Mandawa, a quaint little town in the district of Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, is famous for its many havelis and the famous Mandawa Fort. The Mandawa Fort was built by Thakur Nawal Singh in 1755 AD. The fort, which has now been converted into a heritage hotel, charges visitors a fee of Rs 500 to enter. Havelis are plenty in number around Mandawa. Most prominent among these havelis are the Hanuman Prasad Goenka Haveli, the Goenka Double Haveli, the Murmuria Haveli and the Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli. All the havelis have beautifully painted frescoes on their walls and ceilings. The paintings depict an array of interesting themes ranging from Rajput rulers to traditions, mythological events and even include common daily occurrences. While quite a few havelis are occupied and not open to the public, some frescoes can be viewed from the street itself. Mandawa was once a trading outpost for the ancient caravan routes from China and the Middle East. Due to the thriving trade in this region, many merchants settled down here and built the havelis. Although several of the traders left, the havelis remained. A few of the havelis were restored and eventually converted into hotels. These havelis remain the biggest attraction for tourists visiting Mandawa.