Qutub Minar, the great minaret of India
There are many assumptions and hypotheses regarding the construction of the mosque. According to one of them, Qutb ad-Din began to build the tower. The henchman of Sultan Mohammed Ghurid was a slave by origin, bought in Central Asia. But with his pious behavior and kind attitude towards his comrades, he earned the favor of the Sultan. As a reward, Muhammad appointed Qutb-ud-Din as governor of the conquered Indian territories. Being impressed by the Afghan, Qutb-ad-Din decided to build a minaret not only in no way inferior to him, but even surpassing him in beauty.
The foundation of the future tower was laid in 1193, but then construction stalled. Later, already during the reign of Shamsuddin Iltutmysh, the heir of Qutb-ad-Din, three tiers of the tower were erected. And only under Emperor Firuzshah Tughlak in 1368 the last fifth tier was completed. Now the height of the minaret is seventy-two and a half meters, and 379 steps lead to the top of the building.
Looking at the tower from the bottom up, you can see how the architectural style of that time developed and changed. The Qutub Minar minaret was built on the territory of the most ancient Indian mosque, Kuvwat-ul-Islam, which in translation meant “the power of Islam”. Prior to that, there were several Hindu places of worship, including the temple of the god Vishnu, created in 1143 by Prithviraja Chauhan. Some walls of Hindu temples have survived to this day and peacefully coexist with the minaret.
The tower is built of red sandstone, and white marble was used over the third tier during construction. The tower was once crowned with a dome, but during the earthquake of 1803 it collapsed. They did not begin to restore it, and its remains remained lying not far from the minaret.
The diameter of the base of the tower is 14.3 meters. With each tier, the tower narrows more and more, and on the fifth tier the diameter of the floor is only 2.7 meters. The walls of the tower are painted with intricate carvings, among which there are sayings from the Koran.
However, during the construction of such a high minaret, perhaps the main feature of such buildings was lost. As you know, the minaret serves as a place from which the muezzin’s calls to prayer are heard several times a day. However, the tower turned out to be so high that the muezzin’s cry was almost inaudible from it.
Architectural ensemble Qutub Minar
It is worth noting that in addition to the tower, there is another, no less interesting attraction - a small iron column, which is installed not far from the minaret. The height of this seemingly simple structure is only 7.2 meters, and its weight is about 6 tons.
If you believe the chronicles, the column was cast in 895 BC. The question arises: how could the column remain intact to this day and not rust?! Thanks to a series of tests, it was possible to establish that the chemical composition of the column is almost 100% pure iron.
It still remains a mystery how it was possible to obtain a similar composition of iron by smelting, since at that time this procedure was technically impossible! There are rumors that the material for smelting was a meteorite that fell to Earth almost three thousand years ago.
When in 1739 the Persian Emperor Nadir Shah wanted to take the iron pillar to his homeland, he was unable to pull the column out of the ground. In desperation, Nadir Shah ordered cannonballs to be fired at it, which left only minor marks on the surface.
It is believed that if you hug the column and make a wish, it will certainly come true. The belief in such a mystical power of the column is so great that the administration of the minaret decided to fence the column for its better preservation.
In 1311, Sultan Alauddin Khilji added a magnificent gate to the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, called Alai Darwaza, or the Gate of Allah. Decorated with fine marble carvings, the gate arch (height 18.3 m) is shaped like a curved horseshoe. Alai Darwaza is considered one of the most remarkable examples of Indo-Muslim architectural synthesis.
A little below the level of the gate, made of sandstone and white marble, a small, square in projection tomb of Imam Zamin, the main cleric of the Kuvvat-ul-Islam mosque, was built. Imam Zamin came to India from Turkestan during the time of Sikander Lodi and was a highly respected person among Indian Muslims.
On the opposite side of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, opposite Alai Darwaza, rises a curious structure, reminiscent in shape of the base of the Qutb Minar. This is Alai Minar. Alauddin Khilji, being an extremely vain man, decided to surpass his predecessors and build a tower that would be more than twice the height of Qutub Minar (183 m). Construction of the Alai Minar began in 1311, but the walls were raised only 15 m. With the death of Alauddin in 1315, work stopped and the tower remained unfinished. The entrance to it is located on the east side. The presence of a platform under the minaret also fully meets the requirements of Muslim architecture. 
