Huzoor Palace Porbandar: The Seaside Royal Monument

Huzoor Palace is one of the most striking royal monuments of Porbandar, a grand seaside residence that stands as a reminder of the coastal city's rich princely history. Facing the Arabian Sea at the end of the Marine Drive promenade, it is a landmark admired by every visitor who strolls the seafront, though it can only be enjoyed from outside. This guide, from the team behind Somnath Dwarka Tour Package, a unit of Experience My India, covers what Huzoor Palace is, the important fact that it is closed to the public, its royal history and European architecture, how to view it and how to plan a visit to this majestic Porbandar landmark by the sea.

What is Huzoor Palace?

Huzoor Palace is a grand royal palace on the Porbandar seafront, built in the early twentieth century as the official residence of the Jethwa royal family who ruled the princely state of Porbandar. A striking monument of the princely era, it is notable for its classical European architecture and its spectacular position facing the Arabian Sea, quite unlike a traditional Indian fort or palace. It stands today as a private property of the former rulers' descendants, tightly guarded and closed to the public, so it is experienced as a magnificent facade to admire from the adjacent promenade rather than a palace to tour inside. Even so, it is one of the defining sights of Porbandar's coastline, its grand European form rising beside the sea a memorable part of any walk along the Marine Drive. For visitors interested in the royal heritage of Gujarat and the architecture of the princely age, Huzoor Palace is a landmark worth seeking out, with the clear understanding that the pleasure is in the view from outside.

Huzoor Palace at a glance

Important: the palace is closed to the public

The single most important thing to know before planning a visit is that Huzoor Palace is completely closed to the general public and to tourists, as it remains a private royal property of the Maharaja's descendants. Public entry is strictly prohibited and the palace interiors, courtyards and immediate grounds are not open for public tours or general sightseeing, so you should not travel expecting to go inside. What you can do is admire and photograph its majestic facade from the outside at any time of day, while walking along the adjacent beach promenade or the Marine Drive, which is how every visitor experiences the palace. There is one traditional exception, for historically the local community gathers near the property during the Navratri festival to pay respects to the legacy of the former rulers, a special occasion tied to the palace's heritage. Setting your expectations correctly, an exterior view rather than an interior tour, is the key to enjoying Huzoor Palace and happily its grand seaside facade is well worth the look.

The last royal seat of Porbandar

Huzoor Palace carries real historical weight as the last grand royal seat of the princely state of Porbandar. It was constructed in the early twentieth century by Rana Natwarsinhji, who was the last ruling Maharaja of the state and it served as the official grand residence of the Jethwa royal family, the dynasty that ruled Porbandar. The Jethwas were an ancient Rajput ruling house and this palace represents the final flowering of their princely state before the age of the maharajas gave way to independent India. To look upon Huzoor Palace, then, is to see the last great residence of a dynasty that governed this stretch of the Saurashtra coast for centuries, built at the very sunset of the princely era in the confident, cosmopolitan European style that many Indian royals favoured at the time. This royal pedigree and the sense of a vanished world of maharajas, is part of what gives the palace its dignity and fascination, even seen only from the seafront outside its guarded gates.

European-inspired architecture

What makes Huzoor Palace so visually distinctive is its architecture, which, unlike traditional Indian fortresses, is heavily inspired by the classical European style. The building features a unique zigzag structural formation, neoclassical columns and semi-circular ornamental porticos, set amid sprawling English-style gardens with grand water fountains, giving it the air of a European stately home transplanted to the Gujarat coast. Above all, it was masterfully designed for the sea, with high slanting roofs, distinct wings and oversized bay windows built specifically to offer panoramic, unobstructed views of the Arabian Sea from within. Everything about the design turns the palace towards the water, so that the royal family could live with the sea always before them. From the promenade, the visitor sees the result of this seaward design, a grand, light, European facade facing the waves, its porticos and windows framed against the sky. It is this fusion of European grandeur with a dramatic seaside setting that makes Huzoor Palace such a photogenic and memorable landmark on the Porbandar shore.

