Qutb Minar

Qutb Minar
Minar in Delhi, India
Map
Coordinates28°31′28″N 77°11′07″E / 28.524355°N 77.185248°E / 28.524355; 77.185248
Height72.5 metres (238 ft)
Architectural style(s)Islamic Architecture
TypeCultural
Criteria4
Designated1993 (17th session)
Reference no.233
Country India
ContinentAsia
ConstructionStarted in 1199 by Qutb ud-Din Aibak / completed in ~ 1220 by his son-in-law Iltutmish[1][2]

The Qutb Minar, also spelled Qutub Minar and Qutab Minar, is a minaret and "victory tower" that forms part of the Qutb complex, which lies at the site of Delhi's oldest fortified city, Lal Kot, founded by the Tomar Rajputs.[3] It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mehrauli area of South Delhi, India.[4][5] It was mostly built between 1199 and 1220, contains 399 steps, and is one of the most visited tourist spots in the city.[6][7][4] Qutab-ud-din Aibak initiated construction of the Qutub Minar, but only managed to finish the first level. His later rulers continued the construction, and in 1368, Firuz Shah Tughlaq rebuilt the top parts and added a cupola.[8]

It can be compared to the 62-metre all-brick Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan, of c. 1190, which was constructed a decade or so before the probable start of the Delhi tower.[9] The surfaces of both are elaborately decorated with inscriptions and geometric patterns. The Qutb Minar has a shaft that is fluted with "superb stalactite bracketing under the balconies" at the top of each stage.[10][11][12] In general, minarets were slow to be used in India and are often detached from the main mosque where they exist.[13]

In recent years, the Qutub Minar has been illuminated for special occasions involving international relations. In September 2023, the monument was lit up in the colors of the Mexican flag to celebrate Mexico's 213th Independence Day, an event that was acknowledged and appreciated by the Embassy of Mexico in India.[14] Similarly, on October 30, the Qutub Minar was illuminated with the Turkish flag to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, an occasion that received special attention from the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi.[15]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference qmd was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ History And Civics - Page 40. Pearson Education India. ISBN 9788131763193.
  3. ^ "Qutb Minar Complex and its Surroundings". World Monuments Fund.
  4. ^ a b "WHC list". who.unesco.org. 2009. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  5. ^ Singh (2010). Longman History & Civics ICSE 7. Pearson Education India. p. 42. ISBN 978-81-317-2887-1. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference World Heritage Monuments was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Sajnani, Manohar (2001). Encyclopaedia of Tourism Resources in India. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7835-017-2.
  9. ^ Also two huge minarets at Ghazni.
  10. ^ Ettinghausen, Grabar & Jenkins 2003, p. 164.
  11. ^ Harle 1994, p. 424.
  12. ^ Blair & Bloom 1996, p. 149.
  13. ^ Harle 1994, p. 429.
  14. ^ "Delhi: Qutub Minar illuminated in Mexican flag, pics go viral". IndiaTV News. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  15. ^ "Delhi: Qutub Minar illuminated in Turkish flag". ThePrint. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.