Delhi’s Qutub Minar: History, Hours, Admission Charge, and Details

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

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