The royal walled city of Bikaner, the northern most point on the triangle of desert cities, was founded in 1488 AD., by Rao Bikaji, a descendant of the founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodha. Like Jaisalmer, in the south, it was, once, an important trade centre. The old city is bolstered, by 7 km long imposing walls, with 5 entrance gates, built in the 18th century. The fort and palace, made of the same reddish-pink sandstone, as the famous structures in Jaipur, lie outside the city walls. The influence of the outside world is minimal here, and the traditional lifestyle of yore endures.