Prelude
It was reputed as the capital of Guajarat from the 8th century till Ahmad shah moved his seat of power to the larger and more impressive citadel of Ahmedabad in the 15th century. It saw the rise and the fall of the Solanki Rajput dynasty, the strong but short lived 76 year long rule of the Waghela Rajput dynasty and the first few generations of the Muslim Sultanate.
Places of interest
Rani - Ki - Vav (Queens Stepwell )
Located in the heart of the city, it is the greatest reminder of the days when kings and queens ruled here. The stepwell is the oldest and perhaps the grandest among 120 plus step-wells in Gujarat. Built in the 1050 A.D. it is named after Udayamati, wife of Maharaja Bim Deva. Its massive size is realized when one looks down upon from the top of this medireview masterpiece. The Stepwell was silted up for the centuries ( the secret of its well preserved status) and only a major excavation and restoration work which ahs helped to capture something of its former glory.
Patola weaving
Patan has always been well known for its ikkat technique of silk weaving. Ikkat weaving involves tie-dyeing the warp threads before weaving to create Designs on the finished fabrics. The precise movement of coloured threads During weaving gives ikkat designs their richness. A type of ikkat weaving Typical of patan is the double ikkat, which is twice a complex as the Single ikkat. Both the wrap and the weft threads are tie-dyed before they Are set on the loom. The double ikkat method of weaving is exclusive to a Few weavers of patan, indonesia and japan and therefore the patola is of Considerable collectible value for textile connoisseurs.