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The Heart of India

New Delhi architecture

New Delhi is India's capital and one of the world's most historically layered cities — it has served as the capital of at least seven successive empires and has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. The city is home to Humayun's Tomb, which directly inspired the design of the Taj Mahal. The Qutb Minar, a 72.5-metre minaret built in 1193, is the world's tallest brick minaret and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  • 5Landmarks
  • 1193Oldest · Qutb Minar
  • 72 mTallest · Qutb Minar
  • 5Architects

Before you go

  • Fly intoIndira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)

    Indira Gandhi International Airport, named after India's first female Prime Minister, is South Asia's busiest airport. Terminal 3, opened in 2010, is one of the world's largest airport terminals by area and can handle 34 million passengers annually. The Airport Metro Express connects the terminal to New Delhi Railway Station in under 20 minutes.

  • CurrencyIndian Rupee (₹)
  • LanguageHindi & English

    Hindi is India's official language and is the mother tongue of the majority of Delhi's population. English is co-official and widely used in government, education, and business. Delhi is a melting pot of India's many languages — you will also hear Punjabi, Urdu, and dozens of other regional tongues across the city's diverse neighborhoods.

  • Getting aroundDelhi Metro

    Delhi Metro is one of the world's largest metro networks with 12 color-coded lines covering over 390km. Its Airport Express Line reaches the international terminal in 18 minutes from New Delhi station. The metro transformed daily life in Delhi, moving millions away from the notorious traffic on its surface roads. The network is clean, air-conditioned, and operates from 5am to midnight daily.

5 landmarks in New Delhi

  1. Qutb Minar
    Photo: Wasir kasab, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Qutb Minar

    Mehrauli, New Delhi 110030

    The world's tallest brick minaret at 72.5 metres, built in 1193 by Qutb ud-Din Aibak to mark the beginning of Muslim rule in India. Its five tapering storeys of red sandstone and marble are covered in intricate Quranic calligraphy.

    Built
    1193
    Architect
    Qutb ud-Din Aibak
    Style
    Indo-Islamic
    Height
    72 m (238 ft)
    Stories
    5
    Today
    UNESCO World Heritage Site

  2. Humayun's Tomb

    Mathura Rd, Hazrat Nizamuddin, New Delhi

    The 1572 mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Humayun, widely considered the architectural precursor to the Taj Mahal. Its grand double dome of white marble set within a Persian-style char-bagh garden was the first of its scale in India.

    Built
    1572
    Architect
    Mirak Mirza Ghiyas
    Style
    Mughal
    Height
    42 m (139 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    UNESCO World Heritage Site & museum
  3. India Gate
    Photo: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    India Gate

    Kartavya Path, India Gate, New Delhi

    A 42-metre triumphal arch built in 1931 to commemorate the 84,000 Indian soldiers who died serving in the British Indian Army during World War I. It stands at the ceremonial end of Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath) and contains the Amar Jawan Jyoti eternal flame.

    Built
    1931
    Architect
    Edwin Lutyens
    Style
    Classicism
    Height
    42 m (138 ft)
    Stories
    1
    Today
    National war memorial
  4. Lotus Temple
    Photo: Vandelizer, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Lotus Temple

    Bahapur, Shambhu Dayal Bagh, Bahapur, New Delhi

    A Bahai House of Worship completed in 1986, shaped like a partially opened lotus flower composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad petals arranged in clusters of three. It is open to people of all religions and is one of the most visited buildings in the world.

    Built
    1986
    Architect
    Fariborz Sahba
    Style
    Expressionist modernism
    Height
    34 m (112 ft)
    Stories
    1
    Today
    Bahai house of worship
  5. Red Fort, Delhi
    Photo: PerSona77, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Red Fort, Delhi

    Netaji Subhash Marg, Lal Qila, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi

    The massive red sandstone citadel built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1638 and 1648, serving as the imperial palace for over 200 years. Its distinctive red walls enclose a complex of palaces, gardens, and audience halls that represent the zenith of Mughal architecture.

    Built
    1648
    Architect
    Ustad Ahmad Lahori
    Style
    Mughal
    Height
    33 m (108 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    UNESCO World Heritage Site & museum

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