For architects and designers, Indore isn’t just a city—it’s an open-air museum of stylistic evolution. Nestled in Madhya Pradesh, Indore’s buildings reflect centuries of power, cultural dialogue, material innovation, and architectural experimentation. From the Mughal-Maratha hybrid elegance of Rajwada Palace to the colonial finesse of Daly College, each structure is a study of adaptation and identity.
If you’re passionate about architecture that tells a story, here are six must-visit sites in Indore that offer inspiration beyond the ordinary.
Rajwada Palace – The Soul of Old Indore
Location: Near Khajuri Bazaar, Indore
Image Credits: © MP Tourism
At the heart of the city lies Rajwada Palace, a majestic structure that embodies a rich fusion of Maratha, Mughal, and French architectural styles. Its seven-story façade features a blend of stone masonry at the base and wooden upper floors, standing as a testament to resilience and revival. Past fires and reconstructions have only added to its layered identity.
Inside, you’ll find traditional courtyards, sculpted brackets, delicate jharokhas, and carved doors—all echoing the Maratha ethos of spatial hierarchy and community interaction. A visit to Rajwada is a crash course in cultural coexistence through architecture.
Lal Bagh Palace – European Opulence in the Heart of India
Location: Residency Area, Indore
Image Credits: © MP Tourism
Once the residence of the Holkar rulers, Lal Bagh Palace is Indore’s finest example of Indo-European neoclassical architecture. With its Corinthian columns, Italian marble floors, rococo ceilings, and a cast-iron entrance gate said to mirror Buckingham Palace’s, this palace embodies regal aspiration with artistic depth.
For designers, it’s a perfect illustration of how global design influences can be adapted for local lifestyles—complete with ornamental gardens, grand staircases, and intricately paneled interiors.
Central Museum (Indore Museum) – The Archive of Ancient Design
Location: Near GPO Square, Indore
Image Credits: © Central Museum Archives
The Central Museum of Indore holds one of India’s most comprehensive collections of sculpture, inscriptions, and tools from the Gupta and Parmara periods. From Yakshis and Vishnu reliefs to temple fragments and terracotta figures, the artifacts here help architects explore the evolution of material, motif, and myth.
What makes this space essential is not just its collection, but the curation. The layout highlights scale, proportion, and iconographic detailing in a way that reads like a physical textbook on ancient Indian design.
Chhatri Bagh – A Garden of Memory and Monuments
Location: Khan Riverbank, Indore
Image Credits: © MP Tourism
Chhatri Bagh is a memorial complex dedicated to the Holkar rulers, featuring ornately carved cenotaphs that merge Rajput, Mughal, and Malwa architectural idioms. These domed structures, raised on high plinths and supported by intricately worked columns, reflect the fusion of spirituality and structure.
Visit during sunset when the stone monuments reflect golden hues, and you’ll witness how light and silence can amplify the emotional language of architecture. It’s a contemplative space, ideal for understanding the architectural expression of legacy.
White Church – Colonial Calm in Symmetry
Location: White Church Road, Indore
Image Credits: © White Church Indore Archives
Built under the British Raj, the White Church is a prominent example of Protestant colonial architecture in Central India. With its cruciform plan, semicircular arches, wooden pews, vaulted ceilings, and stained-glass windows, it exudes restrained elegance.
The church offers lessons in proportional harmony, climatic adaptation, and minimal ornamentation, making it an understated yet impactful landmark for design interpretation.
The Daly College – Indo-Saracenic Brilliance in Education Architecture
Location: Residency Area, Indore
Image Credits: © Daly College Archives
Designed by Col. Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, a pioneer of the Indo-Saracenic architectural style, The Daly College is a living monument to cross-cultural design. Jacob, also the mind behind the Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur, expertly combined Mughal domes, Rajputana detailing, and Gothic arches with colonial planning sensibilities.
The result? A building that balances symmetry, scale, and ornament—blending red sandstone with white marble to create an educational environment rooted in tradition yet forward-looking in design. From its clock towers to its jaali-laced pavilions, Daly College remains one of the finest institutional structures in India.
Why These Sites Matter for Designers
Each of these landmarks doesn’t just serve a function—they tell a story, celebrate identity, and reflect the evolution of design in India. Whether you’re an architect exploring climatic responsiveness, a designer seeking material inspiration, or a creative thinker fascinated by cultural hybridity, Indore delivers substance beyond its stone and mortar.
Design Perspective: Indore
Design Perspective: Indore, you’ll meet the minds shaping the next generation of spaces. Connect with architects, brands, and thinkers. Dive into design discussions rooted in context. And walk away with ideas that can redefine your practice.
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Join us where the past meets the future—and where design meets meaning.