Buland Darwaza

A magnificent gateway was added later in 1571-72 to commemorate his conquest of Gujarat. Built of red sand stone and marble it is said to be the “most perfect architectural achievement in the whole of India". A flight of steps lead to the gateway which is about 53 metres in height and 39 metres in width. Entrance is through a huge arched domed recess. A broad rectangular strip bordering the archway has calligraphic inscriptions on it. At the corners are slender turrets. The beautiful perforated parapet and the row of kiosks with cupolas add to the dignity of the monument. An inscription on the gateway testifies to Akbar’s religious toleration.

Jehangir though a lover of art was fond of natural beauty and so devoted his time to the laying of beautiful gardens such as the Shalimar and Nishat Bagh in Srinagar, Kashmir and to miniature paintings. Out of the few of his constructions of note are Akbar's tomb at Sikandra and the tomb of his father-in-law Itmad-ud-Daula both near Agra

Fatehpur Sikri

The Mausoleum of Akbar at Sikandra near Agra was started by Akbar and completed by his son Jahangir in 1612 A.D. who changed the original design of his father. Designed on the model of a Buddhist Vihara, it is set in the centre of a square garden. The enclosure wall on each side has a gateway. The main gateway has four white marble minarets in the four corners. The Mausoleum has five terraces, rising from the basement, one above the other, diminishing in size as they ascend. The red sand-stone entrance gateway is the largest and is richly decorated with inlaid coloured stone work. With its charming proportions, it is by itself a work of art. Akbar’s greatest architectural achievement was the construction of Fatehpur Sikri, his Capital City near Agra. The construction pf the walled city was started in 1569 A.D. and completed in 1574 A.D. The religious edifices worth mentioning are the Jami Masjid and Salim Chisti’s Tomb. The tomb built in 1571 A.D. in the corner of the mosque compound is a square marble chamber with a verandah. The cenotaph has an exquisitely designed lattice screen around it.

Muslim style of architecture

The Mughal Architecture or the muslim style of architecture that progressed can also be termed as the Indo-Islamic architecture. Hindu architecture was modified and elements of spaciousness, immensity and extent were incorporated by the Mughals or muslim architecture. The kalash on top of the Hindu temple was borrowed and replaced by a dome and also the hindu style of decoration used by them for the decoration of their arches. Mughal architecture no doubts occupies a grand position in the history of Indian architecture. Exquisite monuments like the Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, Alai , Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, Vithala temple, Tughlaqabad Fort, Kirti Stambha, FatehpuSikri, Agra Fort, Red Fort etc have glorified India.

Tower in the premises of the Mughal Palace

The Panch Mahal, the tallest tower in the premises of the Mughal Palace, and the Diwan-i-Khas are elegant architectural constructions. Akbar promoted the writings of literary figures like Abul Fazl composing informative texts like Ain-I-Akbari and Akbarnama. The "Lilabati", an enlightening work on mathematics by Faizi,casts light on the Mughals` indepth knowledge of the discipline. Even the "Memoirs"of Babur,a comprehensive literature of human history received its Persian version from the famous Abdur Rahim Khan is an important literary development of Akbar`s regime. Jahangir in Kashmir. prioritized the potraiture of events from his own life, scientific study of the flora and the fauna above manuscript-illumination. Mansur and Manohar were his favourite painters.The fascination for nature`s beauty is demonstrated in the creation of the gorgeous Shalimar Bagh, one of his most beautiful gardens, on the heavenly banks of the Dal Lake.

Remarkable architecture

Lotus Temple is one of the remarkable architectures of Bahai faith. It is located at Kalkaji in New Delhi. The temple looks like a lotus flower and is made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand. The temple has no restrictions for visitors and is open to people from all religions. The place provides immaculate environment for meditation, peace and wisdom. The Bahai temple was completed in 1986. Since then the temple has received recognition from all over the world for its splendid architecture and design. Lotus Temple is among the most visited monuments in India. The credit for building this beautiful structure goes to the Persian architect Fariborz Sahba from Canada. Personifying Lotus in the temple does not merely mean giving a lotus shape to the edifice but it has a message to the people of India in the form of a manifestation from the almighty. Lotus is a symbol of peace, purity, love and immortality. It is this particular specialty of Lotus flower which makes the flower an important icon in Indian culture society. This is why the design of Lotus temple has been inspired by lotus flower.

Qutub Minar

Qutubuddin Aibak laid the foundation of Qutab Minar, as a victory tower, in 1199 AD. Originally, it rose to a height of 72.5 m. It is undoubtedly one of the finest stone towers in India and one of the most important landmarks of Delhi. Iltutmish, the son-in-law and successor of Qutubuddin, completed its construction. Nearby, one can also see the ruins of the Tomb of Iltutmish. He built it in 1235 AD, during his own lifetime, and decorated the interiors profusely, using calligraphy. The tower tapers from a base of 14.32 m to 2.75 m at its top and took 20 years to complete. Built in red sandstone, this tower sports the inscriptions of verses of Holy Quran and some intricate carvings. We can also see the ruins of the embattlements of the city called 'Siri' here. It was established in 1303 AD by Ala-ud-Din, who dug a vast reservoir in Hauz Khas to supply water to his city. Though nothing much of the city remains to be seen, it has been described by the contemporary historians as the 'envy of Baghdad, the rival of Cairo and equal to Constantinople'. Besides these, one can also see the tomb of Adham Khan and Zafar Mahal within Qutub complex and the tomb of Jamali-Kamali behind it.

Monuments

Delhi, being the capital of many empires for centuries - especially of Mughal India, has a number of forts and monuments to boast of. The city has blended the past and the present beautifully. There are strong citadels, such as Red Fort, Old Fort, Jantar Mantar, Tombs of the royal personages and Qutub Minar, which are counted amongst some of the most luring monuments of the capital city of India. Besides these, one can find a number of other beautiful tombs, mosques and buildings throughout the city that have interesting history and legends attached to them. The lifestyle of the people of New Delhi is interwoven with the age old traditions and customs. Some of the major and the most important monuments in the city are as follows