Delhi, the capital of India has is one of the most vital cities in the country. It's food heaven for many, the city with most political importance also happens to be the home to significant monuments that speak the rich history of Delhi as a city. The monuments not only showcases the history, but also the beautiful architecture that was rampant in the past. If you're planning to visit Delhi, and are a history buff go book yourself a comfy hotel in Delhi and visit these important monuments created by the greats who once ruled the city.

1. Humayun's Tomb

A UNESCO world heritage, the Humayun's Tombe one of the most significant monuments in the city of Delhi. The tomb of Humayun was made under the orders of his first spouse and chief consort, Empress Bega Begum. Inspired by Persian architecture. The tomb encompasses 47 meters (154 ft) height and the plinth is 91 meters (299 ft) wide. It was the first Indian building to use the Persian double dome on a high neck drum. The symmetrical and simple design on the outside is a sharp contrast with the complex interior floor plan. It can be entered through an imposing entrance on the south, while other sides are covered with intricate jaalis, stone latticework. Underneath the white dome in a domed chamber (hujra), where lies the central octagonal sepulcher, the burial chamber containing a single cenotaph of Humayun. This is aligned on the north-south axis, as per Islamic tradition. wherein the head is placed to the north, while the face is turned sideways towards Mecca. The real burial chamber of the Emperor, however, lies further away in an underground chamber, exactly beneath the upper cenotaph. This can be accessed through a separate passage outside the main structure, which remains mostly closed to visiting public. If you're staying over at a hotel in Karol Bagh, surely give this historical monument a visit.

2. Qutub Minar

Another one of the UNESCO world heritage, the Qutub Minar stands tall in the capital of Delhi as the world's tallest minaret built of bricks, at 72.5 meters of height. The minaret was named after Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, a Sufi saint. The Minar is surrounded by the monuments of the Qutub complex. As Qutub Minar existed from the late 10th century, it has truly witnessed and undergone multiple historical events. It has seen civilizations grow, empires fall, and rise. The minar also has been damaged multiple times, maybe due to war or natural calamities like earthquakes, but has still survived through it all. The Minar has five superposed stories, of which the lowest three are fluted cylindrical shafts, separated by flange and storeyed balconies. The fourth story is made of marble and the fifth is a mixture of marble and sandstone. The flanges are of dark red stone and have quranic texts engraved in them. The Minar has titles 65 cm from the vertical and has been an inspiration for many other towers. If you're staying over at a hotel in Hauz Khas, you can probably see the Qutub Minar from your room.

3. Red Fort

The historic Red Fort served as the main residence for the multiple Mughal Emperors. The fort was reconstructed under Shah Jahan and showcases the pinnacle of the Mughal creativity under his reign. The fort, as like most historical monuments have seen many atrocities. During the Nadir Shah invasion on the Mughal Empire, it lost most of its valuables. During the British revolt in 1857, most of its marble structures got damaged or destroyed. Architecture wise the fort showcases, high level of ornamentation, and the famous Kohinoor diamond used to be part of its furnishings. The art style in the fort encompasses European, Persian, and Indian art. In 2007, the Red Fort was declared a UNESCO heritage site, and current on every Independence day of India, the prime minister of India hoists the tricolor flag above the fort, a ritual started by the first Prime minister of India, Jawhar Lal Nehru. If you're planning to visit the Red Fort, you can book a room on an hourly basis at a hotel in Paharganj to rest after a long day of exploring.

4. Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid or Majid-i Jehan Numa is one of the largest mosques in India. Another of the fascinating and beautiful structures created by Shah Jahan, the historical monuments showcases the flow of creativity that ran under Shah Jahan's reign. There are three domes on the terrace of the masjid, along with two minarets in the corner. On the floor of the masjid, there are exactly 899 black borders that are marked for the worshippers. The mosque is considered to be the best mosque built during the Mughal rule, and for the same reason, it's also called the national mosque of India. The architecture style seen in the mosque is Indo-Islamic, and the same. The Jama Masjid also has been the victim of multiple attacks, even in recent times, but the historical monuments have outcome strong every time.

5. Jantar Mantar

There used to five Jantar Mantar's in India, but currently, there are four. of which the biggest in Jaipur. Jantar Mantar at Delhi is an observatory, which was created by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, along with the other 4 Jantar Mantar to compile astronomical tables and to predict the time and movements of the sun, moon, and planets. There are 4 distinct instruments at the Jantar Mantar at Delhi which serve different purposes.

Samrat Yantra- It is also called the supreme instrument, and is a giant triangle that is an equal hour sundial. On both sides of the triangle is there is a quadrant that indicates hours, minutes, and seconds.

Jaya Prakash Yantra- This cost of hollow hemispheres with markings on the concave surfaces. An observer could align the position of the stars from inside.

Rama Yantra- These are two large cylinders like structures with an open-top which are used to measure the latitude of stars based on latitude and longitude.

Misra Yantra- The name translates to the mixed instrument, which appropriately defines what it does. It can also describe the exact time for noon for various cities and is the only instrument in the observatory not invented by Jai Singh II.

These were a few of the many beautiful monuments that one can visit in Delhi to witness the grand architecture and learn about history. Most of the monuments were created in the Mughal eras in the list, which showcases the importance of the Mughal dynast on the city and the whole country as a whole. No matter where your hotel is in Delhi, do give a few of the many historical monuments in the city a visit to witness their beauty and rich history.

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