The resplendent Rashtrapati Bhavan is a fitting ode to the nation's architectural heritage. Built for the British Viceroy over a span of 17 years, it was designed by architects Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Spanning four stories and featuring 340 rooms, this massive edifice is a masterpiece, not only for its stunning architecture but equally flamboyant layout that encompasses spellbinding gardens and a museum complex. Completed in 1929, Rashtrapati Bhavan is one of the largest residences of state heads in the world and still evokes awe.
An architectural marvel par excellence, the glorious India Gate is an emblematic jewel of New Delhi. It is a majestic structure that stands at the end of Rajpath, amidst manicured lawns and water fountains carved in sandstone. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it was originally known as the All India War Memorial. This structure was built in honor and memory of the scores of Indian soldiers who laid down their lives as part of the British Indian Army between 1914-1921 in battles across the world. Beneath its arch burns the eternal flame, or Amar Jyoti, which has been alight since 1971. The area is especially breathtaking in the evenings when India Gate and the sprawling lawns are dramatically lit. Drawing its architectural nuances from that of a triumphal arch, this is one of the most beautiful localities in the city.
The tranquil Lodhi Gardens are as historic as they are picturesque. Mottled with a tracery of manicured lawns, verdant foliage and mammoth trees, the gardens are steeped deep in both, natural magnificence and antiquity. The Bara Gumbad sits right in the heart of the garden, and gives way to a spectacular three-domed mosque, whereas the Shisha Gumbad carries within itself remnants of an ancient family. The tomb of Muhammad Shah looks nothing short of a palace, while the tomb of Sikandar Lodi features a majestic walled enclosure. These tombs, with their sharp arches, glazed tiles and structural domes, are a testament to the sheer genius of Mughal architects. The garden is further enriched by a tracery of water features, including trickling rivulets, and a placid lake. Considered a favourite among picnickers, joggers and families, the garden is located in close proximity to Humayun's Tomb.
Built as a solemn commemoration to emperor Humayun by his wife Bega Begum in the 16th Century, this structure, resplendent in red sandstone, is considered to be the next best thing after the Taj Mahal in Agra. The tomb is awe-inspiring, nestled amid lush green lawns on three sides and a meandering river on the fourth. There are other tombs within the premises as well, those of Humanyun Baber's and Isa Khan's. Stirring semblances of Mughal and Persian architecture are entrenched in the tomb's facade, whereas the well-pruned Charbagh, adorned with four water courses, adds to its ethereal aura. Bearing a tapestry of latticed windows, finely-carved mirhabs, sharp archways, beams as well as elegant minarets, the tomb is considered to be first garden-tomb in the country, and is known to have defined the architectural course of several monuments, including the Taj Mahal. Having found its due place on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the tomb is not only frequented by tourists, but also has its loyal local admirers who throng here in hordes.
Taking a place of pride in Mehrauli, this imposing architectural wonder is, perhaps, the locus of the UNESCO-listed Qutb Complex. This striking structure, composed of red sandstone and marble, is one of the finest monuments in the country and one of the most recognized. Its construction was commissioned by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first Islamic ruler of Delhi in the 1100s, who managed to complete only the base of the structure. His successor, Iltutmish, added three more stories, and later, Firoz Shah Tughlaq constructed the fifth and the last addition. Adorned with breathtaking carvings, engravings, spiral staircases as well as finely-crafted balconies, this impressive monument is where history and architectural excellence strike a balance. Peppered across the grounds are a string of several notable sites, like the Madrassa of Alauddin Khalji, Alai Minar, the Tomb of Iltutmish, and the Quwwat-Ul-Islam Mosque.
Erstwhile residence of Emperor Shah Jahan, the Red Fort is a magnificent sight that symbolizes the artistic, architectural and historic legacy of the Mughal Empire. Constructed in 1648 along the banks of the Yamuna River, the mighty fort was made using red sandstone. Before 1857, the fort was a small city in itself and now, only a part of the fort is accessible to the public. Come evening, the fort metamorphoses into a luminescent wonder, accentuated by vivid lights and sounds. Boasting spectacular semblances of Mughal, Persian and Timurid architecture, the fort sits amid blankets of verdant lawns. The magnificent Lahori Gate leads into the fort, the grounds of which feature an array of historically significant sites including the Diwan-i-Aam (audience hall), Diwan-i-Khaas (Hall of Private Audience), the Shahi Burj tower, Moti Masjid and more.
