Qutub Minar Complex – UNESCO World Heritage site 

Qutub Minar Complex – UNESCO World Heritage site

 

Qutub Minar Complex – UNESCO World Heritage site 

Delhi, the capital of India, offers amazing historical sites to explore.

Delhi has three World Heritage Sites, more than hundreds National Protected Monuments and countless unprotected other monuments.

‘Qutub Minar’ is one such monument in the capital city of Delhi. It is named after the great Sufi saint the  ‘Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar‘ and built during the Mughal dynasty. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As you enter the Qutub Minar you actually step into the historical era where all the ruins have history attached to it. The minaret has an amazing architecture with various staircases and carvings. Entrance inside the minaret is restricted these days but still, the area surrounding the same is absolutely worth visit.

Zoomed in to see the topmost levels made up of marble.

The minaret moves from a higher diameter to a lesser diameter on the top. The artistic work of architecture is a must to notice while visiting this place. Notice the calligraphy and carvings on the minaret.  Zoom in to see the decorative motifs on upper levels.

Notice the calligraphy and carvings on the minaret.

This minaret is inspired from a minaret in Afghanistan. Made from Redstone and white marble which gives it a very beautiful look from the outside.

It is interesting to note that various airplanes fly on top of the minaret giving you a comparison of the bygone era in the current modern world. As a photographer taking a picture of the minaret with an airplane is absolutely a good idea.

various airplanes fly on top of the minaret

This picture reminds us of coexistence of old vs new when a plane passes near this minaret. Don’t miss the Calligraphic carvings on the QUTAB MINAR and so much this city has to offer.

There is also a garden where people can relax and enjoy the breeze next to the ancient monument.

BEYOND QUTUB MINAR

There are options to explore further in the same complex. The confluence of history and religion is seen and that makes it interesting to visit.

Beyond the Minaret there’s a lot to see as well.

There is another important site to be seen that is the Iron Pillar or the Ashok Pillar in the same compound. The pillar is very famous because it is also having a historical description dating back much beyond the Mughal Era with various legends and theories attached to it. The pillar is a Marvel in itself because despite being made from Iron, this pillar has not rusted over time. This only reflects the kind of technology being used in ancient times.

The monuments and the remains in the Qutub Institutional area not only reflects the Mughal dynasty but also the previous Rajput rulers from the Chauhan dynasty.

The entire area has a lot to explore.

Qutab area is kept very well as a Heritage site and is also linked to various other sites in the Delhi city which is called as ‘Mehrauli village archaeological site’ which can be explored further.

Must visit Surrounding Areas are as follows –

Alai Darwaza

Mosque of Quwwat Ul Islam

Tomb of Iltumish

Hindu Temple Pillars

Alai Mandir

Madarsa of Alauddin Khilji

I suggest visiting in the morning hours to avoid the crowd and see the best of the place and weather will be supporting as well.

I have a confession to make that, though I have lived in Delhi for many many years, I never bothered to visit this destination until now. After traveling around the world I realized the importance of historical monuments and started to explore it from the city I live in. I can not believe that all these years I did not visit the historical places in Delhi, even when they are truly awesome. Maximum people living in Delhi do not visit these places too. I guess, we never explore the city we live in so much.

There are many tourists who visit Delhi because it is the capital city of India. Also, it links to various prime tourist destinations which are nearby including the Taj Mahal or Pink City Jaipur.Delhi in itself has a lot to offer and many tourists explore it.

I only hope that local residents too, explore this city as much.

So next time don’t get lost in the shopping malls of Delhi, but spend the day exploring the historical monuments! 

24 thoughts on “Qutub Minar Complex – UNESCO World Heritage site 

  1. Helene

    Woah, cool architecture! It’s the first time I’ve seen a round minaret! Fascinating how detailed the carvings are… Great photos!

    • Travel Quartz Post author

      Thank you Helene, glad you liked the post. This place is magnificent and totally recommended in case you visit Delhi.

  2. Aditi

    Qutub Minar is a marvel! I love the way you captured the airplane speck in the background. Beautiful photos!

    • Travel Quartz Post author

      Glad you liked that picture Aditi, the planes kept passing over the minaret after few minutes actually. It was an interesting visit.

  3. Kimberly

    I’m a huge history buff so Delhi is definitely going on my list to visit.

    • Travel Quartz Post author

      Great to know that you will visit Delhi soon Kimberly , its starting point of many nearby famous locations too.

  4. lexieanimetravel

    I love reading history of landmarks and monuments, that’s why It always takes me hours just for visiting them. I admire the appearance of Minaret, knowing its made from redstone that’s so cool.

    • Travel Quartz Post author

      Thanks, Alexine, my next post on Jodhpur has some more red stone architecture I recently discovered visiting there. Its great that you read history before visiting these monuments, recently I have started doing the same too.

  5. Tyra

    I love visiting historical monuments and comparing it to modern architecture. Modern architecture fails to illustrate the culture of Delhi. Your photograph of the plane flying over the Minaret is similar to a photo I took in Shanghai, of the architecture in the Yu Garden and the Shanghai Tower being built in the background. It’s crazy to see the contrast between the two buildings.

    Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you continue to explore your city and give us more information! I enjoy reading your posts!

    • Travel Quartz Post author

      Thank you Tyra for the positive feedback, I am writing few more posts on Delhi and some cool destinations will be shared son. I have not visited Shanghai yet but now I am willing to see the tower there.

  6. Noel

    World Heritage sites are my second favorite destinations, nature parks being the first. I love your Pinterest ready image there with the plane.

    • Travel Quartz Post author

      Thanks for pinning the plane image! This place is a good option for photography. Nature Parks are also such an awesome options. Glad you like the world heritage sites as well. Delhi has two more of such sites the red fort and Humayun’s Tomb!

  7. DTG

    I love Delhi and cannot wait to visit again, thanks for sharing a great post on Qutub Minar Complex – bookmarked to visit when next in India.

    • Travel Quartz Post author

      Glad you have pinned onto this destination, early morning is the right time to visit to avoid the crowd and heat. Delhi is best if visited in winters.

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  9. Katie

    Wow this sounds like a fantastic complex that i would love to visit and explore!

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