Red Fort

The Red Fort, or Lal Qila, was begun in 1639 and completed nine years later by Emperor Shah Jahan after he relocated the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi in 1638, founding the walled city of Shahjahanabad around it. The fort lies at the northern end of the old city on the right bank of the Yamuna, south of Salimgarh, and is laid out as an irregular octagon with two long sides facing east and west, entered through the Lahori Gate on the west and the Delhi Gate on the south. While the fort's outer walls and gates are built of red sandstone, marble was used extensively for the palace buildings within. Key structures include the Diwan-i-Am, or Hall of Public Audience, with its nine-arched facade and pietra dura inlay work; the Rang Mahal, or Painted Palace, with a water channel and marble basin; the Diwan-i-Khass, or Hall of Private Audience, which once housed the Peacock Throne; a marble hammam with hot and cold water facilities; the Moti Masjid, a pearl-white mosque added by Aurangzeb; and the Muthamman Burj, an octagonal tower used for royal appearances. The Red Fort Complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 and remains under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India. The grounds also house the Indian War Memorial Museum and the Delhi Fort Museum.

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