Delhi is a place where you will find historic monuments everywhere. Delhi has got so many things to offer to someone who loves traveling. From this end to that end, these ancient buildings and monuments narrate the glory of this place which has been the center of attraction for everyone since the beginning. One such monument is Qutub Minar. Yes, you know it right. You must have visited this place. You must have heard a lot, read a lot. But there are so many things you don’t know about Qutub Minar. You, you got it right. There are certain facts that are lesser-known about Qutub Minar. So here in this post, you will get to know the things you don’t know about Qutub Minar. Also, take a photo tour through this majestic minaret.
Things You Don’t Know about Qutub Minar
The majestic, the gigantic, and the magnificent piece of architecture, Qutub Minar is among the most famous monuments of New Delhi. It is clearly visible from the metro if you are traveling in the yellow line from Gurgaon to New Delhi. At Qutub Minar metro station, from inside the metro, you can see the sky touching minaret, standing gloriously on the earth ever since it is made, hundreds of years back. Here are some lesser-known facts about Qutub Minar which you may have missed probably. Hence, I have listed some of the interesting things you don’t know about Qutub Minar.
List of the things you don’t know about Qutub Minar
- Qutub Minar was built as a victory tower after the defeat of the last Hindu Kingdom in Delhi.
- Qutub Minar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Qutub in Arabic means pole or
- It is 73 meters (239.5 feet) long minaret with a base diameter of 14.3 meters (47 feet) and at the peak; it is 2.7 meters (9 feet).
- The construction of the first storey was started by Qutab Ud – Din – Aibak around 1192.
- The construction was completed by Iltutmish in 1220 to 3 storeys.
- The top storey was destroyed by lightning in 1369.
- Firoz Shah Tughlaq replaced the damaged storey and added one more storey.
- Alai’I Minar is an incomplete tower, a solid stack of rubble located near Qutub Minar.
- This tower was 27m high at the time of Alaud – din Khilji’s death. Later on, no one planned to work on it.
- Qutub Minar is the world’s tallest brick minaret.
- The minar was supposed to be the prototype of all the minars in the country.
- Lightning damaged it in 1336 and 1368.
- The top floors are made up of white marble.
- Verses from the Quran are carved on it.
- Each storey ha balcony.
- Visitors aren’t allowed to climb up the tower after an accident of 1981.
- It is said that the minar isn’t erect. It leans a little due to past construction and deconstruction.
- The construction of minar was completed by three rulers of Delhi in three stages.
- Qutub – ud – din Aibak finished one storey.
- Three more storeys were built by Shams – ud – din Iltutmish (Qutab – ud – din Aibak’s successor).
- Fifth and final storey was constructed by Firoze Shah Tughlak in the 14th century.
- The main construction material is red and buff sandstone.
- The minar is a wonderful symbol of Indo – Islamic Afghan Architecture.
- Iltutmish’s tomb is located near the minar.
- This was built in 1235. It is the first surviving tomb of a Muslim ruler in India.
- The tomb of Khalji and madrasa of Khalji is also located here.
- The minar is inspired by Minaret of Jam, Afghanistan.
- It is one of the most important ‘Towers of Victory’ in the Islamic world even today.
- One more prominent structure here is Alai Darwaza which was built by Alauddin Khalji in 1311 AD.
- There is ‘Iron Pillar of Delhi’ which has an inscription of King Chandragupta II. Its weight is about 6,000 KG (13,000 IB). It is made up of 98% wrought iron and has been standing without being damaged by rust for over 2000 years.
So these were some of the interesting things you don’t know about Qutub Minar. I hope after reading it, you must have got great information about this world-famous tourist attraction of New Delhi.
