Introduction
Apart from being the capital of India, Delhi is a fascinating
city with pleasant contradictions. Comprising of Old
Delhi and New Delhi, the city is home to famous tourist
destinations like the Laxmi Narayan Temple, India Gate,
Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Humayun's
Tomb, and the vivacious shopping bazaar of Chandni Chowk.
One such tourist attraction in Delhi is the Qutab Minar,
the highest stone tower in India.
Background
The construction of the Qutab Minar was started by Qutab-ud-Din
Aibak in 1199 and it was finished by his successor and
son-in-law, Iltutmish. The Qutab Minar was named after
the Sufi saint, Khwaja Qutabuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki. Though
the exact purpose of the Qutab Minar is not known but
it is believed that it served as a minaret to the adjoining
mosque and was used by the muezzins to call the faithful
to prayer.
Description
Constructed in red and buff sandstone and covered with
intricate carvings and verses from the Holy Quran, Qutab
Minar has five storeys surrounded by a projected balcony
and buttressed by stone brackets, which are decked with
honeycomb designs. The Qutab Minar is 72.5 meters high
and there are 379 steps. The diameter of the base is
14.3 meters while the top floor's diameter measures
2.7 meters.
There are numerous inscriptions on the Qutab Minar
in Arabic and Nagari characters. The inscriptions state
about the repair work done on the Qutab Minar by different
rulers like Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Sikandar Lodi, as well
as by Major R. Smith. The Qutab Minar was built on the
ruins of Lal Kot, the Red Citadel in the city of Dhillika,
the capital of the Tomar and Chauhana Rajputs, the last
Hindu rulers of Delhi.
There are many other remarkable buildings and structures
in the Qutab Minar complex, including the Quwwat-ul-Islam
mosque, the first mosque built in India. It was constructed
by Qutab-ud-din Aybak using materials of 27 Jain and
Hindu temples. There is also the famous Alai Darwaza
at the entrance of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, built
by Ala-ud-din Khalji. To the west of the Quwwat-ul-Islam
mosque is the tomb of Iltutmish. Close to the mosque
is the 4th century Iron pillar, one of Delhi's most
interesting structures.
How to reach
To reach Qutab Minar, the nearest airport is the Indira
Gandhi International Airport located 23 km southwest
of Central Delhi and the domestic terminal at Palam
is 5 km away from the international terminal. Taxi and
coach transfer is available from both International
and Domestic Arrivals.
» History of Qutab Minar
» Qutab Minar Nearby Attractions
» Qutab Minar Fast Facts
» Qutab Minar Photo Gallery
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