Get enamored by Tourist Attractions in Delhi

Take a trip around Delhi Tourist Attraction with a deep historical background as well as a modern metropolitan city, offering several places to visit in Delhi like mosques, forts and other monuments that depict India's history. Get all the Delhi Travel Information on Colonial Tourist Attractions in Delhi and Modern Delhi Tourist Attractions and Spend a good time in Delhi seeing all the tourist attractions in Delhi for a memorable tour.

Not only is Delhi the capital of India but it is the country’s city with most sights. The city lies on the west bank of the Yamuna River, at the edge of the Ganges plain.

The present Delhi consists of two parts clearly divided from one another: the Old Delhi, with its typically oriental residential houses, narrow lanes and markets, temples, mosques and other historic monuments, and the New Delhi. New Delhi was designed by the British architects Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker during 1931 as a garden city. Between the graves, mausoleums, and memorial sites of noble rulers and kings, the British built New Delhi with wide boulevards, untouched gardens, far scattered summerhouses in the colonial style and shady avenues. The most impressive street is Rajpath which leads from the India Gate to Rahtrapati-Bhawan palace, the royal residence of the earlier viceroy and now of the president of India. Here the Republic Day parade takes place annually on January 26th. While passing the palace visitors will see the round building which houses the democratic parties of India. Today Delhi with its 15 million residents makes it India’s second largest metropolitan city.

Ancient Delhi has a rich history. During the last excavations in the ruined fortifications of the Purana Quila, an old fort was discovered. From that discovery, it was assessed that the city foundation dates back to 1200 B.C. and is identical with the Indraprastha, the legendary metropolis of the Aryans. The first historic records come however from the 11th century A.D., when the Rajput princes had their seat in the city. In the 12th century, Islamic invaders invaded Delhi. Prithviraj Chauhan, the last Hindu king who ruled in Delhi was killed in 1192 in a battle. From this time to the British colonial reign ruled Muslim rulers.

Delhi experienced its first period of prosperity under the dominance of the Tughlak dynasty. Timur Leng with his Mongolian army devastated the city and killed over 100,000 inhabitants. The rule over Delhi was followed by the Islamic dynasties of Sayyid and Lodi and from 1556 onwards by the Mughals from whose period originated the red fort and the Jama Masjid. The most famous great Mughals were Akbar (he built Red Fort of Agra and the city of Fatehpur Sikri) and Shah Jahan (he built Red Fort of Delhi, Jama Mosque of Delhi and Taj Mahal). The Persian king Nadir Shah robbed Delhi in 1739 and took away among other things the famous 'peacocks throne', that served up until Shah Reza Pahlevi as the royal seat.

During the 18th century, the British East India Company established trade in the city. During subsequent wars the British took sides with the Mughals, who safely overcame the multiple sieges. Only the Afghan king Ahmad Shah Durani successfully plundered Delhi. From 1804 onwards the British reigned Delhi, who allowed the Mughals to remain there in title and private possession. In 1857 the British fought the Bengali army and after four months suppressed the rebellions and recaptured the city. Later in 1911, the British shifted their capital from Calcutta to Delhi.

While in Delhi, you need to visit some of the ancient monuments and architectures that blends with new architecture within the city.

Red Fort, Delhi

Red fort of Delhi was added in 2007 to UNESCO’s world cultural heritage list. The red fort is the largest building of Delhi and one of the city’s major tourist attractions. Completed after 9 years of construction during 1648, not only does it resemble the fort in Agra, but it was constructed after the Mughal capital shifted from Agra to Delhi. The fort is imposing with its mile-long wall and octagonal form. Up to 1857, it served as the residence for the Mughal Emperors. You will enter the fort through the powerful Lahore Gate and you’ll pass the many souvenir shops that line the route to the old Meena Bazaar, which was operated by the socially higher state women of the Mughal court.

