6 Must Visit Monuments In Delhi

The capital city of Delhi bears witness to thousands of years of history and remains the city where the fate of this great nation was often written and decided. Delhi has served as the capital and centre of empires right from the times of Mahabharata and the ancient times to the days of Mughal empire and the modern period. A number of important monuments in Delhi tell the story of the power struggles, glorious empires, kings, culture and history of this city.

We bring you a list of some of the best monuments in Delhi you should definitely visit.

# Lal Quila

One of the most popular tourist destinations and monuments in Delhi, Red Fort attracts lakhs of visitors from around the globe every year. Built by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan (who also made Taj Mahal) in the 17th century to concentrate the Mughal power at one place, the monument happens to be the largest monument in Old Delhi. 10 years (1638-1648) is what it took to build this colossal fort! The fort has two main entrances – Delhi Gate and Lahore Gate, out of which Lahore gate (named so as it faces Lahore in Pakistan!) is the main entrance. The fort contains domed and arched marble palaces, plush private apartments, a mosque, and elaborately designed gardens.

# Purana Qila

Mughal emperor Humayun laid the foundations of his city Dinpanah (Refuge of the Faithful) in 1538. Its inner citadel is today called the Old Fort or Purana Qila. Built on the site of the most ancient of the numerous cities of Delhi, Indraprastha, Purana Quila is somewhat rectangular in shape with a circuit of 2 km. Excavations near the eastern wall of the fort reveal that some remains of this monument in Delhi date back to the Mahabharata period.

The Purana Qila has three gates – Humayun Darwaza (southern gateway), Talaqi Darwaza (northern gateway) and Bara Darwaza (western gateway and the present entrance). Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in 1540, and renamed the fort as Shergarh, and also added several more structures in the complex.

# Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar is one of the most famous and iconic monuments in Delhi. It is a lofty 73m high tower of victory situated in the south of Delhi. Built by Qutbuddin Aibak, the viceroy of Mohammed Ghori in 1192, it was built to celebrate Ghori’s victory over the Rajputs. The Minar is a five-story building and stands as the highest stone tower in India. The first three stories are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth stories are of marble and sandstone.

# India Gate

Right in the heart of New Delhi stands the heroic India Gate. India Gate is undoubtedly the most iconic amongst the monuments in Delhi. Built in memory of the 90,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives in World War I, the memorial was built in 1931 by Lutyens, and was originally called the All India War Memorial. The names of the soldiers are inscribed on the walls of the arc of the gate. Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added later in 1971. One eternal flame burns day and night under the arch in memory of soldiers who died in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.

# Safdarjung Tomb

Built-in 1754 by Shuja’u’d-Daula (Nawab of Awadh), Safdarjung’s Tomb is a garden tomb with a marble mausoleum. It is described as “the last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture”. Safdar-Jang was the viceroy of Oudh under Muhammad Shah and later appointed as the prime minister by the Ahmad Shah. The tomb is enclosed within a large garden, divided into squares on the charbagh pattern, with tanks and fountains along the central pathway, with a gate on the east and pavilions on the other three sides. The tomb itself stands out in the center of the enclosure.

# Lodhi Gardens

A park in central-south Delhi that contains Mohammed Shah’s Tomb, Sikander Lodi’s Tomb, Sheesh Gumbad (Glass Dome) and Bara Gumbad (Big Dome), Lodhi Gardens is a popular hotspot for morning walkers, photography enthusiasts and couples looking for solitary confinement. Created in 1936 as Lady Willingdon Park, it was renamed as Lodhi Gardens later. The Garden is home to numerous species of birds.