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Qutb Minar  Qutb-Minar in red and buff standstone is the highest tower in India. It has a diameter of 14.32 m at the base and about 2.75 m on the top with a height of 72.5 m. Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, laid the foundation of Minar in AD 1199 for the use of the muazzin (crier) to give calls for prayer. But could only finish the basement. His successor and son-in-law, Shamsud-Din Iltutmish (AD 1211-36), added three more storeys, and in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and the last storey. Architecture and Features: It is the tallest masonry tower in India, standing at 72.5 meters (237.8 feet) high. It's a five-story tower with a tapering structure, having a diameter of 14.32 m at the base and 2.75 m at the top. The tower is primarily built of red and buff sandstone, with alternating angular and rounded flutings. The lower three stories are made of red sandstone, while the upper stories are a combination of sandstone and marble. Each story is encircled by a projecting balcony supported by stone brackets with a honeycomb design. It features intricate carvings, designs, and inscriptions in Arabic and Nagari characters. It is part of the larger Qutub Complex, which includes other structures like the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque and the Alai Darwaza. Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, to the north-east of minar was built by Qutbud-Din Aibak in AD 1198. The tomb of Iltutmish (AD 1211-36) was built in AD 1235. Alai Minar which stands to the north of Qutb-Minar, was commenced by Alaud-Din Khalji, with the intention of making it twice the size of earlier Minar. He could complete only the first storey which now has an extant height of 25 m. The other remains in the Qutb complex comprise madrasa, graves, tombs, mosque and architectural members. It can be compared to the 62-metre all-brick Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan of 1190, which was constructed a decade or so before the probable start of the Delhi tower. Chand Minar built in 1445 in Daulatabad, Maharashtra was inspired from Qutub Minar. Opening Hours: Open from Sunrise to 08:00pm Entry Fee: (Free entry:)Children below 15 years Entry Fee: (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar) - Rs.50 per head (Cash Payment). Rs.35/- (Online Payment) Other Foreign Visitor: Indian Rs. 600/- per head (Cash Payment) Rs. 550/-(Online Payment) |