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Delhi is an excellent destination to spend your break or holidays. There are many attractions in Delhi that you will not like to miss. So when you are visiting Delhi, make sure you do not leave out the important places to see in Delhi. Delhi will make you fall in love with the place. Right from historical monuments to gardens to museums to religious places, Delhi is a treat for you.
Delhi is a popular place and is well connected from the all the places in India through railway, road transportation and by air. The foreigners can come to Delhi through flights from their country. You can experience and thoroughly enjoy your stay in Delhi by visiting the following tourist attractions:
Monuments and Forts
Red Fort or Lal Quila: Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor, laid the foundation of Red Fort in 1639 and it got completed in 1648. This colossus citadel is built with red stone and that is how the fort got its name. The total area of this fort is about 2.41 km. The fort is octagonal in shape. A wide moat that was originally connected with the river and was filled with water surrounds the fort. The main entrance to the Quila is through the Lahori Gate. Some of the main buildings within the fort are: Diwan-i-Am (hall of public audience), Diwan-i-Khas (hall of selective audience), the Hamam (the bathroom set), Moti Masjid (pearl mosque), Mumtaz Mahal (one of the main palaces), Naubat Khana (music house). After India got its independence from the British rule, the National Flag of India is hoisted at the Red Fort every year on 15th of August by the Prime Minister. This magnificent structure with its historical past is truly glorious and demands your visit.
Humayun's Tomb: The tomb of Humayun was built by the orders of Humayun's widow, Hamida Banu Begum, starting in 1562. It took 8 years for the tomb to get completed. The structure is built with red sandstone, whereas white and black marble has been used largely in the borders. This tomb is set in a geometrically arranged garden crisscrossed by numerous water channels. It is the first example of Mughal architecture, with high arches and double dome. Humayun's Tomb is one of the best-preserved Mughal monuments in Delhi.
Qutub Minar: Your trip to Qutub Minar will be fascinating. This world heritage site is located in Mehrauli, South of Delhi. This tallest brick tower in the world, built in 1193 AD, is named after Qutab-ud-din Aibak. He ruled initially from Lahore and later moved the capital to Delhi; he is considered the first Muslim ruler of South Asia. This tower was started by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak but was completed by his son-in-law Iltutmish and ultimately by Firoz Shah Tughlak. This tower is 72.5 meters tall with 399 steps leading to the top. The base is 14.3 meters wide and the top floor is 2.75 meters wide. While visiting this Minar, do not miss the nearby Iron Pillar. You will immensely enjoy the tour of this monument.
Jantar Mantar: Sawai Jia Singh II of Jaipur had built this in 1710 A.D. He was a keen astronomer. Jantar Mantar is situated at Parliament Street, close to Connaught Place. Jantar Mantar is also known as Delhi Observatory. It is made of stone and marble. This structure consists of fourteen geometric devices used for measuring time, forecasting weather changes, predicting behavior of planets and finding extraterrestrial altitude. It has always been an attraction for the architects, historians and scientists from all over the world. This popular tourist site will be a great place to explore. The structure is a masterpiece of Indian architecture which shows the scientific acumen of ancient India.
India Gate: You have to visit India Gate, the famous landmark of New Delhi, India. It is one of the largest war memorials in India and commemorates the members of the former British Indian Army who laid their lives fighting for the Indian Empire in World War I and the Afghan Wars. The foundation stone for India Gate was laid in 1921 by the Duke of Connaught and was completed in 1931. This enormous structure was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. After India's independence, India Gate became the site of the Indian Army's tomb of the unknown soldier, known as the Amar Jawan Jyoti. The 42 meter high archway is made of red stone and has the name "INDIA" written on both sides. More than 70,000 names of soldiers are also inscribed on the arch. The archway is located on the Rajpath in New Delhi. This monument is surrounded by lawns, children's park and a boat club. Locals and tourists gather near the India Gate and spend their evenings in leisure.
Purana Quila: The fort was constructed on the historic site of Indraprastha by Humayun and Sher Shah. The walls of the fort have three gates and are surrounded by a mat fed by the river Yamuna. The wall was built by Humayun while the buildings in the fort are attributed to Sher Shah. The structures that have survived in the fort are the Sher Mandal and the Quila-I-kholina Mosque. As a tourist, you will cherish the fort and its brilliant architecture.
