Background:
The Qutab Minar is the pride of
Delhi. This
located at a small village called Mehrauli in South Delhi. Started in 1192
by the slave king, Qutab-ud-Din Aibak, the tower was built in three stages.
Qutab-ud-Din completed the first storey while the other three were built by
Iltutmish in 1230. The Minar was damaged in 1322 and then repaired by
Mohammad Bin Tughlak and again in 1368 by Firoz Shah Tughlak.
Qutab Minar - Spearing its way into the sky
The word 'Qutab Minar' means 'axis minaret'. Qutab Minar with a height of
72.5m (239ft), is the highest stone tower in India and can be ascended by a
circular stairway for a view that is breathtaking. The monument tapers from
a 15-meter diameter base to just 2½ metres at the top. This majestic
tower in the capital city is a prime attraction for tourists world over. The
Qutab Minar, the first monument of Muslim rule in India, heralded the
beginning of a new style of art and architecture that came to be known as
the Indo-Islamic style.
The tower comprises of five different storeys, with a prominent balcony.
The first three storeys are made of red sandstone, the fourth and fifth of
marble and sandstone. The decoration of the Qutab Minar is consistently
Islamic in character from base to top.The Qutab Minar is covered with
intricate carvings and deeply inscribed verses from the Koran. Beautiful
calligraphy adorns the adjacent edifices. The minar has survived a series of
lightening bolts and earthquakes during the past centuries.
Hot spots at qutab complex:
India - Be in the Rendezvous land of color, culture and fauna
Qutub Minar is the tallest minaret in New Delhi. Thanks to the outstanding architecture of Qutub Minar, this monument of Mughal dynasty is one the famous tourist attractions of Delhi.
