Each and every historical monument of Delhi is worth visiting. In this article, we will talk about the historical monuments of New Delhi, the capital of India. Delhi is a historical place and has many monuments that are worth visiting. The monuments are related to the Mughal, British, and various other dynasties of India.

The most famous historical monuments of New Delhi are:

1. India Gate

The India Gate, originally called the All India War Memorial, is a war memorial located astride the Rajpath, on the eastern edge of the “ceremonial axis” of New Delhi. The foundation stone for India Gate was laid by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught in 1921. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens

In 1972, following the Bangladesh Liberation war, a small simple structure, consisting of a black marble plinth, with a reversed rifle, capped by a war helmet, bounded by four eternal flames, was built beneath the soaring Memorial Archway. This structure, called Amar Jawan Jyoti was added to honor the martyrs of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.

India Gate is counted among the largest war memorials in India. It stands tall at 42 meters and overlooks a major road that leads to Connaught Place. This monument of Delhi stands tall and attracts locals and foreigners in droves.

2. Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India and one of the historical oldest monuments of Delhi. It was built between 1644 and 1658 by Shah Jahan. Jama Masjid stands on a rubble platform about two meters in height. The mosque is built on a high plinth and surrounded by a double row of cloisters, with engrailed arches on octagonal pillars.

The courtyard in the middle of the mosque can hold up to 25,000 people at a time. The central dome is 83 feet (25 m) in diameter. This monument is in the old part of Delhi and is very popular among the local Muslim population in that area.

3. Jantar Mantar

Delhi’s largest sundial was built in 1724 and is the world’s largest stone sundial. Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur built Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, which is a collection of nineteen architectural astronomical instruments. The primary purpose of the observatory was to compile astronomical tables and to predict the times and movements of the sun, moon, and planets The monument was built for simple calculations such as the rising of the Sun, and to account for the latter half of the day until it sets.

There are many instruments in this monument of Delhi. Each instrument has a purpose and is designed according to specific calculations that are responsible for predicting eclipses, finding stellar constellations, and tracking monsoons.

– The Ram Yantra is an astrological instrument that is used to measure the altitudes of heavenly bodies. It consists of a square platform with four inclined walls.

-The Samrat Yantra is used to tell the time of the day and night. Its shadow falls on a plinth located at its base and indicates the time with remarkable accuracy.

-The Digamsha or Chakra Yantra comprises 24 circular arcs which are equally spaced on a wall that faces South. The instrument measures local sidereal time using equatorial coordinates.

-The Mishra Yantra comprises of nine identical instruments that predict eclipses by visually following their trajectory

The site is one of five built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, from 1723 onwards, revising the calendar and astronomical tables. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010. It is a must-see historical monument of Delhi!

4. Rashtrapati Bhawan

Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India, located at the Western end of the Rajpath in New Delhi, India. It was built in 1857 by Edwin Lutyens. It is the largest residence of any head of state in the world.

This president’s Estate covers more than 330 acres. The cost of constructing this building amounted to Rs 1,250,000 in 1857! Rashtrapati Bhavan is made up of four floors (excluding the basement) namely the Ground floor, First Floor, Durbar Hall floor, and Official Guest floor. It has 340 rooms spread over an area of 200000 square feet (19000 m2). It was built using 700 million bricks and 3 million cubic feet (85,000 m3) of stone with no steel used in its making. During construction, 26 million bricks were used which were procured from specialized kilns near Agra.

This immense structure represents British-style architecture and houses a unique collection of art and furniture. This grand monument of Delhi is decorated in a million lights on 15th August, India’s Independence day and it a sight to behold!

5. Rajghat

Section: Rajghat is a memorial built in Delhi for Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on 30 January 1948, it was decided to construct a monument in Delhi at the place of his cremation. The Raj Ghat area has a park adorned with trees planted by dignitaries and visitors from all over the world, from various walks of life.

