10 Unmissable places in and around New Delhi You Must Visit This Season

Delhi, the city that defines India, offers the perfect blend of the Country's modern and cultural

heritage. It is visited by millions of tourists from different parts of the world. Following are major

tourist attractions in Delhi -

• INDIA GATE 

India Gate, official name Delhi Memorial, originally called All-India War Memorial, is a monumental sandstone arch. It Was built by prominent war memorial architect Edwin Lutyens in 1921 in memory of 70,000 soldiers from the British Indian Army who lost their lives during World War 1914-1921. India Gate is located at the eastern end of the Rajpath (formerly called the Kingsway) and is about 138 feet high. An added memorial- Amar Jawan Jyoti was introduced in 1971 after the Indo-Pak war in the memory of the many deceased Indian soldiers. A flame burns day and night in remembrance of the lost lives.

It is open for tourists all day with no entry fees. There is a light show in India Gate from 7 PM to 9:30 PM and the timing for boating at the lakes adjacent to India Gate is between 02:00 PM to 09:30 PM.

• RED FORT

A Delhi Tour is synonymous with a trip to Red Fort, famously called Lal Kila of Delhi. Originally Red Fort was known as 'Qila-e-Mubarak. Red Fort was built by Shah Jahan in the year of 1639 when he decided to shift the capital of the Mughal Empire from Agra to Delhi. Comprising many buildings with intricate carvings, floral motifs, double domes and a majestic defence wall of around 2.5 km, Red fort is spread over an area of 255 acres. 

With an impressive structure of red sandstone and rich historical background and prominent national importance, Red Fort is a place which must be visited by all. Delhi Red Fort has been recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site too.

It is open on all days of the week except on Mondays. Timings are from 9.30 AM to 4.30 PM with an entry fee of Rs 35 for Indian citizens and Rs 500 for foreign tourists. There are light and sound shows every day from 7:30 to 10 PM.

• HUMAYUN'S TOMB

Also referred to as Maqbara-e-Humayun, Humayun's, tomb is an architectural masterpiece. The Mausoleum is basically a tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun which was built in the 1560s by Humayun's eldest wife Bega Today the tomb is a major attraction among the tourists visiting Delhi. Although the building of the  Tomb has cOmpIex structure, but it is the charm and

grandeur of this imposing structure that attracts thousands of travellers every year across the globe.

Humayun's tomb has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1993 which further adds to

the importance of this impressive structure of red sandstone. Humayun/s tomb is the first structure in India that was built in the Mughal style of architecture.

It is open on all days, Timings are from 6.00 AM to

6.00 PM with an entry fee of Rs 30 for Indian citizens and Rs 500 for foreign tourists.

• LODHI GARDEN

Lodhi Garden is an architectural delight gifted to the country by the Sayyid and Lodhi dynasties. The marvellous garden sprawls acrosS a large area of 90 acres and has beautiful monuments and tombs inside its premises. The most notable Qråctures of the Lodhi Garden are Mohammed Shah's tomb, twin of Bada Gumbad and Sheesh umbad and the walled complex of Sikander Lodi's tomb built in year1444. The Lodhi Garden New Deihil s popular hub for picnics, morning and evening strolls, photography and videography. Many Bollywood movies have been filmed here.

It is open on all days of the week. Timings are from 6.00 AM to 8.00 with no Entry fee.

• QUTUB MINAR

The tallest stone tower of India - Qutub Minar is one of the most visited spots in Delhi. Built in 1199 by Qutub-ud-Din, the Qutub Minar is the first Islamic structure built in India. The construction of this historical tower was commenced by Qutub-ud-Din-Aibak and completed by his successor and son in law Il tutmish. Rises to 72.5 metres in height, the Minar has 379 steps from its bottom to the top. Qutub Minar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by many other ancient historical monuments, collectively known as Qutub complex monuments.

The Qutub complex is also consisted of the mosque Quwwat ul-Islam (Light of Islam), which is considered to be the oldest mosques in the Northern India. Iron Pillar is also located in Qutub complex which is more than 2000 years old with a height of 7.2 meters, this pillar has been built with 98 percent of iron yet it hasn't rusted and still stand in robust condition.

It is open on all days. Timings are from 7.00 AM to 5.00 PM with Entry fee of Rs 30 for Indian citizens (free for below 15 years) and Rs 500 for foreign tourist.

• RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN

The Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India and is a rambling mansion with breath taking architecture. The Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed by British architect Edwin Lutyens and is a unique amalgamation of Mughal and European architecture, Construction was completed in 1929. 

The palatial building is spread across a 330 acre estate, where bnly 5 acre is the covered area. Formerly known as Viceroy's House, the Presidential residence comprises of 340 rooms, that include, president's official residence, offices, guest rooms and reception halls. The prestigious building also includes huge presidential gardens including the famous Mughal Garden, along with some large open spaces and residences of staff.

It is open weekly four days (Thursday to Sunday). Timings are from 9.00 AM to 4.00 PM with Entry fee of Rs 50.

• LOTUS TEMPLE

It is an architectural marvel that is famous for its notable lotus structure. Recognized for its unique building style, it is visited by visitors from all over the world. It is one of the seven major Bahai's temples in the world. Located to the eastern side of Nehru Place, Bahai Temple Delhi was built in 1986 by Fariborz Sahba- a Canadian architect. Also known as Bahai house of worship, this temple is open to people of all religions. 

Comprising 27 free-standing marble petals, Lotus Temple, Nehru Place has 9 doors, and it has the holding capacity of about 2,500 people at a time. Sprawling over 26 acres, it has been designed in a way that the structure needs no external lighting to light up the prayer hall.

 

It is open on all days of the week except Monday. Timings are from 9.00 AM to 7.00 PM with no Entry fee.

• JAMA MASJID

Jama Masjid is well-known and the largest mosque in India. Located across the road that runs from the Red Fort to the extreme of Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid is grand and popular for its impressive architecture. Jama Masjid was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1656 when he shifted his kingdom to Delhi and created Shahjahanabad, which is now referred to as Old Delhi.

In this new capital of the Mughal Empire, Jama Masjid was commissioned as the central mosque of the establishment. Jama Masjid Delhi is also known as the Masjid-i-Jahan-Numa, which means the mosque that reflects the world. It is built with red sandstone and marble. Consisting of 3 majestic gates, four towers and two minarets with a height of 40 meter, it faces west which is the direction of holy Mecca. The mosque can accommodate a total of 25,000 people at the same time.

It is open on all days of the week. Timings are from 7.00 AM to 12.00 PM with no Entry fee.

• AKSHARDHAM  TEMPLE

Akshardham Temple, also known as Swaminarayan Akshardham, stands firm on values and traditions of Hinduism. Along with its magnificent architecture, Akshardham Mandir also boasts large format film and multimedia fountain shows. Akshardham was built in 2005 with pink sandstone and marble. 

It stands majestically with a height of 141.3 feet and is spread with a width of 316 feet. There are around 20,000 idols related to Hinduism at the temple. The main statue of Swaminarayan is 11 foot long, and is placed under the central dome. 

It is open on all days of the week except Monday. Timings are from 9.30 AM to 8.00 PM for different events with fees ranging from Rs 40 to Rs 180 for exhibition/light and sound show/Musical Fountain show.

Delhi is a perfect representative of Secular, Beautiful India. Have an enjoyable Journey!