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The Qutb complex in Delhi contains buildings and monuments from the Delhi Sultanate era. Amongst these is the Qutub Minar, built as a victory tower by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who was once the Sultan of Delhi. The tower commemorates the victory of the Delhi Sultanate over the Hindu kings. Several monuments were added to the complex later by his successors and future rulers. Today, the complex is a popular tourist spot in the capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

1. Tallest brick minaret

Standing at 72.5 metres, the Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world. It has a base diameter of 14.3 metres which reduces to 2.7 metres at the peak. The Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan is the next tallest brick monument at 62 metres. Interestingly, the Qutub Minar is said to have been inspired by the Minaret of Jam.

2. No more climbing to the top

There are 379 steps that lead to the top of the Qutub Minar. It was once allowed for the public to climb the stairs and catch a glimpse of the city from the top. However, on December 4. 1981, a power failure caused a blackout at the staircase, leading to a stampede. Nearly 300 to 400 people were inside when the blackout happened and in the rush to the exit. 47 people, mostly school children, were killed. Ever since, no one has been allowed to climb the monument.

3. The oldest mosque

The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, which is part of the Qutb complex was commissioned by Qutb-ud-din-Aibak. It was the first mosque to be built in Delhi after the Islamic conquest of India. The mosque is one of the oldest mosques in the country and the oldest surviving example of Ghurid architecture in the Indian subcontinent.

4. Khilji's incomplete dream

Emperor Alauddin Khilji of the Khilji dynasty enlarged the Quwwat ul-Islam Mosque during his reign. Post this, he wished to build a minaret of his own called the Alai Minar. This was to be double the size of the Qutub Minar. The construction of this minar was however abandoned after his death in 1316, and the 24.5 metre high first storey core of the minar still stands among the ruins of the Qutb complex.

5. The iron pillar

The Iron Pillar of Delhi is part of the Quth complex. It was constructed by emperor Chandragupta II and was erected elsewhere before being moved to its present location. The pillar is famous for the rust-resistant composition of metals used in its construction. Till date, the pillar has not corroded.

 

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Built in the year 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Charminar is an iconic monument in Hyderabad, India. This square-shaped structure is built out of granite and lime mortar, predominantly in an Islamic-style design. However, influences of Hindu architecture can be noticed in the ornamentations.

1. What's in a name?

The Charminar takes its name from the four pillars/minars that are part of the monument. However, its relation to the number four goes beyond just the four pillars. There are four main arches in the monument and each of the main arches has four smaller arches on either side. Each of the pillars is also divided into four parts and the number of galleries found at each level is also four. Apart from these, one can spot many more connections to the number four, according to experts.

2. Commemorates the end of an epidemic

There exist several theories about the purpose of the construction of the Charminar. But the one widely accepted is that the monument was built to commemorate the eradication of plague in Hyderabad. Plague was a widespread disease in Hyderabad at that time. Another popular theory, according to the 17th Century French traveller Jean de Thevenot, is that the Charminar was built in 1591 to commemorate the beginning of the second Islamic millenium year.

3. The centrepiece

When Qutb Shah moved his capital from Golconda to Hyderabad, he planned for the Charminar to be the centre of the Old City of Hyderabad. The Old City was spread around the Charminar in four different quadrants that were segregated according to the established settlements. The modern city of Hyderabad has expanded since, but the Charminar remains the centrepiece of the once walled Old City.

4. A secret tunnel?

It is believed Qutb Shah had built a secret underground tunnel from the Charminar to the Golconda Fort, his former capital. He is said to have built this tunnel as an escape route in case of a siege. However, till date no one knows the location of this secret tunnel.

5. On the state emblem

The Charminar features in the emblem of the state of Telangana. The logo was designed by noted Telangana artist Laxman Aelay in four days and has been in use since June 2014.

