for Awadh’s rulers
Chattar Manzil is a palace on the Gomti River in Lucknow, India. Construction began in the 1780s at the order of Ghazi Uddin Haider, a nawab, the title used by rulers of Awadh, a historical kingdom in northern India centered on Lucknow. The palace served Awadh’s rulers and their wives. Its architecture is described as Indo-European-Nawabi, with Nawabi referring to the courtly culture of nawabs, and is also identified with Mughal architecture, the traditions associated with the Mughal Empire in South Asia.
After Ghazi Uddin Haider’s death, his successor, Nasir Uddin Haider, completed the palace. Saadat Ali Khan and Wajid Ali Shah were among its owners.
The 1857 rebellion and British use
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a major uprising against British rule in India, Indian revolutionaries used Chattar Manzil as a stronghold. British forces destroyed part of the palace during the conflict.
After the war, the British government allotted the building to an American nongovernmental organization, which used it as a recreation club. It served as the United Services Club until 1947.
Research institute
After Indian independence, the building was allotted to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, an Indian research organization. From 1950, it housed the Central Drug Research Institute, a research institute focused on drugs, until the institute later vacated it.
Remains
The palace complex comprised Bari Chattar Manzil, the larger building, and Chhoti Chattar Manzil, the smaller. The larger structure has been altered over time. Chattar Manzil is also known as the Umbrella Palace or Chhatri Palace, names linked to the umbrella-shaped domes that crown octagonal pavilions. The larger building contains large underground rooms and has a dome topped by a gilded umbrella.
