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The Red Fort (Lal Quila) is one of Delhi's most renowned tourist attractions and is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Red Fort was erected in 1639 by Shah Jahan, the fifth Emperor of India's Mughal Dynasty when he transferred India's capital from Agra to Delhi. He built his palace, the Red Fort or Lal Qila, at the same time that the new city was being built. The construction of this huge walled castle with red sandstone walls took nearly a decade. It served as Shah Jahan's new residence as well as a defensive building. The red sandstone bricks that make up its defensive walls give it its name.
For 200 years, this fort was the headquarters of the Mughal empire, until it came into British hands. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor, was coronated here in 1837, and it is stated that his authority did not extend beyond the confines of his palace during that period.
The fort's massive red sandstone walls, which stand 75 feet (23 meters) high, enclose a complex of palaces and entertainment halls, projecting balconies, baths and indoor canals, geometrical gardens, and an ornate mosque, as well as a complex of palaces and entertainment halls, projecting balconies, baths and indoor canals, and geometrical gardens, as well as an ornate mosque. The Hall of Public Audience (Diwan-i-Am), which has 60 red sandstone pillars supporting a flat roof, and the Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas), which is smaller and has a white marble pavilion, are two of the most notable monuments in the complex.
Architecture
The Mughals introduced cultural intermingling to India, and the design of the Red Fort reflects this. It is the pinnacle of the Mughal architectural style, which dates back to the first Emperor and incorporates Persian, Timurid, and Hindu influences. During the festivities, musicians performed. The Diwan-i-Am is a vast hall with a façade of nine arches. The royal throne would be situated in an ornate alcove in this hall. Before being seized by the Persian Nadir Shah, the Diwan-i-Khas is claimed to have housed Shah Jahan's iconic peacock throne. The Rang Mahal (Painted Palace), the Mumtaz Mahal (which has now been turned into a Museum), the Khas Mahal (A private residence containing a chamber for telling beads or Tasbih Khana, a sleeping chamber or Khwabgah, a robing chamber or Tosh Khana), and the Hammam are all worth seeing at the Red Fort (the ornately decorated royal bathing area, located to the north of the Diwan-i-Khas). Mughal architecture is known for its exquisite gardens, such as the Red Fort's Hayat-Baksh-Bagh (life-giving garden) with its pavilions.
‘At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom…’ This momentous speech signaled India's independence from British control, while also establishing the Red Fort in Delhi as a politically significant landmark that today hosts annual independence day festivities. However, because Delhi was the capital city for most of the Mughal reign in India, the Red Fort has been a strategically significant structure throughout the years.
Today's Red Fort
The Red Fort is still one of Delhi's most popular tourist destinations, so get there early or risk being turned away. Protests may occur at the Red Fort and adjacent region, so keep an eye on the news. Before you may enter, you must first pass through security.
It takes many hours to stroll around the entire complex, which is a haven of (relative) quiet and serenity in the heart of Delhi. The gardens and step wells are enjoyable to explore, and the arcades, though not accessible, are in superb shape.
For the time being, the museums are closed for refurbishment.
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