Red Fort
Not tour to Delhi is complete without a visit to the Red Fort. One of Delhi's most famous historical monuments, Red fort or "Lal Qila" is made in red sandstone and is a seemingly eternal witness to the Mughal splendor and extravagance. Built by Shah Jahan, the 5th in the line of Mughals, the fort covers a semi-octagonal area of about 2km, its longest walls facing the town in the west and the River Yamuna in the east. Completed in 1648, it contains halls of private and public audience called Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am respectively, domed and arched marble palaces, lavish private apartments, a mosque, and highly designed gardens. Diwan-i-Khas is made of marble and its crowning glory used to be the Peacock Throne, which was carried away to Iran by the Persian invader Nadir Shah in 1739.
Each night a Sound and Light show takes place in the Red Fort. The palaces are gorgeously lit with a historical commentary on the aspects of Mughal India.
Jama Masjid
Another architectural wonder of Mughal India, Jama Masjid or the Jami Masjid was built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, between 1644 and 1658. Originally called the Masjid-i-Jahanuma, or "mosque commanding view of the world", this wonderful structure and is made up of alternate vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble. With a capacity of 25000, Jama Masjid is the largest and most unique in India offering birds' eye views over the walled city.
Humayun's Tomb
An elegant red sandstone and white marble precursor to its more famous cousin Taj Mahal, Humayun's Tomb was built by his first wife Haji Begum after his death from a fall in the stairs. The inner sanctum contains the crypts of the emperor and his wife, and has some really amazing acoustics.
Qutub Minar
A soaring tower of early Muslim vintage, Qutub Minar is a major landmark of Delhi. Strikingly ornate, its construction began in the 12th century by the first Muslim ruler of India Qutub-ud-din and it was completed in the 13th century by his successor Iltutmish, a great ruler of early Muslim India.
Purana Quila
Built on the historic site of Indraprastha the capital of the Pandavas of the Mahabharata) Purana Quila or the "Old Fort" was the combined efforts of the Mughal Emperor Humayn and Sher Shah, who, for a short period, almost extinguished the hopes of a permanent Mughal Empire. Spread on a circuit of about a mile, the fort has three gates and its walls are surrounded by a mat fed by the river Yamuna. The octagonal red sandstone tower known as 'Sher Mandal' was used by Humayun as his library and observatory.
Jantar Mantar
First in the series of five observatories constructed in different parts of India by Sawai Jai Singh II, the great astronomer king of Jaipur (1699-1743), the Jantar Mantar is situated between Connaught Place and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Massive deep-red and white sloping stone structures loom over palm trees and tidy flowerbeds - the giant sundials cast shadows, which were formerly used to calculate time, solar and lunar calendars and astrological movements, all with a wonderful degree of precision.
Safdarjang's Tomb
Built in 1753 by Nawab Shauja-ud-Daula of Avadh to house the mortal remains of his father, Safdarjang, the Mughal viceroy of Avadh under Muhammad Shah (1719-48), the tomb is referred to as the "last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture." It is a testimony to depletion of the grandeur and grace of the Mughal architecture in its decadent years. One of the last in the tradition of Mughal garden tombs, the structure has a courtyard and a mosque.
Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
West of Connaught Place on Mandir Marg, Lakshmi Narayan Mandir is a large modern and colorful temple also known as Birla Mandir after its sponsors, the famous industrial house of India. The main shrine is dedicated to Lakshmi (the Hindu goddess of wealth) with some smaller shrines to Hanuman (the monkey god), and Ganesh (the elephant-headed god). The walls of the temple are decorated with many symbols and quotations from the ancient sacred scripture.
Rajghat
An open platform etched with Mahatma Gandhi's last words "Hey Ram" (Oh God) is set in a garden with fountains and a variety of exotic trees. This is the place where the mortal remains of the Mahatma were consigned to the flames.
Rashtrapati Bhavan
Originally the Viceroy's House, Rashtrapati Bhavan serves now the official residence of the president of India. Built by built by Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker between 1921 and 1929, the building is the largest and most grandiose of the British constructions. It houses a amazing garden known as the Mughal Garden, which is open to public twice in a year, usually in the months of February and March.
India Gate
Constructed as a memorial to commemorate the 70,000 India soldiers who laid down their lives in World War I, India Gate is located on Rajpath, the road which leads to the fabulous Rashtrapati Bhavan. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it is 160 feet high with an arch of 138 feet and completed in 1931.
National Museum
One of the finest museums in the world, the National Museum is a treasure house of a wide range of exhibits from over 5000 years of Indian culture, including exquisite Mughal miniature paintings and artifacts from the ancient Indus Valley Civilization dating back to 2000 BC.
Hazrat Nizamuddin
The place is home to a Sufi shrine dedicated to the famous Sufi saint named Hazrat
Nizamuddin Aulia. You can relish a hypnotic qawwali music that is performed each Friday.
Akshardham Temple
Tour the massive mega Akshardham Temple Complex in Delhi, India and explore an amazing world of Indian culture ornate with 20, 000 statues, floral motifs, arches and exquisitely carved pillars.
Bahai Temple
Tour the Lotus Temple located atop a hill in Kalkaji, Delhi, India and discover a peaceful world in the midst of bustling Delhi with India Travel Portal.
The construction of the Lotus Temple, popularly known as the Bahai Temple came to an end in the year 1986.
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