RED FORT ( Lal Qila ) DELHI

RED FORT (Lal Qil'ah or Lal Qila ) DELHI

Red fort lies along the Yamuna River. The layout of the Red Fort was organised to retain and integrate this site with the Salimgarh Fort.

Shah Jahan shifted his capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad and laid the foundation of Red Fort, or the Lal Quila, on 16th April 1639. It took nine years to build this mighty citadel and it got completed on 16th April 1648. It is said that about one crore rupees, an astronomical sum in those days, was spent on its construction. Built of red sandstone, it is octagonal in shape, with two longer sides on the east and west. The perimeter of its strong ramparts is about 2.41 km. Red Fort rises to a height of 33.5 m on the town side and 18 m along the river. A wide moat surrounds the fort, which was originally connected with the river and was always filled with water. The two main gateways, known as Lahori Gate and Delhi Gate,The master builders of the Red Fort were Hamid and Ahmad. Visitors are allowed only in a part of Red Fort, as the army occupies the rest of it. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS OF RED FORT

Diwan-i-Am                        

Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience is situated in the Red Fort of Delhi.

Hamam

The hammams or royal baths; these consist of three rooms topped by domes, with a fountain in the center

Moti Masjid

To the west of the hammam is the Moti Masjid, the Pearl Mosque. This was a later addition, built in 1659 as a private mosque for Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan's successor.

Mumtaz Mahal               

One of the original six main-palaces situated along the river front, Mumtaz Mahal was also known as 'Chhoti Baithak'.

Naubat Khana                  

Naubat Khana, or Naqqar Khana (meaning the Drum House), is situated at the entrance of the palace area. Here music was played five times a day at the appointed hours.

Nahr-i-Bihisht

A beautiful water channel called 'Nahr-i-Bihisht' (meaning Stream of Paradise) flew through these palaces.

HOW TO REACH RED FORT

Delhi is well connected by air, rail, and road with important centers of India. Tourists can reach the Red Fort in many ways. They can either take local buses from various points within the city, which is located near the Interstate Bus Terminus at Kashmere Gate in the heart of the city, or, alternatively, they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis for the purpose. There are also regular buses from other important bus termini like the Interstate Bus Terminus at Sarai Kale Khan and Connaught Place to this monument.

ACCOMODATION

There are several hotels near Red Fort to cater to the accommodation needs of the guests offering them a chance to spend some quality time in the precincts of these medieval structures.

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