17 Impressive Qutub Minar Facts: Learn All About This Monument
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It was added to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1993.
This is the highest brick tower in India. It is one of the must-visit tourist attractions in New Delhi.
It is the first Indian monument to have an E-ticket facility. Qutub Minar is the world's tallest brick minaret with a height of 237.8 ft (72.5 m), 47.2 ft (14.3 m) base diameter, 8.8 ft (2.7 m) at the peak. It has five stories with projected balconies. There are 379 stairs inside Qutb Minar that lead to the top.
History of Qutub Minar
Qutub Minar was built on the demolished ruins of an ancient Hindu site. It is called the Tower of Victory, built by Qutub Ud-Din-Aibak, the first Islamic ruler of north India and the founder of the Delhi Sultanate.
It was built in the 12th century to mark the victory of the Delhi Sultanate over a rival kingdom, and it was constructed to mark the beginning of Muslim rule in India.
The making of the first story of Qutub Minar began under Qutub Ud-Din-Aibak around 1192. Iltutmish completed its construction in 1220 to three stories.
Lighting damaged it in 1326 and 1369. Firoz Shah Tughlaq replaced the damaged story. He further added one more story. Qutub-ud-din Aibak finished one story. Shams-ud-din Iltutmish built three more stories. Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and final story in the 14th century.
A stampede due to electricity failure occurred at Qutub Minar on December 4, 1981. The tower's staircase was plunged in darkness, and repeated shouts announced that the minaret was collapsing. People started fumbling inside the dark stone staircase, and in the melee, 45 people were crushed to death.
Architecture of Qutub Minar
The Minar is a wonderful symbol of Indo-Islamic Afghan architecture.
The main construction material is red and buff sandstone. The top floors are made up of white marble. Verses from the holy Quran are carved on it.
Each story has a balcony. Visitors were not allowed to climb up the tower after the accident in 1981. It is said that the Minar is not erect. It is a leaning tower due to past construction and deconstruction. The construction of the Minar was completed by three rulers of Delhi in three stages.
Ala'i Minar is an incomplete tower that is a solid stable of rubble. The tower was 88.5 ft (27 m) high at the time of Alaud-din khilji's death.
In AD 1311, the Alai Darwazawas built by Alaud din Khilji.
Iron Pillar of Delhi, the inscription of King Chandragupta II. The iron pillar weighs around 13227. 7 lb (6,000 kg). It is made up of 98% wrought iron and has been standing without being damaged by rust for over 2000 years.
Significance of Qutub Minar
Qutub Minar is well known for its strength and greatness that has helped it withstand numerous natural distasters without damage.
In 1368 A.D., a major lightning bolt struck the Qutub Minar for the first time. Tughlaq Sultan made the restoration and reconstruction.
When an earthquake disrupted the previous renovations in the 19th century, British officials like Lord Harding and Robert Smith took up the conservation work.
On the Minar, we can see various inscriptions which give us the details of several historical events and names. It also gives information from its initiation until the period it was repaired by Sikander Lodi.
Compared to a mosque, the cultural art forms of the Qutub Minar complex are mostly Islamic.
Visiting Qutub Minar
To know more about these historical monuments, one should visit the Qutub Minar complex, located in Mehrauli, in South Delhi. One can take a DTC bus to this monument from anywhere in Delhi NCR.
Delhi residents can take a metro, get down at Qutab Minar Metro Station, and hire an auto as the monument is a six-minute drive from the metro exit.
The Qutb Minar complex is open from sunrise until sunset. Ideally, the best time to visit the Minar is from November to March, with February being the ideal time. The complex gets crowded during the day, and especially on weekends.
The Qutub Minar is part of a Qutub complex incorporating several other related historical monuments, including a collection of tombs. The most significant of these is the Quwwat ul Islam mosque (the Might of Islam), considered the first surviving mosque and a seat of religious power in India.
Even though it is in ruins, its architecture is still magnificent, especially the Alai Darwaza.
The Iron Pillar is another enigmatic monument in the Qutub Minar complex. No one knows why it's there.
Hindu artisans have determined that it was constructed during the early period of the Gupta reign between the fourth and fifth centuries, based on its inscription.
It is thought to have been made for a king in honor of Hindu Lord Vishnu and was originally located at Vishnupadagiri (Udaygiri) in Madhya Pradesh. The unusual fact about the iron pillar is that it hasn't rusted due to the unique iron-making process of the ancient Indians.
The minor monuments in the Qutb complex are those of Ala-ud-din Khilji (regarded as the most powerful ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, who died in 1316), Shams ud-Din Iltutmish (who died in 1236), and Imam Zamin (an Islamic priest from Turkestan who died in 1539). The remains of a madrasa belonging to Ala-ud-din Khilji are also seen.
Another notable monument is the incomplete Alai Minar. Ala-ud-din Khilji wanted to build this tower to be twice the height of the Qutb Minar. However, work on the tower came to a halt after his death.
FAQs
Did Qutub Minar have seven floors?
Qutub Minar originally had five floors. Firoz Shah added a cupola, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1803.
Who destroyed the Qutub Minar?
It was destroyed due to lightning and earthquakes.
What are the unique features of Qutub Minar?
Its height, minor monuments, an iron pillar, and many more things make it unique.
What makes the Qutub Minar a unique structure of its kind?
It is the tallest minaret in the world, built of bricks.
Why was Qutub Minar named so?
People believe that it was named to honor Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of India, while others refute that and believe that it was named after Khwaja Qutb-ud-din Kaki, who was a saint from the city of Baghdad and whom Iltutmish highly revered.
What happened in Qutub Minar?
In 1505, an earthquake damaged Qutub Minar and Sikander Lodi repaired it. Another earthquake caused serious damage on September 1, 1803.
What is written on Qutub Minar?
Verses of the Quran are written on the Qutub Minar.
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