The tomb of Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmysh is also of interest as an architectural monument. The mausoleum was built in 1235 by the daughter of the Sultan, Razia Begam, who herself ruled in Delhi in 1236-1240. The tomb is considered one of the oldest Muslim tombs in India. The marble carvings, strict ornaments and sayings from the Koran are still well preserved. A dome of impressive size once rose above the white marble tombstone.
Today, a fence has been built around the Qutub Minar tower, and in order to get into the territory to get acquainted with this tower, you need to purchase a ticket.
The Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world. The height of the tower reaches 72.5 meters, and 379 steps lead to the top of the structure. The minaret is located in the city of Delhi, India. The tower is considered a world heritage site and is protected by UNESCO.
The construction of the tower was started by the first Muslim ruler of India, Qutbuddin Aibak. He was impressed by the Afghan Jam minaret and decided to build a minaret that was in no way inferior to it and even surpassed it in beauty.
The foundation of the future tower was laid in 1193, but then construction stalled. Later, during the reign of Iltutmish (the heir of Qutbuddin), three tiers of the tower were erected. And only in 1368 the last fifth tier was completed.
Looking at the tower from the bottom up, you can trace how the architectural style of that time developed and changed.
The Qutub Minar was built on the territory of the oldest Indian mosque, Quwwat-ul-Islam, which translated meant “the power of Islam.” Before this, there were several Hindu places of worship, including the temple of the god Vishnu. Some walls of Hindu temples have survived to this day and peacefully coexist with the minaret.
The tower is built of red sandstone, and white marble was used over the third tier during construction. The tower was once crowned with a dome, but during the earthquake of 1803 it collapsed. They did not begin to restore it, and its remains remained lying not far from the minaret.
The diameter of the base of the tower is 14.3 meters. With each tier, the tower narrows more and more, and on the fifth tier the diameter of the floor is only 2.7 meters. The walls of the tower are painted with intricate carvings, among which there are sayings from the Koran.
Having built such a high minaret, perhaps the main feature of such buildings was lost. As you know, the minaret serves as a place from which the muezzin’s calls to prayer are heard several times a day. However, the tower turned out to be so high that the muezzin’s cry was almost inaudible from it.
It is worth noting that in addition to the tower, there is another, no less interesting attraction - a small iron column, which is installed not far from the minaret. The height of this seemingly simple structure is only 7.2 meters, and its weight is about 6 tons.
If you believe the chronicles, the column was cast in 895 BC. The question arises: how could the column remain intact to this day and not rust?! Thanks to a series of tests, it was possible to establish that the chemical composition of the column is almost 100% pure iron.
It still remains a mystery how it was possible to obtain a similar composition of iron by smelting, since at that time this procedure was technically impossible! There are rumors that the material for smelting was a meteorite that fell to Earth almost three thousand years ago.
It is believed that if you hug the column and make a wish, it will certainly come true. The belief in such a mystical power of the column is so great that the administration of the minaret decided to fence the column for its better preservation.
In order to enter the minaret territory, foreign citizens (tourists) will have to pay $5. Photo and video shooting is not prohibited.
Many of India's majestic landmarks, like the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, are located in the old part of New Delhi. But perhaps the highest is Qutub Minar. This tower symbolizes the victory of Islam, and in the Middle Ages it was considered one of the wonders of the world. Qutub Minar is called not only the minaret itself, but also the complex of buildings of which it is the central link.
Construction of a tower in honor of the victory of Islam
There are many assumptions and hypotheses regarding the construction of the mosque. According to one of them, Qutb ad-din began to build the tower. The protege of Sultan Muhammad Ghurid was a slave by origin, bought in Central Asia. But with his pious behavior and kind attitude towards his comrades, he earned the favor of the Sultan. As a reward, Muhammad appointed Qutub ad-din governor of the conquered Indian territories.
