The huge City Palace, towering over the lake, is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Actually a conglomeration of buildings added by various Maharanas, the palace manages to retain a surprising uniformity of design. Building was started by Maharana Udai Singh, the city's founder. The palace is surmounted by balconies, towers and cupolas and there are fine views over the lake and the city from the upper terraces.

The palace is entered from the northern end through the Bari Pol of 1600 and the Tripolia Gate of 1725, with its eight carved marble arches. It was once a custom for Maharanas to be weighed under the gate and their weight in gold or silver distributed to the populace.

The main part of the palace is now preserved as a museum with a large and varied. The museum includes the Mor Chowk with its beautiful mosaics of peacocks, the favourite Rajasthani bird. The Manak (or Ruby) Mahal has glass and porcelain figures while Krishna Vilas has a remarkable collection of miniatures. In the Bari Mahal, there is a fine central garden. More paintings can be seen in the Zanana Mahal. The Moti Mahal has beautiful mirrorwork and the Chini Mahal is covered in Ornamental tiles.