Sankat Mochan Dham is a 32.91 meters (108 feet) tall statue of Hindu deity Hanuman situated near the temple that goes by the same name. Situated in the heart of Karol Bagh, the temple and the tall statue are visited by devotees in large numbers round the year. This statue is amongst the tallest Hanuman statues in the world and has turned out to be a major attraction in the neighborhood. Sankat Mochan Dham sees the highest number of visitors during the festival of Hanuman Jayanti each year.
The resplendent Rashtrapati Bhavan is a fitting ode to the nation's architectural heritage. Built for the British Viceroy over a span of 17 years, it was designed by architects Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Spanning four stories and featuring 340 rooms, this massive edifice is a masterpiece, not only for its stunning architecture but equally flamboyant layout that encompasses spellbinding gardens and a museum complex. Completed in 1929, Rashtrapati Bhavan is one of the largest residences of state heads in the world and still evokes awe.
A beautiful homage to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, Gandhi Smriti was built under the watchful eye of Ghanshyamdas Birla. Famed as being the place where the Mahatma spent the last months of his life, this pristine white house also harbors the Eternal Gandhi Multimedia Museum, which chronicles the legacy left behind by the great man. The courtyard of the house is adorned with tufts of well-maintained foliage, while the rumbling verdant lawns that front it are also well-pruned. The house shelters a total of twelve bedrooms, and yet carries within it the undying legacy of the Birla family. Predominantly frequented by Gandhi ji and Sardar Patel, the house is crowned by the tricolor fluttering in all its glory. Its fabric whispering many a secret of its thriving past, Gandhi Smriti houses the Martyr's Column, the very spot where the iconic man was assassinated.
An architectural marvel par excellence, the glorious India Gate is an emblematic jewel of New Delhi. It is a majestic structure that stands at the end of Rajpath, amidst manicured lawns and water fountains carved in sandstone. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it was originally known as the All India War Memorial. This structure was built in honor and memory of the scores of Indian soldiers who laid down their lives as part of the British Indian Army between 1914-1921 in battles across the world. Beneath its arch burns the eternal flame, or Amar Jyoti, which has been alight since 1971. The area is especially breathtaking in the evenings when India Gate and the sprawling lawns are dramatically lit. Drawing its architectural nuances from that of a triumphal arch, this is one of the most beautiful localities in the city.
Official seat of the Parliament of India, Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) is a circular sandstone-crafted building upheld by mammoth pillars. Constructed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker across a period of six years, the building is a place where the ministers of the country convene everyday to discuss and approve policies. Home to many chambers and halls, Sansad Bhavan is divided into three complexes which house the Lok Sabha (House of States), the Rajya Sabha (House of Lords), and an extensive library. Intricate and elaborate, the design of this structure was inspired by Mughal architecture - evident in the motifs on the wall slabs. Ornamented by carpets of rolling gardens, Sansad Bhavan, is, indeed, the capital of the country's unabashed pride.
Built as a solemn commemoration to Lakshminarayan, the eternal avatar of Lord Vishnu, this resplendent temple is one of the most revered sites in the city. Also popularly known as 'Birla Temple' after its founder Baldeo Das Birla, the temple is bathed in vibrant semblances of traditional Nagara architecture. Resting proudly under towering shikaras (mountain-like towers over a temple), the temple is adorned with a tapestry of sculptures, fine engravings, carvings, motifs and paintings which lend soulful insights into the world of Hindu mythology. Along with the main shrine which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi, the temple also enshrines several other Hindu deities like Lord Shiva, Lord Hanuman, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Durga as well as the treasured Hindu vedas. Famed especially for the glorious religious statues crafted from marble sourced from Jaipur, the temple's silhouette looks particularly breathtaking against a clear, blue sky. Established in 1933 and inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi, the temple is especially luminous and teeming during Hindu festivals.