Construction of the tower began in 1199. The height of the minaret is seventy-two and a half meters, the diameter of the base is more than fourteen meters, the diameter of the top is about three meters. The tower received its modern appearance in 1369. During this period, the Qutub Minar was decorated with marble facing stones and had a dome on its top.
The minaret has steadfastly coped with all challenges throughout the centuries. It also managed to survive the devastating earthquake at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Only the dome was missing. Quotes in Hindi and Arabic are preserved on the tower. These are inscriptions from the Koran and glorifications of the sultans who ruled in Delhi.
Qutub Minar - the most amazing building
What is unique about this New Delhi landmark?
Firstly, it is the tallest minaret in the world.
Secondly, the cone-shaped five-tiered tower, made of red and yellow sandstone, looks graceful and light due to its fine carvings and elaborate marble decoration.
Thirdly, on the territory of the complex there is an Iron Column about seven meters high. It was cast in the fourth century using chemically pure iron. It still doesn't rust. Obtaining such material even under modern conditions seems problematic. How they managed to do this in the Middle Ages remains a mystery.
There is an old saying: if you stand with your back to a column and hug it, your most cherished wish will come true.
Alauddin Khilji decided to repeat the monumentality of Qutub Minar. But he only managed to install the first tier, the height of which is twenty-four and a half meters. The ruler died, and no one has decided to continue his work until now.
Tower of Qutb-Minar June 20th, 2013
“The tallest tower in India, the “seventh miracle of Hindustan,” once stood in the center of the city, which was in the 12th-13th centuries. Name Rai Pithora
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(The height of the tower is 72.55 m, the diameter at the base is 14.4 m, the diameter at the top is 2.44 m).
No one knows for sure who and when the construction of this majestic monument began. Its origins are lost in myths and legends. It is believed, however, that the first floor of the tower, also known as Vijay Stambh(Victory Column), was built by the Rajput prince Prithviraja Chauhan in 1191, ostensibly so that his beloved and extremely pious daughter Suraj Mukhi could climb the tower before eating and be inspired by the contemplation of the sacred Yamuna River. In 1199, the first floor was allegedly remodeled by the Muslim ruler Qutbuddin Aibek, after which it received a new name - Qutub Minar.
The Qutub Minar was built gradually. The descendants of Qutbuddin Aibek completed the second and third floors in 1210-1236, and the fourth and fifth were added to them under Emperor Firuzshah Tughlaq in 1370. The tower itself has many inscriptions telling about its construction, restoration and various alterations. The Qutub Minar was once crowned with a dome, which collapsed as a result of an earthquake in 1803. One European engineer tried to restore the dome, but the efforts were unsuccessful: the dome remained lying in the garden not far from the tower. As a result of earthquakes and rains, the tower tilted somewhat, however, according to devout Muslims, sayings from the Koran, carved on the outer surface in Arabic, gave it the strength to withstand the elements.
And today, more than eight centuries after its creation, after going through 156 steps (there are 379 in total in the tower), you can go upstairs, although only to the first balcony. The cruel canons of the Hindu religion, requiring widows to observe the custom of “sati” (self-immolation), as well as their exceptionally difficult position in Hindu families, pushed many women to commit suicide, and all floors of the tower were closed to the general public, including the first.
Many scientists and architects are still arguing: should the Qutub Minar be classified as a monument of Hindu architecture or Muslim? The evidence for both points of view is very contradictory. The entrance to the tower faces north, while the entrances on all other floors face east.
The tower stands directly in the ground, and not on a platform, as Muslim monuments were most often built, and the bells carved in stone on the walls of the first floor are also a typical decorative element of Hindu architecture. Perhaps sayings from the Koran were carved on the walls of the tower later.
The creators of Qutub Minar, of course, were not only talented mathematicians - they also had a rare artistic taste. That is why, despite the difference in the decoration of the floors, the tower still amazes the imagination of everyone who comes to admire it.
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The Muslim conquerors of India did not carry architects and craftsmen in their convoys. Their first buildings in this country were erected by local Hindu architects, and therefore could not but bear the imprint and influence of Hindu architecture. This is how the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque (translated from Arabic as “the power of Islam”) was built - the first mosque on Indian soil. Where it now stands, there once stood a temple of the god Vishnu, created in 1143 by Prithviraj Chauhan.
