Old Delhi

The emperor's main residence. The octagonal Mussaman Burj tower looks out toward the Yamuna River and is where the Emperor used to appear before the public each morning.

Contained six apartments for emperor's harem. Now used as a museum of court textiles, carpets, weapons, etc.

The residence of the emperor's main wife.

To the left after the Chhatta Chowk, this is a reasonably well-presented museum on the history of independence activism in India, starting from the 1857 rebellion all the way to Mahatma Gandhi.

A fort built in 1546 by Salim Shah Suri, the son of Sher Shah Suri. At the time, the Mughal Empire had been temporarily overthrown, as Sher Shah Suri defeated Mughal emperor Humayun and established the rule of the Sur Empire rule in Delhi. The Surid dynasty continued until 1555, when Humayun regained control by defeating Sikandar Suri, the last ruler of the dynasty.

It was the seat of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) from 1866 till late 2009, when offices shifted to a new building at Minto Road. There used to be a clock tower near the town hall till the 1950s when it was demolished.

Fathepuri Masjid stands at the very western end of the Chandni Chowk. Fatehpuri Masjid was built in 1650 by Fatehpuri Begum, one of Emperor Shah Jahan's wives who was from Fatehpur Sikri. After the revolt of 1857, the Muslims were driven out of the city and the mosques became functionless. Several of them were auctioned out including the Fathepuri Masjid. Rai Lala Chunnamal purchased the mosque at a staggering sum of Rs. 19,000 Rai Lala Chunnamal, whose descendants still live in the Chunnamal haveli in Chandni Chowk, made a fortune during the revolt of 1857 by supplying provisions to the British. Strangely the mosque was not demolished and Rai Lala Chunnamal kept it under lock and key. During the first durbar of Delhi in 1877, the prohibition against Muslims entering (or living in) Delhi was lifted. The mosque was acquired by the British and made available to Muslims for prayers. Lala Chunnilal's family received an estate of four villages in exchange for the mosque. The mosque is built using red sandstone and has a fluted dome with mahapadma and kalash on the top. Flanked by minarets, the mosque has a traditional design with the prayer hall having seven-arched openings.

An important Sikh place of worship. Built on the spot where their ninth guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was beheaded on the orders of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The trunk of the tree beneath which the head of the Guru was severed and the well used by him for taking a bath during his prison term has been preserved in the shrine. The Sikh regiment of the Indian army salutes the Sis Ganj Gurudwara after saluting the president of India since 1979, the only instance of saluting twice in the Republic Day parade by a regiment of the Indian army. The Gurudwara came up in 1783. However, due to the volatile political climate in the coming century, the site alternated between being a mosque and a gurudwara. The dispute was finally settled in 1930 when the case was settled in favour of the Sikhs. The Sikhs celebrated their victory by adding gold gild to the domes. It is an oasis of calm in the chaos of Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk. You will need to cover your head (scarves provided for free) and stash your shoes in the shoe storage run by volunteers (also free).

An 18th-century mosque built by Mughal noble Roshan-ud-Daula, during the reign of emperor Muhammad Shah.

The largest mosque in India and a must-see while in Delhi. Beware of dishonest guides who will try to convince you that a tour guide is mandatory and is included in the ₹200 camera fee; they will give you an extremely hurried "tour" of the mosque and then demand a further payment of ₹200-300 for the tour. You can climb to the top of the minaret for ₹100 (locals maybe ₹20). The climb is steep, dark and somewhat claustrophobic, but you'll get great views over the complex and the city. You'll need to cover up your shoulders and legs (scarves and lungis available for rental - about ₹10), and take off your shoes (expect to tip the shoe minder, ₹5 is plenty, or carry your shoes with you in your own bag). Pictures should not be taken during prayer hours. If you're going to sit down don't look too comfortable. Certainly don't eat or become too engrossed in any reading material you may be carrying, the rule is that non-Muslims must make their visits brief and guards will usher along visitors who linger.

Raziya Sultana was the only women ruler of Delhi (Reign 1236 - 40). The grave of Razia is located at Mohalla Bulbuli Khana near Turkman Gate in Old Delhi. The tomb was built by Razia's half brother Bahram. The dome of the tomb has long collapsed. The tomb houses two graves exposed to the open sky. The said grave is said to be of Razia;s sister Shazia. Sadly the area round the grave is heavily encroached upon and is approachable by a narrow winding lane.

Feroz Shah Kotla is the fifth citadel of Delhi and was built by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1354. The previous citadels of Delhi were abandoned due to lack of water, so Feroz Shah Kotla was built right next to the Yamuna River. Today the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla lie nestled between the cricket stadium, of the same name, and the Ring Road. The ruins of the Feroze Shah Kotla are said to be the abode of friendly djinns (spirit) and every Thursday hordes of devotees, irrespective of religion, visit the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla with photocopies of letters, citing their problems. They stick the letters on different strategic spots of the citadel and offer prayers to the Djinns. Feroz Shah Kotla still houses several interesting ruins. Although minimalist in nature, they still reveal the former glory and splendor of the ancient citadel. The ruins of the citadel are scattered over a large area and consist of a handful of prominent structures like the Hawa Mahal, Jami Masjid and Circular Stepwell.

