Qutub Minar
A Towering Monument Reflecting History and Heritage
The towering Qutub Minar in Delhi, also known as Qutub Minar or Qutub Minar, never fails to fascinate tourists. Why not? After all, it’s not often that you’ll find an architectural marvel that claims to be the tallest brick tower in the world and has been around for 800 years. Isn’t that enough of justification to include this popular tourist destination in your itinerary when you make travel and accommodation arrangements in Delhi?
But is that all there is to this hundreds-year-old historic site in Delhi? Naturally, no! The building is amazing in every way, from its magnificent architecture to its historical past. This blog discusses the history, architecture, hours, admission price, and other features of Qutub Minar.
Qutub Minar Information: Quick Facts, Timings, Ticket Price
| Qutub Minar Location | Mehrauli, Delhi |
| Status | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Timings | 7:00 am to 5:00 p.m., every day |
| Entry Fee | ₹30 for Indians; ₹500 for foreigners; free for children below 15 years |
| Still Camera | ₹25 (non-commercial use) |
| Video Camera | ₹25 (non-commercial use) |
| Nearest Metro Station | Qutab Minar |
Qutub Minar History
The Qutub Minar in Delhi is a five-story building that was built by several emperors over the course of four centuries. About 1192, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the founder of the Delhi Sultanate, had it originally built as a victory tower. Despite his inability to complete the construction of the minaret past the first floor, it bears his name. In 1220, Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, his successor, expanded the building by adding three storeys. Lightning struck and damaged the uppermost floor in 1369. Sher Shah Suri created the Qutub Minar entryway, while Firoz Shah Tughlaq rebuilt it and added the fifth and last storey to the tower.
Nearly 300 years later, in 1803, another significant earthquake occurred, which seriously damaged the tower. The building was repaired in 1828 by Major Robert Smith of the British Indian Army. He proceeded to add a sixth floor to the tower by installing a pillared dome on top of the fifth floor. However, Henry Hardinge, the Governor-General of India at the time, ordered the removal of this extra floor in 1848 and replaced it next to the minaret. Since 1981, when an accident occurred inside the tower that took the lives of 47 people, access to it has been limited.
Qutub Minar Height & Architecture
The 73 meter high majestic Qutub Minar can be seen. Its top diameter of 2.7 meters is the result of a 14.3 meter base cut. There is a spiral staircase with 379 steps inside the building. The Qutub Minar complex consists of the main minaret and several smaller medieval buildings around the minaret.
It is widely believed that the tower, which reflects early Afghan architectural style, was built under the influence of the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan. The five separate floors of the minaret are ornamented with a raised balcony supported by ornate brackets. The fourth floor is made entirely of marble, while the first three are built of light red sandstone. The fifth story is a mixture of sandstone and marble. Since it was built in phases by many rulers, its architectural style also varied from base to top.
The history of Qutub Minar is told through inscriptions on various parts of the structure. The inside of the tower is decorated with carved poetry.
About Qutub Minar: Today
This historical site, which is a part of the Qutub Minar complex, is a popular tourist destination in Delhi nowadays. Due to its importance in history and excellent architectural design it was also designated as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Delhi in 1993.
Every year in November and December, the complex hosts Qutub Mahotsav, a cultural festival. During the three days of this festival, there will be a lot of excitement and some incredible performances by musicians, dancers and artists.
The Delhi Monuments Board, supervised by the Archaeological Survey of India, provides security to the Qutub Minar complex.
Things to See in the Qutub Minar Complex
Delhi’s Qutub Minar complex has plenty of attractions for history buffs. The major structures of the campus are:
Tomb and Madrasa of Alauddin Khilji; Alai Minar, Khilji’s incomplete Vijay Minar; Smith’s Folly, the cupola that once topped the tower; Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, a magnificent monument; Alai Darwaza, a domed entrance to the mosque from the south side; The Iron Pillar of Chandragupta II, which never rusts; Tomb of Iltutmish, the second ruler of the Delhi Sultanate; Anderson’s sundial, a white marble sundial
Lesser-Known Information about Qutub Minar
- In Arabic language, the word Qutub Minar means pole or axis.
- With 3.9 million visits in 2006, the Qutub Minar complex was India’s most visited monument that year.
- This minar served as the model for both the Chand Minar in Daulatabad and the Mini Qutub Minar in Hastsal village in west Delhi.
- Both trip cards and tokens of the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation display the attractive minaret.
- To encourage night-time visitation in Delhi, the Archaeological Survey of India began illuminating the complex in 2019. View Fabhotel’s report by clicking this link.
Places to Visit near Qutub Minar
- Tomb of Adham Khan (850 m)
- Dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki (1.4 km)
- Zafar Mahal (1.5 km)
- Jahaz Mahal (2 km)
- Hauz-i-Shamsi (2.1 km)
- Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb (3.3 km)
- Tomb of Balban (3.3 km)
Now you know why, along with the neighbouring renowned Mehrauli Archaeological Park, this cultural site is considered one of Delhi’s top tourist destinations. So go ahead and see this architectural wonder that has been watching over Delhi for aeons for a full day.
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