Qila House is the home of the Jalan family, built in the 1920s on the foundations of an old Mughal fort. The family's collection -- accumulated over generations from auction houses across India and Europe -- is one of the more eccentric in the country: Mughal jade, Tipu Sultan's ivory throne, Marie Antoinette's Sevres porcelain, a sandalwood Chinese chair, and a four-poster bed that supposedly belonged to Napoleon.
The house is still a private residence, and visits are by appointment only -- ask in advance. It sits within the old Patna City area, near the original Mughal-era fort foundations. The collection is shown by the family and tours are unhurried and personal.