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Old Fort

The Old Fort or Purana Qila represents the glory and wars of ancient India. It also signifies the beauty of Mughal art. It is said that the place where Old Fort stands today is the place where Pandavas built the Indraprastha about 5000 years ago. However, the site was rebuilt by Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri. Construction of this monument began in the year 1538 and continued up till 1545, when it was completed by Humayun. This fort was originally placed across Yamuna River before the river changed its course to divert away from the qila.

Architecture of Purana Qila

Old Fort or the Purana Qila is known to be an oldest fort of India. The walls of this monument are known to have a height of 18 m and it is spread over an area of 1.5 km. This monument features three main entrances—first is the Bada Darwaza that faces towards the west side and this is the one that is used as an entrance to fort. The other entrance is the South gate and this is also referred as the Humayun gate. The third one is known to be the Talaqi Gate, which is the forbidden gate. All the 3 gates are known to have double storey structures that are constructed with the help of sandstone. The structures are surrounded with 2 huge semicircular towers, further decorated with blue tile work and colored marble add-ons. Towards the northern and the southern gates of the monument, you can find amazing chattris, balcony and pavilions and this has added to the richness of this fort.

Attractions

The other attractions that can be found around the fort site mainly include Sher Mandal, Qila-I-Kuhna Masjid and a small museum. Sher Mandal is an observatory in an Octagonal shape. The structure of this building indicates that it was built for entertainment purposes and the monument reflects a rich blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture. Humayun used the Old Fort as a library. Qila-I-Kuhna Masjid was known to be built by Sher Shah after capturing the Old Fort and after the defeat of Humayun in the year 1541. The prayer hall here is impressive as it features five doorways that are in the shape of horse shoe arches. Originally, this fort was meant to be done with marbles. However, this could not be achieved due to shortage of raw stone. Instead, a combination of sandstone and marble was used to give the qila a different style. The museum towards the gate of Purana Qila is featured with numerous artifacts that record the beginning and also the end of the Mughal reign.

Best Time to Visit

You can visit this place anytime between 5.30 AM to 7 PM. As the time from October to March is pleasant to visit Delhi, it is a good time to visit Old Fort.

Tourist Information

The Old Fort stays closed on Mondays

How to Reach

By Air

Being the capital of India, Delhi is well-connected to all parts of India as well as international cities via domestic and international flights. Most of the airlines are known to operate from Indira Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi and even the Domestic Airport connects from Delhi to various other major cities in India.

By Train

There are three main railway stations in Delhi-- Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, Old Delhi Railway Station and New Delhi Railway Station. They connect the city to all parts of India.

By Road

Delhi is well-connected with many roads and national highways to all major cities of the country. The important bus stands here are the Anand Vihar Bus Terminus, Sarai Kale-Khan Bus Terminus and Inter State Bus Terminus. You can easily avail the services of Government or private buses.

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