The Raj Ghat gate bears the epigraph “Hey Ram” in Devanagari script along with the date of death, which was uttered by Mahatma Gandhi just after he was shot. Raj Ghat loosely translates to “King’s Bank”. It has a black marble platform that marks the spot of Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation on 31 January 1948.

The original simple memorial became inadequate and an extended and modernized version, completed in 1958, was unveiled by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 12 February 1958. Every year on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi is commemorated at this place as Gandhi Jayanti and on 30 January, his death anniversary called Martyr’s Day or Shaheed Diwas is observed.

6. Red Fort or Lal Qila

The palace was constructed in the year 1639 by Shah Jahan to serve as his principal residence. The Red Fort is almost perfectly symmetrical except for the slight bias on the eastern side. Shah Jahān built this magnificent structure over a period of nine years, from 1638 to 1648.

Its walls extend for 2 km and vary in height from 18 meters on the riverside to 33 meters on the city side. It rises above a former riverbed, known as the Yamuna Khadar, which is now completely engulfed by modern Delhi. The fort is octagonal with massive walls of red sandstone and has a semicircular bastion at each angle.

Today this historic monument is one of the important national monuments of Delhi. Besides being nominated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO it is still used by the Indian Armed Forces to store arms and ammunitions, proving that it’s not just a beautiful tourist spot but also holds great strategic importance.

It is important to know the history of the Red Fort Monument in New Delhi because it signifies India’s past glory and achievements

7. Humayun’s Tomb

Humayun’s Tomb was commissioned by Humayun’s first wife Bega Begum in 1569-70, and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyath, a Persian architect chosen by Bega Begum. It was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent and is located in Nizamuddin East, Delhi, India, close to the Dina-Panah citadel also known as Purana Qila (Old Fort), that Humayun founded in 1533.

It was also the first structure to use red sandstone at such a scale. The tomb was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

 8. Laxmi Narayan Mandir (Birla Mandir)

The Laxmi Narayan Mandir, also known as Birla Mandir or Venkateswara Temple is a Hindu temple in the city of New Delhi, India. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped here in his avatar as Venkateshwara (Lord of the Venkata Hill). Built of white marble in the Dravidian style of architecture, it stands out for its imposing size and striking architectural features. The temple was built by industrialist Ghanshyam Das Birla at a cost of Rs. 5 crores (about US$ 1 million), which was donated by him without any interest or commission. This monument is visited by locals in Delhi as well as worshipers from all over India.

9. Gurudwara Bangla Sahib

The Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is a Sikh gurudwara on the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi, India. It was established in 1783 by the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. It is also known as Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in reference to a well within its premises where Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for resisting forcible conversions of Kashmiri Hindus. This monument is highly revered and visited by Sikhs and people of all faiths

10. National Museum

The National Museum is a museum in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1949 and has a collection of over 1.5 million objects. It houses ancient Indian art from the Neolithic era to the early 20th century, as well as numerous modern sculptures produced by Indian artists after independence in 1947. The monument in Delhi also hosts temporary exhibitions on specific themes once every year or two.

11. National Gandhi Museum

The National Gandhi Museum is a museum in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1983 and has a collection of over 30,000 items related to the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions on specific themes once every year or two, which are open to all but attract an entrance fee. This historical monument pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi.

12. Lotus Temple (Bahai Mandir)

The Lotus Temple is a Bahá’í House of Worship in Delhi, India. It is situated in South Delhi at 1 Undli Road, Kalkaji, on an island surrounded by a man-made lake. The temple was designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba with the consultation of three generations of Bahai architects: Nader Ardalan, Farshid Moussavi, and Mohammad Reza Fayyaz. The Lotus Temple has won numerous architectural awards for its unique design, including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the Emporis Skyscraper Award in 2010. This monument is one of the most beautiful buildings in Delhi!

