TRAVELOGUE

DESTINATION

DELHI QUTUB MINAR

 HISTORY
• *Delhi’s Qutub Minar is a five-storied structure constructed over four
centuries by a number of rulers. It was originally commissioned by
Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who was the founder of the Delhi Sultanate,
around 1192 as a victory tower. The minaret is named after him;
although he wasn’t able to build it beyond the first story. His
successor Shams-ud-din Iltutmish added three more floors to the
structure in 1220. Its topmost story suffered damages in 1369 due to
lightning. It was reconstructed by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who added the
fifth and final story to the tower while the entrance to Qutub Minar
was built by Sher Shah Suri.
_

• Around 300 years later, in 1803, the tower again suffered severe
damages in an earthquake. Major Robert Smith, a member of the
British Indian Army, mended the structure in 1828. He went ahead
and installed a pillared cupola to sit atop the fifth story, thus lending
the tower its sixth story. But this extra story was removed in 1848
under the orders of Henry Hardinge, the then Governor-General of
India, and reinstalled next to the minaret. Entry to the tower has been
restricted since 1981 after an accident, which left 47 people inside it
dead.
HEIGHT
&STRUCTURE
The magnificent Qutub Minar has a height of
73 meters. It has a base diameter of 14.3
meters which narrows down to 2.7 meters at
the top. The structure also includes a spiral
staircase of 379 steps. There are many other
historical edifices around the minaret which,
together with the main tower, form the
Qutub Minar Complex.

It is widely believed that the tower, which

displays early Afghan architectural style, was
built taking inspiration from the Minaret of
Jam in Afghanistan. Each of the five distinct
stories of the minaret is adorned with a
projecting balcony supported by intricately
designed brackets.
FACTS-:
• 1. Standing tall at 73 m, the Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the
world. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• 2. It is considered to be the Tower of Victory, built by Qutubuddin Aibak in the

12th century to mark the end of rule by the last Hindu Kingdom.

• 3. The Qutub Minar was built in three stages by three rulers of Delhi (Qutab-
ud-din Aibak built one storey followed by his successor, Shams-ud-din
Iltutmishwho built three storeys more and finally Firoze Shah Tughlak who
built the final and fifth storey) and was finally completed in the 14th century,
maybe that’s why it tilts a little!
-

• 4. There is a mosque called Quwwat-Ul-Islam, built in the same

compound as the minaret. Though in ruins, it is noted to be the first
mosque built in India.

• 5. There are 379 stairs inside the minaret to reach the top.

• 6. It is also the first Indian monument to have an E-ticket facility. The

entry fee to look at this magnificent minaret is Rs 10.

• 7. This minaret is definitely one of India’s assets, not only has it

survived damages from an earthquake from the 16th century, but it
has also survived being struck by lightning twice in the 14th century.
VISITORS INFORMATION-:
• Famous for: History, Culture, Photography
• Entrance Fee:30 per Indian and Rs.500 per foreigner
• Visiting Time: Sunrise to Sunset
• Visit Duration: 2 hours to 3 hours
• TRAVELOR TIPS-:
• The visitor access to the top of the structure is restricted due to
safety concerns.
• The Qutub complex consists of a lot of structures to visit and will
involve a lot of walking around.
• To counter the heat, wear a cap and carry water bottles.
THINGS TO DO -:
• Take a look at the carvings on the walls which are of the verses of the Holy Quran.
• Visit the Quwwat Ul Mosque which is within the complex and was built around the same
time as when the construction of minar was started.
• The very famous Iron Pillar, built before the Muslim rulers took over the region, is also a
must visit because of its baffling property of not rusting and staying strong from a very long
time.
• Photography can be carried out at the location which serves as a great backdrop and
includes a lush green garden.
• The cupola like structure which was supposedly the sixth storey, was taken down and now
can be viewed by the visitors just nearby the minaret.
• Buy stuff from the local hawkers and the markets to collect some souvenirs.
• The plethora of restaurants situated in the area are great to try out different kinds of dishes.
 THANK YOU
FOR VISITING

JALAJ SRIVASTAVA
XI-B