Hawa Mahal or Kushk-i-Shikar lies on the northern end of the citadel and is crowned with the Ashokan Pillar (Minar-e-Zarreen). It is built with a central solid core and vaulted cells around it. Stairs at the corners lead to the uppermost terrace where the Ashokan pillar is planted. The pillar was originally from Topar in Ambala. It was shifted to the present location by Feroz Shah Tughlaq. The pillar has inscription in the Prakrit language. Stairs lead to the very top of the stepped pyramid providing close views of the inscription of the pillar along with a bird's eye view of the entire complex and beyond.

The Jami Masjid, or the Main Mosque, lies just south of the Hawa Mahal. It is a gigantic mosque and approached by a long flight of stairs. During the time of construction it was the largest mosque of Delhi and was an inspiration for the Jama Masjid, the present largest Mosque in Delhi. The mosque is built of quartzite stone. It rests on a series of cells on the ground floor. Entrance is through a domed pavilion on the north, the pavilion in turn is approached by a long flight of steps. The roof of the mosque has long collapsed; apart from the side wall, a few pillars are all that is left of the grand prayer hall. Strangely the Jami Masjid is still an active mosque and attracts thousand of devotees during the time of Eid. Even on normal days large groups of local Muslims along with Muslim office staff from nearby offices drop in for there daily namaz.

Just in front of the step pyramid of Hawa Mahal lies the circular stepwell. Delhi has a number of stepwell but the one at Feroz Shah Kotla is unique as it is the only circular stepwell in Delhi. Sadly the stepwell is kept under lock and key and interiors are not accessible.

It is here in this gate that Major William Hodson shot dead the last Mughal ruler Bahadur Shah Zafar's sons Mirza Mughal and Mirza Khizr Sultan as well as grandson Mirza Abu Bakr after the defeat in Revolt of 1857. The gate served as an execution chamber under Sher Shah. The severed heads of those executed were put on display in this gate. Here Jahangir ordered the killing of two sons of Rahim Khan-I-Khana who was a Navaratna in Akbar's court. The gate was part of a defensive mechanism set up by Sher Shah and was known as Kabuli Gate, as it faced the city of Kabul now in Afghanistan. But because of its bloody incidence it came to be known as the Khooni Darwaza. The 15.5 meter double storied structure is made of Delhi quartzite stone and is topped with battlements. The windows and the archways have red sandstone ornamentation. There are three different sets of stairways leading to different levels of the gateway, but these are kept under lock & key.

An open-air museum with a vast collection of sculptures of famous personalities in Indian history, including freedom fighters, soldiers, thinkers, monarchs, and even rishis (Hindu sages) and deities. The sculptures range from bas-reliefs and busts to full statues.

The memorial to Mahatma Gandhi at the site of his cremation. Check for closure dates/security checks around national holidays/Gandhi's death anniversary.

The memorial to Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

The memorial to Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India.

The memorial to Indira Gandhi, the third Prime Minister of India. The site is marked by a large monolithic rock of iron ore, symbolizing the epithet "Iron Lady of India". The rock was sourced from one of the Sundergarh mines of Odisha.

The memorial to Jagjivan Ram, the fourth Deputy Prime Minister of India.

The memorial to Charan Singh, the fifth Prime Minister of India.

The memorial to Rajiv Gandhi, the sixth Prime Minister of India.

The memorial to Devi Lal, the sixth Deputy Prime Minister of India.

The memorial to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the tenth Prime Minister of India.

A small complex with memorials of Zail Singh (seventh President), Shankar Dayal Sharma (ninth President), P.V. Narasimha Rao, (ninth Prime Minister), K.R. Narayanan (tenth President), Chandra Shekhar (eighth Prime Minister), Ramaswamy Venkataraman (seventh President), Inder Kumar Gujral (twelfth Prime Minister) and Pranab Mukherjee (thirteenth President).

The southern gate that now acts as the entrance to Old Delhi from New Delhi.

This gate is named after Sufi saint Hazrat Shah Turkman Bayabani, at the southern edge of Old Delhi. The tomb of the saint dates back to 1240 and predates the gate by over three centuries. It has a square plan with high arched openings.

The southwestern gate built in 1644 with high arched openings, and one of the battlefields of the 1857 rebellion. The road through this gate leads to Ajmer in Rajasthan, hence the name. A lovely park surrounds the gate.

