Location: The ruins of the citadel of Lal Kot can be seen along the Badarpur-Qutab road, Delhi-Qutab road or Mehrauli-Qutab road.
Famous as: The first Red Fort of Delhi
Time to Visit: Open on all days
Preferred Timings: sunrise to sunset
Admission Fee: Free and open to all
Photography charges: nil
How to Reach: Tourists can either take local buses from various points within the city to reach this monument, which is located in south Delhi, or they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis or take the metro rail.
Nearest Railway Station: Nizamuddin Railway Station
Nearest Metro Station: Central Secretariat
Functional Metro Station: Central Secretariat
Nearest International Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport
Time required for sightseeing: About 30 minutes
The rubble-built walls of the ramparts of Lal Kot can be seen by taking Badarpur-Qutb road, Delhi-Qutb road or Mehrauli-Qutb road.
King Anangpal, the Tomar ruler built Lal Kot as his citadel around 1050 AD when the Tomar Rajputs shifted their base from the Suraj Kund region to this area. The original Red Fort of Delhi, Lal Kot has an oblong plan with massive towers and several gates with outworks. The most famous of the gates were known as Ghazni, Sohan and Ranjit gates. The recent excavations revealed ruins of several structures within the Lal Kot area but still no palaces have been found. It is considered that the temple area of the citadel was the part where Qutab Minar and other monuments lie today. The strong stone-built walls of the ramparts are 2.5 to 3 meters thick. Apart from 'brick revetment' built over them, the walls had imposing 'local quartzite blocks' and semi circular bastions at irregular intervals.
However, according to some historians it is believed that Anangpal I built Lal Kot in 731 AD and Anangpal II rebuilt it in the late 11th century when he shifted the capital from Kannauj to Delhi. Whatever may be the facts, the building of Lal Kot in this part by the Tomar Rajputs brought the focus and attention back to Delhi that had been deserted for over a thousand years after the Pandavas left Indraprastha, the first city of Delhi.
Lal Kot later became the southwestern base of Qila Rai Pithora built by Chauhan Prithviraja III. The walls of the Lal Kot are a part of DDA 20 acre conservation complex at Mehrauli, today.
Nearby Tourist Attractions
Qutab Minar, Alai-Darwaza, Quwwatul-Islam Mosque, Iron Pillar, Alai Minar, Tomb of Iltutmish, Imam Zamin's Tomb and Ala-ud-Din Madarsa.
Nearby Places to Eat
Thai Wok Ambavata Complex, Osaka Aurobindo Marg, Red Snapper Aurobindo Marg, good eating joints in Vasant Kunj Market and a number of roadside food stalls near the Qutab complex.
Nearby Shopping Venues
Ambavata Shopping Complex, Mehrauli, Hauz Khas Village, Residential Market of Vasant Kunj, Sahara Mall and DT Mall in Gurgaon.
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