Delhi Forts and Palaces

The Red Fort was the palace for Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's new capital, Shahjahanabad, the seventh Muslim city in the Delhi site. He moved his capital from Agra in a move designed to bring prestige to his reign, and to provide ample opportunity to apply his ambitious building schemes and interests. The Red Fort stands at the eastern edge of Shahjahanabad, and gets its name from the massive wall of red sandstone that defines its four sides. The wall is 1.5 miles (2.5 km) long, and varies in height from 60ft (16m) on the river side to 110 ft (33 m) towards the city. Measurements have shown that the plan was generated using a square grid of 82 m.The Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Delhi, attracting millions of visitors every year. The fort is also the site from which the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on August 15, the day India achieved independence from the United Kingdom.At one point of time, more than 3000 people lived within the premises of the Delhi Fort complex. But after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the fort was captured by Britain and was made the headquarters of the British Indian Army. After India achieved independence in 1947, the Indian Army took control over the fort. In December 2003 the Indian Army handed the fort over to the Indian tourist authorities.

The Old Fort, also known as the Purana Qil'ah or Purana Killa in Hindi, is one of the most famous monuments in Delhi, India and is its oldest historical site. The fort was constructed in the 16th-century by the founder of the Sur Dynasty, Sher Shah Suri. The fort's unique Mughal-Hindu-Afghan architecture makes it a popular tourist destination in Delhi. However, in recent years, the fort has also attracted a lot of attention of archaeologists. Recent archaeological evidence suggests that the historic city of Indraprastha once stood where the Old Fort is today.The fort was built in the 16th-century by the Lion King, Sher Shah Suri. In 1539-40, Shah Suri defeated his arch-rival, Mughal emperor Humayun, in two consecutive battles and captured two Mughal strongholds: Delhi and Agra, bringing the Mughal Empire in India to a near end. Shah Suri constructed this enormous fort to defend his most prized possession, Delhi, from the Mughals. Though the fort did not see any major battle event, its very existence kept the Mughals away from invading Delhi until 1545 when Sher Shah Suri died. With the help of Persians, Humayun was able to re-capture Delhi and Agra

 

Rashtrapati  Bhavan (Hindi for 'President House / Presidential Palace') is the official residence of the President of India, located in New Delhi, Delhi, India. Until 1950 it was known as "Viceroy's House" and served as the residence of the Governor-General of India. It is at the heart of an area know as Lutyens' Delhi. The layout of the palace is designed around a massive square, although there are many courtyards and open inner areas within. There are separate wings for the Viceroy, and another wing for guests. The Viceroy’s wing is a separate four-storey house in itself, with its own court areas within. The wing was so large that the first president of India decided not to stay there, staying in the guest wing, a tradition which was followed by subsequent presidents. At the centre of the main part of the palace is Durbar’s Hall, or known as the Throne Room during British rule with thrones for the Viceroy and his wife, which is underneath the main dome. The interior of this room and almost all the rooms of the palace are bare, relying on the stonework and shapes to show an austerity rather than intricate decoration