PM Modi is all set to welcome his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez at Laxmi Vilas Palace, which is four times the size of Buckingham Palace.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez in Gujarat's Vadodara, and the two leaders jointly inaugurated the Tata Aircraft Complex for manufacturing C-295 aircraft in the city. They also held a roadshow in the city. Together, they greeted people along the route from the airport to the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) campus. Under the C-295 program, a total of 56 aircraft are to be developed. While 16 are being delivered directly by Airbus from Spain, TASL will be manufacturing the rest 40 aircraft in India, becoming the first private sector Final Assembly Line (FAL) for military aircraft in India.
In a historic event, with Spain's PM Pedro Sanchez, it is the first time in nearly 2 decades or about 18 years, that a Spanish PM has visited India. PM Sanchez is also slated to visit Mumbai on Tuesday before returning to Spain. Meanwhile, PM Modi and Spain's PM Pedro Sanchez are all set to visit the historic Laxmi Vilas Palace, and at the location, they will hold a bilateral meeting organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), before they have lunch together.
Interestingly, not just the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Gujarat, but the entire city of Vadodara is geared up to welcome both leaders, and is decorated. Check out 10 interesting facts about the Laxmi Vilas Palace, where PM Modi is hosting Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez:
1. The Laxmi Vilas Palace is the official residence of the former Baroda royal family, and it was built in the 19th-century Indo-Saracenic style at a whopping cost of Rs 6 million.
2. The property spans across 500 acres, and is the largest private residence ever built. In fact, its size is almost four times the size of Buckingham Palace.
3. Laxmi Vilas Palace’s durbar hall hosted grand events for royals and dignitaries during the Gaekwad dynasty. And now the palace is all set to welcome the two heads of government for the first time.
4. The Raj-era palace boasts of stunning interiors including mosaics, chandeliers, artwork, and a collection of arms.
5. The palace is adorned with paintings from the renowned artist Raja Ravi Varma.
6. Decorated with marble, mosaic tiles, and artworks, the Laxmi Vilas Palace also boasts of fountains, a golf course, and Sayajirao’s personal museum.
7. In the premises, the Navlakhi stepwell, an ancient water system built by past rulers, is also located. It was used to tackle Gujarat’s arid conditions.
8. The palace complex also has the LVP Banquets & Conventions, Moti Baug Palace, and the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum.
9. The Laxmi Vilas Palace also has a rare indoor court with teak flooring for tennis and badminton.
10. While it was built in the 19th century by the Gaekwad family, who ruled Baroda, the Laxmi Vilas Palace has been designed in the Indo-Saracenic Revival style by chief architect Major Charles Mant.