Viewing the palace and Chowpatty Beach

Because the palace is privately held and tightly guarded, visitors typically pair an exterior look at the grand structure with a relaxing evening walk on the Porbandar Chowpatty Beach and this combination is the ideal way to enjoy the landmark. The palace sits at the terminal end of the city's popular Chowpatty Beach promenade, directly facing the Arabian Sea, so a stroll along the Marine Drive brings you naturally to its gates, with the facade on one side and the sea on the other. The evening is especially pleasant, when the seafront comes alive with locals and visitors, the light softens on the palace walls and the sea breeze makes the promenade a delight. Photographers will find the European facade against the coastal sky a rewarding subject at any time of day and golden hour is particularly fine. So rather than being disappointed that you cannot go inside, treat Huzoor Palace as the handsome centrepiece of a lovely seaside walk, which is exactly how the people of Porbandar enjoy it.

Location and how to reach Huzoor Palace

Huzoor Palace enjoys a prime, scenic position right on the Porbandar coastline, at the end of Marine Drive near Chopati, in the GEB Colony area, with the address Porbandar, Gujarat 360575. It directly faces the Arabian Sea and sits at the terminal end of the city's popular Chowpatty Beach promenade, making it easy to find simply by walking to the far end of the seafront. It is highly accessible, located just about 1 to 2 km from the Porbandar railway station, so it is a very short hop from the heart of the city by auto-rickshaw, taxi or even on foot along the shore. For a comfortable way to take in the palace along with Porbandar's other landmarks and the wider coast, our Somnath Dwarka taxi service can include it and our how to reach Somnath guide covers the air, rail and road access to this part of Saurashtra.

Combining the palace with Porbandar's sights

A quick exterior visit to Huzoor Palace pairs easily with Porbandar's other attractions into a rewarding day of heritage and myth. The city's great draws include the revered Sudama Temple, honouring Krishna's devoted friend, the Sudama Setu bridge, the historic Kirti Mandir, Mahatma Gandhi's birthplace memorial, the serene Sandipani Ashram and the legendary Jambuvan Cave just outside town. Porbandar lies on the coast between Krishna's Dwarka and the great temple of Somnath, so the palace fits into a wider Saurashtra journey that can also take in the lions of Gir and the heritage of Junagadh Girnar. Together they make Porbandar a destination of real depth along the sacred coast.

Tips for visiting Huzoor Palace

A few pointers help you enjoy the visit:

• Understand before you go that the palace is strictly closed to the public, so plan for an exterior view, not an interior tour.

• Admire and photograph the grand European facade from the Marine Drive and the Chowpatty Beach promenade.

• Come in the evening, when the seafront is liveliest, the light is soft and the promenade walk is most pleasant.

• Pair the palace with a relaxing stroll on Porbandar Chowpatty Beach, which is exactly how locals enjoy it.

• Respect that this is a private, guarded royal residence and do not attempt to enter the grounds.

• It is only 1 to 2 km from the railway station, so it is an easy, quick addition to a Porbandar itinerary.

• Visit in the cooler October to March season, the most pleasant time for the seafront and the city.

Plan your Porbandar visit

Experience My India can plan your Porbandar visit to include a seafront look at Huzoor Palace alongside the Sudama Temple, Kirti Mandir, the Sandipani Ashram, the Jambuvan Cave and the town's other sights, with comfortable transport and a well-paced itinerary. Because Porbandar sits midway along the coast, the Somnath Dwarka tour packages or the wider Gujarat tour packages can weave it into a fuller Saurashtra journey taking in Somnath, Dwarka, Gir and Junagadh, with a stay at well-placed Somnath Dwarka hotels. For when to go, see our best time to visit Gujarat guide and for the route up the coast, the Porbandar to Somnath distance guide.

Related guides

To plan the rest of your Porbandar and Saurashtra trip, these related guides help:

Plan your visit

Experience My India can arrange your Porbandar trip and wider Saurashtra journey. Browse more travel guides, message us on WhatsApp or call +91 73006 20809.