Attraction
Red Fort
Shah Jahan's red sandstone citadel, completed in 1648, with audience halls, palace pavilions, gardens and several museums inside a UNESCO-listed complex in Old Delhi.
Purana Qila
Delhi's 16th-century 'Old Fort', linked to Humayun and Sher Shah Suri, with a fine early mosque, the Sher Mandal tower and excavations reaching back to around 1000 BC.
At a glance
- Type
- 16th-century fort
- Area
- Pragati Maidan, Delhi, India
Good to know
- Archaeological museum
- Sound and light show
- Lake outside the walls
Why we recommend it
Purana Qila, the Old Fort, is one of the oldest forts in Delhi and an easy, rewarding visit between India Gate and Humayun's Tomb. Its construction is dated to around 1538, when the emperor Humayun founded a new city called Dinpanah on this site. After Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun, he strengthened the fortifications and developed the citadel as Shergarh, and historians still debate which ruler built which parts. Humayun later recaptured Delhi, and the fort is closely tied to his story.
The massive walls are pierced by three gates. The Bara Darwaza, or Big Gate, faces west and is the one visitors use today. Humayun Gate is on the south side and the Talaqi Gate, on the north, is often called the forbidden gate. Inside, much of the area is open lawn with scattered ruins and paths, which makes it a pleasant place to wander.
Two buildings stand out. The Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque, built by Sher Shah in 1541 as a Friday mosque, is the best-preserved structure in the fort, with five arched doorways and a single dome. Nearby is the Sher Mandal, an octagonal tower used as an observatory and library. In January 1556 Humayun fell from its second floor and died two days later, an episode that gives the small building a particular weight.
The site has a much longer past than its walls suggest. Excavations led by B. B. Lal of the Archaeological Survey of India from the 1950s to the 1970s, and further digs in 2013 to 2014 and 2017 to 2018, uncovered layers going back to Painted Grey Ware pottery of about 1000 BC. The 19th-century archaeologist Alexander Cunningham identified the area with Indraprastha, the city of the Mahabharata. Finds are shown in the Archaeological Museum within the fort.
After sunset a sound and light show about the Seven Cities of Delhi is staged at the fort; check the current schedule and language of each performance before you go. Allow one to one and a half hours for the fort and museum. Paths are mostly level but sometimes uneven, and there is little shade at midday.
The fort stands on Mathura Road beside Pragati Maidan, opposite the Dhyanchand National Stadium, with a lake below its walls. Humayun's Tomb and Nizamuddin lie a short drive south and India Gate a short drive west, so it fits well into a day of Mughal sights.
Purana Qila FAQs
When was Purana Qila built?
Its founding is dated to about 1538, when Humayun founded Dinpanah; Sher Shah Suri later strengthened it.
What is the best building inside?
The Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque, built by Sher Shah in 1541, is the best preserved, with five doorways and a single dome.
What is the Sher Mandal?
An octagonal tower used as an observatory and library, where Humayun fell in January 1556 and died two days later.
Which gate do visitors use?
The Bara Darwaza, the western gate, is the one in use today.
How old is the site?
Excavations have found Painted Grey Ware from about 1000 BC, and the site has been linked with Indraprastha.
Is there a museum?
Yes, the Archaeological Museum inside the fort displays finds from the excavations.
Is there a sound and light show?
Yes, a show on the Seven Cities of Delhi is held after sunset; check the current schedule.
How long should I allow?
About one to one and a half hours.
What is nearby?
Pragati Maidan is next door, Humayun's Tomb is a short drive south and India Gate a short drive west.