Inside the huge fort you’ll discover various buildings for elephants, numerous palaces, a bath, and a private mosque of the Mughals. In the Diwan-i-Khas, the audience hall of the Great Mughals, you will see the famous peacock throne. Over the entrance, it is written: "If there is a paradise on earth, it is here, here, here” which were the words of the builder, Shah Jahan.

Simple marble domes replaced the copper sheet and precious stones and jewels that once decorated the walls. Lootings during 1739 by the Persian ruler Nadir Shah and in 1857 by the British soldiers contributed to the fort’s current rundown appearance. Every evening a large Sound and Light show takes place at the fort. In honor of the Indian independence, the Prime Minister of India hoists the national flag each year on August 15th.

Humayun Tomb, Delhi

The tomb of Humayun—the second Mughal Emperor who ruled from 1508 to 1556-- was nominated by UNESCO in 1993 to its list of world cultural heritages. This tomb was the first Mughal tomb and set the “look” for future Mughal tombs which combined the mausoleum and garden into one complex. This tomb was the first garden tomb of India, and also served as an example for the Taj Mahal in Agra. Humayun’s widow Hamida Begum led the erection of the tomb in 1562, after the death of her husband, Mughal Emperor Jehangir, and it was completed after 9 years of construction with the help of Persian master builders.

The very well-maintained mausoleum made out of red sandstone with its radiating white onion cupola belongs to the city’s grandest historic buildings. The facades are skillfully decorated with marble inlay work, and the large gardens in the complex have numerous water fountains. The large complex was used later for the burial of Mughals.

Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi

The Qutb complex is a terrain in Delhi, where the ruins of the first mosque constructed by the Muslim after the conquest of the city during the year 1200 stands. The main parts of this complex are the Qutb Minar (the minaret of this mosque), Alai Minar, Quwwat-ul-Islam-Mosque as well as the famous iron pillar. Qutb complex is supposed to be the first Muslim construction on Indian land. Since 1993, Qutb Minar and its monuments have been listed as one of UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage sites.

The Qutb Minar is a red sandstone 213-foot-tall tower. It’s diameter is around 45 feet at its base and 7 feet at the top. In the past visitors had to climb 399 steps to reach the top story, however, an ascent of the tower is no longer possible. The Arabic inscriptions and arabesque on the walls of the towers are really stunning. The construction of Qutb Minar began probably after the victory of the Muslims over the Hindus around the year 1200. The construction of Minar was started in 1201 by Qutub-ud-din-Aibak, the first ruler of the Slave Dynasty of India. He was not able to complete the construction during his lifetime and later his son-in-law and successor Illtumish completed it. It was completed as a victory tower and minaret, as a victory of the Muslims over the Hindus. In the 15th century, it was repaired and partially rebuilt. It was damaged in the beginning of the 19th century through an earthquake. However, these damages were mended . The Qutb complex consists of beautiful Alai Darwaza (gate), a masterwork constructed in the year 1311 in the Indian Islamic art and two mosques. One of the mosques Quwwat-ul-Islam-Mosque was constructed out of materials from twenty-seven old Hindu brahmin (priesters) temples which existed there before the construction of mosque. The motifs on these pillars show the clear picture of early Hindu temple architecture. This mosque is the oldest existing mosque in north India.

In the middle of the mosque, stands the Iron Pillar (iron column) from the 14th century. It is build out of almost 99.75% pure smith iron making it absolutely rust free! It was brought probably from east India out of Bihar and was crowned originally with a figure of the God messenger Garuda (Eagle). Any person who stands with their back up against the column, wraps their arms around the column and can intertwine their fingers will have luck.

Another spectacular monument in the Qutb Complex is the Alai Minar. During the 14th century, another Muslim ruler Allauddin Khilji wanted to expand the area of the mosque and decided to erect another sandstone Minaret (Tower), double the size of the original one. However, during his lifetime, only the first story was completed, and later his successors did not complete it. Today visitors can clearly see the double-sized one-story Alai Minar in the Qutb Complex.

