Pichola Lake is an artificial fresh water lake that has been named after the nearby Picholi Village. Created in the year 1362 AD, it is one of the several contiguous lakes, developed over the last few centuries in and around Udaipur city.To meet the drinking water and irrigation requirements of the city and its neighbourhood, the lake was primarily created by building a dam. In 1362 AD, the lake was built by Banjara, a gypsy Banjara tribesman, who transported grain during the reign of Maharana Lakha.Impressed by the beauty of the lake with the backdrop of green hills, Maharana Udai Singh founded the city of Udaipur on its banks. With the construction of a stone masonry dam in the Badipol region located on its shore, he also enlarged the lake.Over the centuries, the lakes surroundings and the several islands within the lake have been developed with palaces, marble temples, family mansions and bathing ghats or chabutaras.The 4 km long and 3 km wide lake has a palace, called the Lake Palace, in its centre, which is now converted into a heritage hotel. The lake that has a surface area of about 696 hectares has depth varying from a minimum of 4.32 metres to a maximum of 8.5 metres.To commemorate the legend of a tightrope walker, the Natini Chabutra, a raised platform in a courtyard, was constructed near the lake. After the establishment of the city, from 1560, Maharana Udai Singh II strengthened the dam. From the city, tourists can reach the lake bytongas, auto-rickshaws and taxis.