Religious Places
Akshardham Temple: This 100 acres of sprawling Hindu temple is visited by thousands of people every day. Within this temple, under the central dome, the statue of Bhagwan Swaminarayan is erected, which is 11-foot high. This statue is surrounded by other similar statues of the gurus of the sect. This is a very popular tourist spot. The temple was inaugurated in 2005. You can enjoy programmes in the IMAX theater as well as the musical fountain along with Swaminarayan temple in this Akshardham complex in Delhi.
Lotus Temple: This Bahá'í House of Worship is in the shape of lotus. That is the reason this temple is called Lotus Temple. This beautiful structure was opened to public in December 1986. The temple is so popular that it is one of the most visited places in the world. When you enter this temple, you have to maintain a pin drop silence. The atmosphere inside the temple is calm and serene. Visiting this temple is once in a lifetime experience.
Jama Masjid: This mosque is located nearby the Red Fort. It was built between 1644 and 1658 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan. It is one of the last architectural works of Shah Jahan. Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India. The first three storeys of the Jama Masjid tower is made of red sandstone, the fourth one is made of marble, while the fifth is made of sandstone. The masjid is covered with intricate carvings and has verses inscribed from the holy Quran. The spacious courtyard of the Jama Masjid can hold thousands of Muslim followers.
ISKCON Temple: This temple is built by the Hare Rama Hare Krishna cult followers. ISKCON Temple is dedicated to the Hindu god, Lord Krishna. It is erected on a hillock. This complex is gracefully built and is one of the largest temple complexes in India. You will be impressed with the temple and its propaganda throughout the world.
Other Places to See
Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum: This museum was once the residence of the former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. It is same place where her own bodyguards assassinated her on 31st October 1984. After her assassination, it was later converted into a museum. This museum preserves her personal belongings, right from the sari she was wearing when she was assassinated to a collection of rare photographs of her family and the Nationalist movement. You will have a great time touring this museum.
Rajghat: This is the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. It is one of the most visited sites in Delhi. It comprises a simple square, black-marble platform that stands on the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. The entire area of Rajghat is surrounded by trees and you can see some of the most exotic shrubs of the country. This place is very green and peaceful. You can also visit the nearby cremation sites of popular politicians of India, such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Garden of Five Senses: The five senses park is an interesting place to visit and the whole ambience leaves a deep feeling of satisfaction. This garden is located at Said-ul-Aizab village, close to Mehrauli heritage area in New Delhi. The garden of five senses stimulates all the five senses that awakens the mind to the beauty of life and invokes a gift of touch, sight, sound, smell and taste. You must visit this garden for an unforgettable and pleasant sight.
Deer Park: This park in Delhi is nature lover's paradise. The park has well trimmed lawns and it has soft grass lined with trees. A water body inside the Deer Park makes it even more picturesque and ideal for animal lovers. The park is near from the Hauz khas Village, Safdarjang Enclave and Delhi Lawn Tennis Associations Courts. You will be able to see spotted deers, peacocks, rabbits, guinea pigs and variety of birds. It is a perfect place in the middle of the city where you can find green patches.
Parliament House: Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker are the architects who are responsible for building this House. The Parliament House holds two Houses of Parliament, Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States). It was inaugurated in the year 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. This circular building houses ministerial offices, a number of committee rooms and a splendid library. Before visiting this place, you need to take prior permission from the Parliament Secretariat, if you are an Indian and foreigners can take permission through their Embassies or High Commissions.
Mughal Gardens: This garden is spread across six hectares of the Rashtrapati Bhavan Complex. Mughal Gardens were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens for Lady Harding. These gardens are planned according to formal Mughal style along with the British garden designs. It has more than 250 variety of roses at one place, 60 kinds of bougainvillea, and the best and largest collection of Indian marigold and dahlias of 13 different colors. The Bonsai collection is one of the finest in the country. You can visit these gardens only during the months of February and March, except on Mondays.
Japanese Garden: This garden is maintained by the Delhi Development Authority. The Japanese Garden is situated in Rohini, Delhi. It has a beautiful lake, woods, boating facilities and the nature. You will see couples and families enjoying their evening in this garden.
Rashtrapati Bhawan: Rashtrapati Bhawan is the building that holds President of India. It is the residence of the President. It was formerly known as 'Viceroy's House' and was occupied by the Governor-General of India, until independence.
Apart from the above mentioned places, you can visit various other tourist attractions. You will cherish all the places in Delhi as the places will be forever etched in your mind. |