 

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1. Built over a Pagan city

The Notre-Dame was built over the ruins of what was once the Gallo-Roman city of Lutetia. Before the cathedral was built there were four other churches that stood at the same place one after the other over centuries. And before the churches, there stood a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. In 1160, when the Bishop of Paris. Maurice de Sully decided to build the Notre-Dame, he called for the demolition of the earlier church and chose to reuse some of its material for the Notre-Dame.

2. When Victor Hugo saved the cathedral

The cathedral was in a degraded state since the French Revolution. Some of its statues had been destroyed, while most of its bells had been melted and used as cannon balls. Not much importance was given to the Notre-Dame until Napoleon decided to crown himself the Emperor of France in the cathedral.

In 1831, French writer Victor Hugo published his masterpiece The Hunchback of Notre Dame or Notre-Dame de Paris, which revolved around the cathedral and served as a tribute to the monument. The book became so popular that the public demanded restoration of the Notre-Dame, ultimately leading to massive renovations directed by French architect Viollet-le-Duc in the mid-19th century.

3. The Gargoyles are not so medieval

The famous Gargoyles that can be found around the cathedral are not from the medieval times, as many think. They were in fact added during the 19th Century restoration work by Viollet-le-Duc, inspired by the creatures that appear in Victor Hugo's book.

4. All roads lead to the Notre-Dame

On the square in front of the Notre-Dame, is a tiny plate engraved with a compass, embedded in the cobblestones. It is marked Point zero des routes de France or Point Zero of French Roads. This is the point from which all distances to and from Paris are measured.

5. Fire, destruction and restoration

On April 15, 2019, the roof of the Notre-Dame caught fire while undergoing renovation and restoration. The fire burned for around 15 hours and destroyed many parts of the cathedral. It also led to the contamination of the site and the surrounding environment. Following the fire, many companies and individuals made donations to restore the monument and on July 29, 2019, the French National Assembly passed a law stating that the restoration must preserve the cathedral's historic, artistic and architectural interest. In November 2020, the structure was stabilised to prevent any possible collapse and reconstruction of the cathedral commenced again in January 2021.

 

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1. Celebrating the millennium

The London Eye is also known as the Millennium Wheel. It was designed and built by London-based architects Julia Barfield and David Marks of Marks Barfield Architects. The duo came up with the design in response to a competition organised in 1993 by The Sunday Times and Great Britain's Architecture Foundation to build a new monument in London to commemorate the new millennium. Construction of the London Eye began in 1998 and the monument was formally inaugurated by then British Prime Minister Tony Blair on December 31, 1999. However, it did not open to the public until March 9, 2000 due to a technical snag.

2. Europe's tallest wheel

When it opened to the public in 2000, the London Eye was the tallest ferris wheel in the world with a height of 443 feet and a diameter of 394 feet. Today, it is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel (a cantilevered wheel is supported only on one side).

The Eye is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United Kingdom, drawing over three million visitors annually.

3. A slow ride

The Wheel rotates at a speed of 0.9 kmph, completing one full rotation in about 30 minutes. It does not usually stop to pick up passengers. The rotation is so slow that passengers can easily embark and disembark from the capsules. The Wheel does stop for differently abled and elderly passengers so that they can get on and off comfortably.

4. The story behind the 32 pods

The London Eye has a total of 32 air-conditioned pods, with each pod weighing about 10 tonnes and holding up to 25 people. Each of the pods represents one of London's 32 Boroughs and are numbered 1 to 33. Number 13 is excluded for superstitious reasons. On a clear day, passengers in the capsule can see up to 40 km in all directions from the London Eye.

5. A temporary attraction?

When it was constructed, the London Eye was intended to be a temporary attraction with a five-year lease. However, in December 2001, the operators submitted an application to the Lambeth Council (the local authority of the London Borough of Lambeth) to give the Eye a permanent status. The application was granted in 2002 and the London Eye lives on.

