Qutub Minar

Where it is & how to get there

• Metro: Qutub Minar station on the Yellow Line, then a short ride.
• Entrance: Main gate on Mehrauli Road.
• Inside: Climbing the minaret is not allowed.

The story of Qutub Minar

Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first Sultan of Delhi, began the minaret around 1199 to celebrate his victory; his successors added the upper storeys. It is decorated with carved bands of Quranic verses.

The complex also holds the ruins of the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, one of the earliest in India, and a 1,600-year-old iron pillar that has hardly rusted. UNESCO listed the site in 1993.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• It is lit up beautifully in the evening.
• Look closely at the calligraphy on each storey.
• Explore Mehrauli Archaeological Park nearby.

What's around Qutub Minar

• Iron PillarInside the complex.
• Alai DarwazaOrnate gateway from 1311.
• Mehrauli Archaeological ParkTombs and stepwells.
• Lotus Temple20 minutes by taxi.

Questions travellers ask