Here's Everything You Need To Know About The Iconic Qutab Minar That Represents Delhi!

Despite the fact that Delhi is strewn with innumerable historical monuments & structures, some of which are world heritage sites, one of them is the one famously known as India's tallest minaret, that embodies the essence of Delhi like nothing else.

The image of Qutub Minar instantly reminds one of Delhi and this monument happens to be the most frequented spot by both tourists & locals.

The Making of the Qutub Minar

Picture Credits: mehulmalpani

It has been nearly 1000 years since it was built in 1200 AD by the first Muslim ruler of Delhi Qutub-ud-Din Aibak, who ended the reign of the last Hindu resistance & signalled the beginning of the Islamic rule in India.

To stamp his authority & Islamic conquest, he destroyed 27 Jain & Hindu temples and to subjugate & instil fear, used the material from these temples to construct the Qutub Minar. The material clearly shows Hindu ornamentation & a proud proclamation on the Eastern gate leading to the mosque built there mentions this fact loudly.

Today, this world heritage site is one of the best known monuments in the world because of its beauty & architectural marvel. Using locally available red sandstone, this tower was finally completed in the reign of the third Sultan of Delhi Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

A Structural Marvel

Picture Credits: drunken.yog

Rising 220 Ft or 73 M, this majestic tower is breathtaking in its beauty & splendour. Divided into just five storeys, which are reached by climbing a circular staircase, the fourth & last storey has combined red sandstone with marble to add even more grace & beauty to the structure. Each storey of the Qutub has a balcony leading out for a view of the surroundings. As you climb higher, the tower tapers to just 2.5 M at the top from a base of 15 M & seems to slightly lean, though not as much as the Tower of Pisa in Italy! 

Commute & Timings

Picture Credits: unzip_delhi

The best way to reach the Qutub Minar is to ride a metro coach to the Qutub Minar Metro Station, which is in Mehrauli. It stays open on all days of the week from sunrise to sunset & there is a nominal entry fee to get inside.

An Important Complex in its Vicinity

Picture Credits: shahbaz_______official

The Qutub Minar is surrounded by many other important tombs & structures which make up the Qutub Minar Complex & is a must-visit for everyone. You can easily spend at least half a day here basking in the sun, enjoying the sights & sounds whilst revelling in history. A special mention goes out to the Iron Pillar which has withstood the test of time for thousands of years yet still is a subject of scientific study and marvel.

So do include it in your Delhi Darshan itinerary and don’t forget to carry your camera along!

Where | Qutub Minar - Seth Sarai, Mehrauli
Timings | 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM 
Entry | Rs 30 Onwards