 

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Humayun's Tomb, situated in Delhi, is the grand mausoleum of the Mughal emperor Humayun. Built in 1570, Humayun's Tomb is situated in a complex spanning 27 hectares that also houses other monuments such as Nila Gumbad, Isa Khan's tomb, Bu Halima, Afsanwala tomb complex, Barber's Tomb, and the Arab Serai, the complex where the craftsmen employed in the construction of Humayun's Tomb stayed.

1. Commissioned by a queen

Humayun's Tomb was commissioned by his wife. Haji Begum post the Mughal emperor's demise. It is said she called for architects from Persia and asked them to build something spectacular that the world would remember. The tomb was designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas and his son, Sayyid Muhammad. Emperor Akbar, the son of Humayun, oversaw the entire project

2. The first garden tomb

The monument is the first garden tomb to be built in the Indian subcontinent. It is an example of the charbagh style, a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise represented by waterways. The main tomb is located in the centre of the charbagh. The four quadrants are further divided into smaller squares by pathways, leaving us with 36 squares in all. This 36-square design is typical of later Mughal gardens.

3. An unique combination

Humayun's Tomb is the first monument to use the unique combination of red sandstone and white marble. While the tomb is made of rubble masonry and red sandstone, white marble has been used as cladding material to provide a degree of thermal insulation and weather resistance. It has also been used for the flooring, door frames, lattice screens/jaalis (a screen made of perforated stone usually in an ornamental pattern), eaves and the main dome.

4. Dormitory of the Mughals

It might be called Humayun's Tomb, but the monument is often referred to as the 'dormitory of the Mughals', as over 150 graves of Mughal family members can be found buried in the cells of the garden-tomb. Since the graves are not scripted, it is difficult to know the names of the people buried there.

5. Inspiration for the Taj

 Humayun's Tomb was the first of the many dynastic mausoleums which became synonymous with Mughal architecture. It inspired several major architectural innovations by the Mughals and culminated with the construction of the Taj Mahal in Agra by Shah Jahan, who drew inspiration from the architecture and design of Humayun's Tomb.

 

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1. In memory of the martyrs

The India Gate was formerly called the All India War Memorial. This war memorial stands for nearly 70.000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died between 1914 and 1921 during the First World War and the Thing Afghan War. When the foundation stone of the memorial was laid in 1921 by Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught units of the Army from cross India had arrived to attend the event. Even though the foundation stone was laid in 1921, it took over a decade for the monument to be constructed

2. Lutyens' design

The war memorial was designed by Sir Elwin Landseer Lutyens, an English architect known for designing several war memorials in Europe. Lutyens was also the chief architect of present-day New Delhi. Lutyens designed the India Gate as a secular memorial, free of religious and culture specific iconography. The 42 metre-tall structure is often compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. The monument built using red Bharatpur stone, spans 30 feet and has India written on both sides at the top of the arch. One can find a shallow domed bowl at the top of the monument. This bowl was intended to be filled with burning oil on special occasions. However, it has rarely been used.

3. Inscriptions on the walls

The names of nearly 13,000 soldiers who perished during the wars are found inscribed on the walls of the India Gate. The list of names, along with the regiment they served and their date of death, can be found on the website of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the international organisation which maintains the martyrs list of World Wars, their monuments, and graves.

4. The eternal flame

At the base of the India Gate, one can find another memorial called the Amar Jawan Jyoti (Flame of the immortal soldier). This memorial was constructed after the Indo-Pak war of 1971 to commemorate the soldiers who lost their lives during the war. It was inaugurated on January 26, 1972 by then Prime Minister of India. Indira Gandhi. The monument, which stands on a marble pedestal has 'Amar Jawan inscribed on all four sides of the cenotaph atop which stands a rifle on its barrel with the helmet of an unknown soldier on top. Four urns can be found around the pedestal of which one holds a continuously bunting flame. DIA

5. Republic Day parade

Until 2020, each year on Republic Day, the Prime Minister and the President of India would visit the India Gate to pay tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti. After this, the parade would start from the Rashtrapati Bhavan and pass through the India Gate.

 

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