Qutab Minar is the tallest individual tower in the world, which is a masterpiece of the Mughal architecture.Qutab Minar was built by Qutub-ud-din Abak and is a true representation of Indo-Islamic Architecture .Construction was started by Qutab-ud-din Abak and was continued by Iltutmish.It is 72 meters high with 379 steps leading to the top. So take a long breath before you start climbing those steps. It has 5 stories, each with a balcony. The diameter of the base is 15 meters wide while the top floor measures 2.75 meters in diameter. The entire five storeys’ of Qutab Minar consists of Koranic inscriptions. Each storey is marked by a balcony. The first three storeys’ are made of red sandstone, while the fourth and fifth are of marble sandstones. The most outstanding feature of the tower is the stalactite support to the balconies and the circular plan with its alternating semi-circular and angular flutings. There is a Muslim mosque at the base (Quwwat-ul Islam), which was the first mosque built in India. In the neighboring courtyard, there is the base of another minar called Alau Minar that was being built, but was unfinished because of the death of the Sultan. It was meant to be higher than Qutab Minar. There are also the ruins of a tomb and a college in another outer courtyard.
The Qutub Minar and its monuments are listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site. The detail on these monuments and buildings is amazing, especially considering the time they were built and the tools that were available at that time to work on this Minar.The tourist can do a lot of sightseeing or just sit in the beautifully maintained grass around the monument or the courtyards. An Iron Pillar which is metallurgical wonder is situated nearby. Walking over one side shows us an inscription which tells that the mosque was built on the foundations of a Hindu temple. We can also find a decorated tomb of Iltumish,with wonderful carvings towards another side of the Minar.Pointing towards the sky, the view from the top of the Minar will give the tourist a bird view of the City of Delhi. Viewing the Qutab Minar with the illumination in the night should not be avoided.
Location: Situated inside Qutab Complex located at Aurobindo Marg, near Mehrauli which is South Delhi
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