Kharmang Palace

Raja Jaffer Ali Khan, the great grandfather of Raja Aman Ali Shah, constructed this splendid palace along the bank of the Indus River. The three-floor structure of the building is a typical feature of palaces belonging to local rulers in Baltistan. The Kharmang palace has been constructed over a rectangular grid, with a central courtyard on its top floor surrounded by a verandah with projecting balconies. Meanwhile, its ground floor provides space for storage and cattle sheds. The first floor served as a winter house, while the top floor was used as a summer palace. The palace has three little Jharoka on its eastern, western, and southern sides, decorated rather magnificently with latticework and carved columns. Two light wells are also incorporated into the palace, allowing natural light to stream into the building. Its two staircases allow for vertical circulation through the palace.