Delhi

Delhi

When the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan decided to move back from Agra to Delhi in 1638, he built within 10 years the huge city of Shah Jahanabad, now known as Old Delhi. The main street is Chandni Chowk, a fascinating bustling jumble of craft shops, traders, mosques and temples.

The chief attraction of Old Delhi is the fort that contains within it opulent palaces and impressive public buildings. Most of it was built out of red (lal) sandstone, hence the name Lal Quila (Red Fort), the same as the fort at Agra on which the Delhi fort is modeled.

Near the Red Fort is the magnificent Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India, where the faithful stream in and out from the surrounding bazaars.

In New Delhi you find the India Gate, a war memorial arch, the impressive Parliament Building and the Rashtrapati Bhawan, once the imperial palace of the British viceroy and now the official residence of the President of India.

To the South, are the Qutab Minar complex and Humayun's Tomb, both World Heritage Sites. The Qutab Minar has a 5-storey, 72-metre victory tower of red sandstone. Humayun's Tomb is a sandstone mausoleum built in proper Mughal style. The Taj Mahal, built much later, follows a similar style of architecture.