13. Akshardham Temple

Akshardham Temple is a Hindu temple complex in New Delhi, India. It is one of the largest spiritual and cultural centers in the world with 1,255,000 square feet (116,500 m) of built-up area and 28 acres (11 ha) of land. The center features a number of attractions including a boat ride through an artificial river passing through different ancient structures; a musical fountain show; a food court consisting of fast food restaurants from North India; an audio-visual presentation inside its air-conditioned theatre with advanced 3D technology; Rang Mahal that depicts various Indian mythological stories; and Anand Vihar where thousands of people can pray together at once.

Akshardham Temple is more than a monument of Delhi. It is a worship place for the People of Hindu Faith.

14. Qutab Minar Complex

Qutab Minar is a tower located in Delhi, India. It was built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who later became the first Sultan of Delhi of the Mamluk dynasty. The tower stands at an elevation of 183 meters (600 ft) and has five stories with an open balcony at the top.

Qutab Minar Complex is situated in Mehrauli Archaeological Park in South Delhi. This complex also includes Alai Darwaza and Iron Pillar which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of Humayun’s Tomb complex. No visit to India is complete without visiting this tall and grand monument of Delhi!

15. Parliament House

The Parliament House, also known as Sansad Bhavan, is the building where both houses of the Indian parliament meet. It is located at Raisina Hill in the heart of New Delhi. It was designed by the British architect Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker based on a design proposal by Sir Herbert Baker. The construction began in 1921 and was completed in 1927.

16. Purana Qila (Old Fort)

The Purana Qila is a fort in Delhi, India. The fort is located at the end of the Chandni Chowk to Lahori Gate stretch of the historic walled city. It is situated on what was once an island but is now a peninsula, jutting into the modern metropolis of Connaught Place. The fort has been expanded many times over the centuries and has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. This historical monument is spread over acres in New Delhi.

17. Safdarjang Tomb

The Safdarjang’s Tomb is a tomb complex of the Safdarjung family, built in 1754 by Nawab Safdarjung, on the left bank of the River Yamuna. The tomb is surrounded by a beautiful garden with fountains, lawns, and shady trees. There are several graves inside the complex including that of Safdarjang’s son-in-law Mirza Ghiyas Beg (died 1754), his grandson Ghaziuddin Khan (died 1842), and his great-grandson Nawab Bahadur Sir Syed Ahmad Khan Bahadur (died 1879).

18. Feroz Shah Kotla Fort

Feroz Shah Kotla Fort was built by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1354 AD. It is a massive structure, constructed of red sandstone and lime mortar, with very thick walls. The fort has four gates: Suraj Pol (Sun Gate), Chand Pol (Moon Gate), Buland Darwaza (High Gate), and Shish Mahal or Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Glass). The palace within the fort is now in ruins but there are still some interesting remnants to see. The most remarkable feature of the fort is its water channel system which supplied water from the Yamuna River into the underground rooms of the fort

19. Tughlaqabad Fort

Tughlaqabad Fort was built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq in 1321 AD. It is located on the southern bank of the Yamuna River, about 16 km southeast of Delhi. The fort has two main buildings: an imposing gateway and a palace complex. The fort walls are made up of red sandstone and lime mortar with very thick walls. It is said that this massive structure could be seen from as far as Agra (about 60km away).

20. Ashoka Pillar

The Ashoka Pillar is a stone column that was erected by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. It is one of the first historical evidence of the Mauryan Empire and also one of the earliest examples of Indian stone sculpture. The pillar has an inscription on all four sides, which can be translated as:

The Edicts of Asoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the pillars and rocks throughout India, Nepal and Afghanistan. They were dispersed over a large area and dispersed widely throughout these lands near major sources of rivers in perfect condition

Conclusion

Delhi is a culturally rich city with many historical monuments to explore. The city is a popular tourist destination for travelers from around the world, and there are many things to do. The city has been the seat of power for several dynasties over the centuries. There are many palaces and forts to explore. Delhi is home to some of India’s most beautiful gardens, temples, and forts. It is a cultural hub where you can explore the art and history of India in depth. The historical monuments alone are worth the visit to Delhi!

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