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 quality, especially when you consider that the British converted the chambers into prison cells for freedom fighters. At the time of research, visitors could only look into the well from outside.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.92 MILES
There are extraordinary riches scattered around Mehrauli, with more than 440 monuments – from the 10th century to the British era – dotting a forest and…
0.21 MILES
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…
4.57 MILES
Humayun’s tomb is sublimely well proportioned, seeming to float above its symmetrical gardens. It's thought to have inspired the Taj Mahal, which it…
0.73 MILES
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…
4.61 MILES
Visiting the marble shrine of Muslim Sufi saint Nizam-ud-din Auliya is Delhi's most mystical, magical experience. The dargah is hidden away in a tangle of…
9.78 MILES
If you only have time to visit one of Delhi's ancient ruins, make it this. The first monuments here were erected by the sultans of Mehrauli, and…
3.41 MILES
Shh, whisper it quietly: this place is better than the Red Fort. Delhi's 'Old Fort' isn't as magnificent in size and grandeur, but it's far more pleasant…
10.18 MILES
This magnificent 14th-century ruined fort, half reclaimed by jungle and gradually being encroached on by villages, was Delhi's third incarnation, built by…
Nearby Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad) attractions
1. Museum on India’s Struggle for Freedom
0.14 MILES
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…
0.15 MILES
Across a bridge from the Red Fort, but part of the same complex, this fort was established by Salim Shah Suri in 1546, so predates its grander neighbour…
0.19 MILES
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…
0.21 MILES
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…
0.21 MILES
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…
0.23 MILES
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…
0.23 MILES
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…