| Iron pillar of Delhi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Qutb Minar complex, Delhi, India |
| Coordinates | 28°31′28.76″N 77°11′6.25″E / 28.5246556°N 77.1850694°E |
| Built | 5th century CE |
| Architect | Chandragupta II |
| Architectural style(s) | Hindu architecture |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv |
| Designated | 1993 (17th session) |
| Part of | Qutb Minar and its monuments |
| Region | India |
The iron pillar of Delhi is a structure 7.21 metres (23 feet 8 inches) high with a 41-centimetre (16 in) diameter that was constructed by Chandragupta II (reigned c. 375–415 CE), and now stands in the Qutb complex at Mehrauli in Delhi, India.[1][2]
It is mostly known for its unique rust-resistant composition, unprecedented in its time, a testament to the proficiency of ancient Indian metallurgy. The pillar weighs more than six tonnes and is thought to have been erected elsewhere, perhaps outside the Udayagiri Caves,[3] and moved to its present location by Anangpal Tomar in the 11th century.[4]
- ^ Finbarr Barry Flood, 2003, "Pillar, palimpsets, and princely practices", Res, Xliii, New York University, pp97.
- ^ "IIT team solves the pillar mystery". The Times of India. 2005.
- ^ R. Balasubramaniam 2005, p. 1.
- ^ Balasubramaniam, R. (2005). Story of the Delhi Iron Pillar. Foundation Books. ISBN 978-81-7596-278-1.