Jama Masjid

India’s largest mosque - and the third largest of the world--is praised as the most beautiful of all mosques. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal, led the construction of the imposing Friday mosque around 1650 (completed in 1656) for its new capital Shahjanabad (today Old Delhi). It is made of black and white marble as well as red sandstone, with a 90-square-foot wide courtyard, double-story gates, and a double-span prayer hall with eleven arches. Under these arches, Muslim relics are preserved, of which the most precious are a hair from Mohammed’s beard, his sandals and a footprint. The main prayer hall in the inner courtyard is crowned by three onion-shaped marble domes. A magnificent view from one of the two 120-foot-high minarets acclaims the original name of the mosque "the mosque with the view of the world" (Masjid-i-Jahanuma).

Today prayers are held here regularly. Therefore, the court of the mosque is closed for a short time during the prayer times for non-Muslim. You can enter oly without your shoes. You can also climb a minaret for a small fee. Jami Masjid surpasses the surrounding Bazaar located 1500 feet west of the red fort. Most of the residents are Muslims. The Jami Masjid stands on the Bho Jhala, one of the two hills of Shahjahanabad (city founded by Shah Jahan), and provides a panoramic view of the red fort and the streets of the old town.

Rajghat

The crematory of the 'father of the nation', Mahatma Gandhi, is a simple religious midpoint, to which thousands of pilgrims flock on January 30th. Mahatma Gandhi led the nation with peaceful resistance to political independence, but then assassinated by Nathuram Godse on January 30 1948. According to the Hindu religion, he was cremated. To honor him, an eternal flame burns around the clock with clarified butter. Directly in the vicinity lies the Sangrahalaya, the Gandhi Memorial museum. Raj Ghat is situated a half mile south of the fort.

Bahai House of Worship (Lotus temple)

Completed during 1986, the rotunda with nine entrances and a cupola is a meditation place for the international Bahai religious community. The building is built in the shape of Lotus flower out of white marble. The temple compound is 5 miles long, with a diameter of 150 square feet and a height of over 90 feet.

Lakshmi Narayan temple

Lakshmi Narayan temple in Delhi also popularly known as ‘Birla Temple’, is dedicated to the Goddess Lakshmi (goddess of fortune) and to her husband Narayan, an incarnation of God Vishnu (known as world preserver); and to Durga (main goddess), to Hanuman (monkey god), to Krishna (incarnation of Vishnu), and to Shiva. The temple contains a Buddhist prayer room. This temple was built by a millionaire industrialist family Birla in 1938, one of the financial supporters of the independence movement. Birla did not build his temple out of the precious colorful sandstone, but rather out of brick which was then plastered. Unfortunately, you cannot photograph the interior of the temple. You will discover inside the temple magnificently decorated life-size statues of the divinity. In the temple, music was also played. The temple compound was inaugurated in 1939 by Mahatma Gandhi. He lived in the nearby Birla-house.

Chandni Chowk

If you want to visit the “heart of old Delhi” then you need to visit Chandni Chowk. Chandni Chowk which means "silver market" is a three-centuries-old, colorful bazaar which oozes with the scent of oriental spices. By visiting Chandni Chowk you’ll experience the “true sense” of Indian culture and Delhi. Explore the bazaar’s side lanes and submerge yourself in its colors and smells. The best way to experience the narrow lanes of Chandi Chowk is by a rickshaw ride. That way you can observe the busy market driving on the streets of the old-Delhi and comfortably enjoy the unique atmosphere.

India Gate

India Gate is located at the eastern end of the Raj path. It is a warrior memorial for Indian soldiers, who were killed during the First World War as members of the British army at the northwest border of Afghanistan. The foundation stone of India Gate was laid down by Lord Connaught in 1921 and it was designed by architect Edwin Lutyens. The walls of the India Gate carry the names of 85,000 soldiers who died in the war. To honor them, an eternal flame burns around the clock with clarified butter.

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