The famous military leader of the Muslim ruler Muhammad Guri, Qutbuddin Aibek, having conquered Delhi in 1191, turned the temple of the god Vishnu into a mosque. History testifies that he threw out all the idols from the temple, smoothed out the stone carvings of the walls and built a mosque from the building material obtained as a result of the destruction of 27 Hindu and Jain temples (the height of its arches is up to 16.5 m, and the width of the walls is 7.7 m ). The walls and well-preserved stone columns with images of people and animals confirm scientists' assumptions about the origin of the mosque. Purely Muslim architecture is characterized only by strict geometric and floral patterns.
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The construction of the oldest mosque in Northern India, Quwwat-ul-Islam, began in 1192 and ended in 1198. This is evidenced by the numbers carved in stone at the central entrance, which is located on the eastern side. There is also an inscription on it, which calls upon the mercy of Allah to the creator of the mosque, Qutbuddin. Beautiful stone arches once separated the main prayer hall from the courtyard. The central arch, 16 m high, rising behind an iron column, still amazes today with its elegant marble and sandstone carvings, geometric patterns and suras from the Koran. Under Shamsuddin Iltutmish (1229) and Alauddin Khilji (1310), the mosque was significantly expanded.
In the courtyard there is a world-famous iron column, the origin of which is still not entirely clear. Historians claim that the column was cast in 895 BC. and that, according to the ancient Sanskrit inscription on it, even Raja Dhava, who ruled in Delhi at the beginning of the 9th century. BC, ordered his artisans to cast this iron pillar (height - 7.2 m, diameter at the base - 41.7 cm, at the top - 30.5 cm, weight - about 6 tons). Muslim chroniclers, in turn, argued that the column was brought by the conquerors from the Mohammedan countries located north of India.
The third version names Emperor Chandragupta II Vikramaditya as the creator of the column, because the inscription on the column contains the word “Chandra”. Particularly religious Hindus even try to prove that the pillar was cast during the Mahabharata, then transported to the ancient capital of India, Magadha (Bihar), and finally taken to Delhi and installed in a Vaishnava temple by the Rajput prince Anangpal, for his name is also carved on the surface columns. This discrepancy is explained by the fact that an accurate and completely reliable translation of the inscription on the column has not yet been obtained. But it undoubtedly testifies to the high skill of ancient Indian metallurgists, who may have mastered the skills of powder metallurgy. Despite temperature fluctuations, high humidity and many centuries that have passed since its creation, the column has not undergone oxidation and does not even bear traces of rust. Chemical analysis of the metal showed that the pure iron in the column was 99.72%.
When in 1739 the Persian Emperor Nadir Shah wanted to take the iron pillar to his homeland, he was unable to pull the column out of the ground. In desperation, Nadir Shah ordered cannonballs to be fired at it, which left only minor marks on the surface.
There is a belief that if someone manages to clasp a pole with his hands while standing with his back to it, he is guaranteed happiness for the rest of his life. Therefore, the metal at this level is thoroughly polished by visitors to Qutub Minar.
In 1311, Alauddin Khilji added a magnificent gate to the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, called Alai Darwaza, or the Gate of Allah. Decorated with fine marble carvings, the gate arch (height 18.3 m) is shaped like a curved horseshoe. Alai Darwaza is considered one of the most remarkable examples of Indo-Muslim architectural synthesis.
A little below the level of the gate, made of sandstone and white marble, a small, square in projection tomb of Imam Zamin, the main cleric of the Kuvvat-ul-Islam mosque, was built. Imam Zamin came to India from Turkestan during the time of Sikander Lodi and was a highly respected person among Indian Muslims.
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On the opposite side of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, opposite Alai Darwaza, rises a curious structure, reminiscent in shape of the base of the Qutub Minar. This is Alai Minar. Alauddin Khilji, being an extremely vain man, decided to surpass his predecessors and build a tower that would be more than twice the height of Qutub Minar (183 m). Construction of the Alai Minar began in 1311, but the walls were raised only 15 m. With the death of Alauddin in 1315, work stopped and the tower remained unfinished. The entrance to it is located on the east side. The presence of a platform under the minaret also fully meets the requirements of Muslim architecture.
