Founded by Emperor Shah Jahan and surrounded by a magnificent 18m-high wall, this fort took 10 years to construct (1638–48) and is rumoured to have had…
Must see attractions in Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
- Top ChoiceRed Fort
- Top ChoiceJama Masjid
A beautiful pocket of calm at the heart of Old Delhi's mayhem, the capital's largest mosque is built on a 10m elevation. It can hold a mind-blowing 25,000…
- Chandni Chowk
Old Delhi’s main drag is lined by Jain, Hindu and Sikh temples, plus a church, with the Fatehpuri Masjid at one end. Tree-lined and elegant in Mughal…
- Lahore Gate
The main entrance to the Red Fort is hidden by a defensive bastion built in front by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb. During the struggle for independence,…
- KKhas Mahal
South of the public area of the Diwan-i-Khas in the Red Fort is the Khas Mahal, where the emperor lived and slept, shielded from prying eyes by lace-like…
- DDiwan-i-Khas
This Hall of Private Audiences in the Red Fort was used for bowing and scraping to the emperor. Above the corner arches to the north and south is…
- RRang Mahal
So-named because its exterior was once a riot of colour, Rang Mahal in the Red Fort was the home of the emperor's chief wife. Like the other Red Fort…
- FFatehpuri Masjid
Built by Fatehpuri Begum, one of Shah Jahan’s wives, this 17th-century mosque is a haven of tranquillity after the frantic streets outside. The central…
- DDiwan-i-Am
In the Red Fort, this arcade of sandstone columns was the hall of public audience, where the emperor greeted guests and dignitaries from a throne on the…
- DDigambara Jain Temple
Opposite the Red Fort is the red sandstone Digambara Jain Temple, built in 1658. Interestingly, it houses a bird hospital established in 1956 to further…
- MMoti Masjid
This small white mosque in the Red Fort was built by Aurangzeb as his private place of worship. The outer walls align with the fort walls, while the inner…
- AAshoka Pillar
Dating from the 3rd-century-BC reign of the Buddhist emperor Ashoka, the pillar was brought here by Feroz Shah, and is incredibly well preserved.
- MMumtaz Mahal
South of the Rang Mahal in the Red Fort is this pavilion, thought to have been built for Arjumand Banu Begum (also known as Mumtaz Mahal) – the Taj Mahal…
- SShahi Burj
The Shahi Burj, in the Red Fort, is a three-storey octagonal tower that was Shah Jahan's favoured workplace. From here he planned the running of his…
- BBaoli
This step-well within the Red Fort is believed to date to the Tughlaq period, and is thus much older than the other fort buildings. It has a haunting…
- RRamakrishna Mission
Amid the chaos of Paharganj, the temple that gives the metro station here its name is a wonderfully calming escape, with a landscaped garden leading to a…
- NNaubat Khana
At the eastern end of Chatta Chowk in the Red Fort, the arched 'Drum House' once accommodated royal musicians and served as parking for royal horses and…
- SShanti Vana
A tranquil tree-shaded area marks the 1964 cremation site of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Indian prime minister, just to the north of Raj Ghat. The…
- MMuseum on India’s Struggle for Freedom
Closed during the Red Fort renovations, this museum is housed in the large British-built barracks inside the battlements. It told the story of the…
- IIndian War Memorial Museum
Closed for renovations at the time of research, this museum upstairs at Naubat Khana in the Red Fort used to display ferocious-looking and fascinating…