Ranjit Singh's summer palace

The summer palace was a large palace in Amritsar owned by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire. It was used as his primary residence during the summer seasons, and was also occasionally used to throw feasts.

Located in the heart of the garden known as Ram Bagh, the palace was considered a masterpiece of Indian architecture. Its entrance, called Darshani Deori, is noteworthy thanks to its distinctive design, with water tanks feeding fountains in the palace's garden.

In addition, the palace also contains numerous mirror and glass works, as well as painting and art pieces.

The palace was secretly built atop old Isu ruins, in which Ranjit Singh kept the Koh-i-Noor, a Piece of Eden, safe from the hands of his enemies. Several other artifacts were also hidden in the ruins, including those adorning a statue of Durga, among which were an Apple and a Staff of Eden.

History

During a feast thrown at the palace by the Maharaja in June 1839, the Koh-i-Noor was stolen by the Assassin Arbaaz Mir. Later during the feast, Singh was fatally poisoned by the British emissary William Hay Macnaghten and the Templar general Francis Cotton, the latter of whom also destroyed the Koh-i-Noor during a fight with Arbaaz in the palace courtyard, though the artifact reconstructed itself.

In 1841, Arbaaz infiltrated the palace again to visit Princess Pyara Kaur, Singh's granddaughter, with whom he had started a relationship. At the same time, the Templars of the East India Company led by William Sleeman learned about the Isu ruins underneath the palace and occupied the residence to search for a way into the temple. Arbaaz followed the Templars and confronted Sleeman, inadvertently resulting in the Isu ruins' destruction.

Later that same year, after Arbaaz retrieved the Koh-i-Noor and the Precursor box, the Templars took Pyara hostage at the palace to ransom her for the Pieces of Eden. Infiltrating the residence while avoiding the guards, Arbaaz made his way to the main chamber and confronted Sleeman, who held Pyara at knifepoint as he demanded the two artifacts. After Arbaaz tossed the Pieces of Eden into the air, Pyara stabbed Sleeman with her own concealed knife, allowing her and Arbaaz to escape with the Koh-i-Noor, which the Assassin recovered during the confusion.

In the modern day, the palace has been converted into a museum hosting historical oil paintings, coins, miniatures and instruments depicting the country's Sikh era.

Gallery

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  Interior of the palace
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  A pond in the palace courtyard
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  The palace garden
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  The Tosha Khana beneath the palace
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  Isu ruins beneath the palace

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Brahman (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India