The oldest school compound in Delhi, established in 1696 by Ghaziuddin Khan, a general of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. It was one of three major Islamic schools (or madrasas) during the reign of Aurangzeb's successor Bahadur Shah I, and was funded privately. In 1803, the British took control of Delhi from the Marathas, and they found that the school was in use as a Maratha stronghold near Ajmeri Gate. So, the British initially considered destroying it, but later decided to incorporate it as a bastion. The school compound was repaired in 1824, and a government oriental college named Delhi College was established in 1825. The college was relocated in 1849, and the present Anglo-Arabic School was established here in 1889. The school compound also contains a mosque, as well as the tomb of Ghaziuddin Khan, both examples of the late Mughal architecture in Delhi.

The Kashmir-facing gate, and a site of a fierce battle during the 1857 rebellion. A sandstone memorial plaque mentions the names of the British Army soldiers (British and Indians) who died at the Kashmere Gate area during the recapture of Delhi by the British. The architecture consists of two arched passageways. The passageways are separated by two recessed arch one below the other. Both sides of the passageways have similar recesses arches.

It is an Anglican church, built in 1836 by Colonel James Skinner. It is one of the oldest churches in the city. It was designed by Major Robert Smith. Construction started in 1826 and completed in 1936. The design follows the Renaissance Revival architectural style and the church is laid out on a cruciform plan. The church has three porticoed porches and is crowned with a central octagonal dome. The dome is topped with a copper ball topped with a cross. The interior of St James' Church are laid out with beautiful stained glass windows depicting the crucifixion, ascension of Christ and his resurrection. The church and the compound contains several graves.

Lothian Cemetery is southeast of St. James's Church and northwest of the Red Fort. It is the first Christian cemetery of Delhi. The cemetery operated between 1808 and 1867, and is now closed. It contains several graves of fallen British soldiers of the Revolt of 1857. The cemetery is said to be haunted.

A Hindu temple is the tomb of Naubat Khan. Naubat Khan was a mansabdar (state official) during the time of Akbar. He built it during his lifetime in 1565. The tomb stands almost midway between Purana Qila and the tomb of Nizamuddin Auliya. It is built in an enclosure of several acres. Though the walls of the tomb are not extant in its entirety, some portions of it can still be seen in the surrounding area. But the gateway is relatively in good shape. At the entrance of the tomb is written the inscription, the letters of the inscription are of black marble inlaid on sandstone.

The residence of the 19th-century Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib, now converted into a museum. It consists of artefacts related to the poet and his times, as well as his various hand-written poems besides his books. The museum also houses a life-size replica of the poet in a realistic setting with a hookah in his hand. Portraits of Ustaad Zauq, Abu Zafar, Momin, and other noted contemporaries of Ghalib can also be seen. The building itself is an example of Delhi's Mughal architecture.

The museum was first opened in Mumbai, shortly after Gandhi was assassinated in 1948. It was later moved to Raj Ghat in 1961. The library at the Gandhi Museum not only showcases Gandhi's work to the public but also serves as a place for general study. The books are divided into two sections, those written by or about Gandhi and books on other subject matters. The gallery has a large number of paintings and personal items of Gandhi. The most notable items in the collection are a Satyagraha woodcut, one of Gandhi's walking sticks, the shawl and dhoti worn by Gandhi when he was assassinated and one of the bullets that were used to kill Gandhi and his urn.

A museum dedicated to the people's history preceding and succeeding the Partition of India in 1947.

A museum of dolls from all over the country. You get to see the costumes and art from all over India, as well as some nice crafts.

The gurudwara is a tribute to Mata Sundri, the wife of the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708). The Guru was a warrior, poet and philosopher. The Gurdwara is built in brick and lime mortar. On the farther end of the hall is a marble-paved gallery. The carved wood beam of the gallery bears an inscription in Gurmukhi script in bold letters. There is a marble slab in the center which is surrounded by the inscribed sacred emblem of the Sikhs. It has a standard square-domed sanctum, arched copings and a traditional styled entrance.

The oldest Jain temple in Delhi, said to be built during the rule of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656. The temple compound also has a bird hospital, which treats about 15,000 birds a year. There is also a bookstore in the complex where a wide range of books on Jainism is available, apart from unique curios and souvenirs related to the religion. You should take off your shoes and all other leather goods and hand it to the concerned person before you enter the temple complex.

Built in 1862, by Anglican missionaries and Department of Public Works Engineers in the style of Italian Gothic architecture, highly influenced by the Romanesque style. Apart from its ornate walls and ceilings the Church has a unique feature which is the stained glass rose window which is exclusive in Delhi. The baroque styled church has arched windows which allow the sunlight to brighten the interiors. the interiors are well maintained with motifs, pictures, carvings and beautiful furniture. A series of fine plasters form arcade on either side lined with beautiful carvings columns made of sandstone.

An early British-era garden, later rededicated in memory of Gandhi.

Watch football at Ambedkar Stadium.

Watch cricket at Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium. Watch India play in One day or T20 international in the crowded stadium with a capacity of 41,820. Five day test cricket is another option with lesser crowd. Also watch the local club Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils) play the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The largest indoor sports arena in India and among the largest in Asia. It is regularly used by tennis club Indian Aces and DSA Senior Division Futsal League.