The tomb of Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmysh is also of interest as an architectural monument. The mausoleum was built in 1235 by the daughter of the Sultan, Razia Begam, who herself ruled in Delhi in 1236-1240. The tomb is considered one of the oldest Muslim tombs in India. The marble carvings, strict ornaments and sayings from the Koran are still well preserved. A dome of impressive size once rose above the white marble tombstone.
Built in 1317, the mausoleum of Alauddin Khilji stands directly opposite the tomb of Iltutmish. Once upon a time, next to the mausoleum there was a Muslim school (madrasah) and a small mosque.
According to legends, quite often the Qutub Minar tower had a difficult mission - to become an instrument for settling scores with life. As a rule, the wives of the sultans did this.
The very name of this famous tower is interpreted in different ways. One group of scientists believes that the name of this tower comes from the name of the first of the Turkic sultans, Qutbuddin Aibak. The second suggests that it received this name because of the name of a saint from Baghdad, who at the time of construction moved to Delhi and enjoyed the special favor of Akbar. His name was Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.
Today, a fence has been built around the tower, and to get into the territory to explore this attraction you need to purchase a ticket.
Entrance to the territory of the Qutub Minar complex for foreign citizens costs $5; photography and video recording are allowed without restrictions.
In 1993, the Qutub Minar was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Minaret Qutub Minar- the tallest minaret in the world (its height is almost 73 meters), which practically reaches the heavens. Qutub Minar is the pride of not only the beautiful city, but of the whole. Qutub Minar (also called Qutub Minar or Katab Minar) was built by Qutb ad-Din Aibak and was intended as a triumphal tower and minaret-mosque (from its height the inhabitants were called to prayer). It is curious that Qutb ad-Din Aibak just began construction, and the minaret was completed by his descendant, Iltutmish. Qutub Minar in Delhi is built from large red sand blocks. The diameter of the minaret is more than 14 meters at the base and almost 3 meters at the top. The influence of the Afghan style is clearly visible in the architecture of Qutub Minar. The structure is dominated by typical horizontal projections and cylindrical columns.
Qutub Minar - video
The Qutub Minar is surrounded by legends. One of them says that the minaret was built by Prithviraj Chauhan, the last ruler of Delhi from the Chauhan dynasty. The minaret was intended so that the imperial daughter could contemplate the sacred river Jamna. There is another belief that the Qutab Minar was built from the remains of 27 ancient Jain palaces that were destroyed during the invasions.
Each ruler left his mark on Qutub Minar. They can easily be distinguished among the unique architectural elements of the minaret design. According to inscriptions in Persian, the minaret was struck by lightning twice in the 14th century. The first time this happened was under Muhammad Tughlaq. Later the minaret was restored. The second time this happened under Firuz Shah Tughlaq.
One of the attractions of Qutub Minar is, located nearby, black iron pillar. The inscription says that the iron column was originally part of the Vishnu temple complex on the famous Vishnupada hill and is dedicated to the memory of the ruler Chandragupta II of the Gupta dynasty and the god Vishnu. It is obvious that the column was brought from somewhere, since nothing speaks of its construction. There is a belief that the column was brought by the ruler of the Tomarov clan. It is also believed that it was he who founded Delhi.
To the north of the Qutub Minar there is a massive base unfinished Ala-i-Minara tower, 25 meters high. The construction was started by Alauddin Khilji, who dreamed of building a minaret higher than the Qutub Minar, but could not complete even the first floor. Alauddin Khilji died, leaving behind an unfinished tower.
Qutub Minar - operating hours, ticket prices
You can visit Qutub Minar daily from 12:00 to 00:00.
The ticket costs approximately $5.
Qutub Minar is one of the most important monuments in India. Therefore, to learn more about the minaret, all visitors are offered an audio guide.
Qutub Minar - how to get there
You can get to Qutub Minar either by rickshaw or by taxi. And if you went to Qutub Minar by bus, then you need to go to the Qutub Minar or Saket stop.
