Qutb Minar

Delhi history · architecture · Islamic heritage

Built as victory tower. The Qutb Minar was started by Qutab-ud-din Aibak after he defeated Prithviraj Chauhan, the last Hindu ruler of Delhi, to mark the beginning of Islamic rule in the region.

Nearly 400 stairs inside. The tower contains 399 steps that spiral all the way up inside, so visitors can climb to the top and see the whole city spread out below them.

Built over centuries. Different rulers worked on the tower from 1199 to 1220, and later in 1368, Firuz Shah Tughlaq rebuilt the top parts and added a fancy dome called a cupola.

World Heritage treasure. The Qutb Minar is part of a larger complex in Mehrauli, South Delhi, and it's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site that thousands of people visit every year.