Hauzkhas

Hauz Khas Complex in South Delhi grew up around a large water tank originally excavated during the reign of Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316) to supply water to his fortified city of Siri, and known then as Hauz-i-Alai. In the 14th century, Firoz Shah Tughlaq re-excavated the silted-up tank, cleared its inlet channels, and added a madrasa (Islamic seminary), a mosque, tombs, and pavilions along its edges. Firoz Shah Tughlaq's own tomb, a domed sandstone structure, stands within the complex and remains its principal monument.

The L-shaped madrasa built by Firoz Shah Tughlaq functioned as an important centre of Islamic learning, with arcaded halls overlooking the reservoir on one side. A small mosque near the madrasa was used by scholars and students of the seminary. The complex has been under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India since it was formally declared a protected monument in 1931, safeguarded under the Ancient Monuments Preservation framework.

Today the complex sits at the heart of Hauz Khas Village, surrounded by the Deer Park and a mix of galleries, cafes and boutiques, making it one of Delhi's more atmospheric heritage precincts where medieval structures and the reservoir coexist with the modern city around them.