AHMEDABAD – THE OLD CITY

In this walking guided visit by a professional architect through the Old City of Ahmedabad we will visit the two sides of the city separated by the Sabarmati River. And apart from walking, we will also use the tuk tuk, a very typical public transport of India. We will also be using the taxi, in case we need it.

The first part of this tour starts in the Mill Owners’ Association Building (ATMA House) (possible inside visit) by Le Corbusier. Next we will visit Sangath, Balkrishna Doshi’s own studio (possible inside visit). Following the work of the same architect, we will go to the CEPT University Campus by B. V. Doshi (currently not open for visitors). This first part of the tour ends in the India Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM) by the American architect Louis Kahn (currently not open for visitors).

The second part of this tour starts by visiting the magnificent Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque), built in 1423 during the reign of Ahmedabad’s founder Ahmed Shah I, just west of Manek Chowk. While all around the mosque lies the hectic frenzy of the center of the old city, step through the gates (on the north, east and south sides) and the urban chaos falls away behind you, including some of the best city havelis (traditional mansion in India). To end the tour we will head to a really interesting place, Rani no Hajiro, also known as Mughalai Bibi’s Tomb or Tombs of Ahmed Shah’s Queens, is a tomb complex near Manek Chowk.

This itinerary is designed for an 8 hour tour but you can also do 4 hour tours with less visits or even combining visits.