Historical Monuments in Central Delhi - India Gate and Old Fort of Delhi

If you are planning to spend your vacation in India and you are interested in visiting the top historical monuments of India, I recommend you to travel to Delhi because Delhi is the heritage city of India and the best historical buildings of India are located in this city. Below I have mentioned two of them located in Central Delhi so you can gather some information about both these places and add them up in your list of places to visit in Delhi. Also check out interactive maps for both locations.

India Gate

India Gate is a historical monument located in the center of Delhi. It measures 42 meters in height. India Gate has been built as a war memorial for Indian soldiers who fought with the enemy until the end of their lives. India Gate was initially developed by Sir Edwin Lutyens of the British Indian Empire after the First World War for 90 thousands soldiers who lost their lives in that war. After India got independence, this site has become the place for Immortal Soldiers of India since 1971. The eternal fire (Amar Jawan Jyoti) rises directly from beneath the arch displaying courage and patriotism of Indian soldiers. India Gate is a beautiful and fascinating historical heritage of India.

Right along the India Gate, you can enjoy the lush green lawns, which include Children’s Park and Boat Club. The lush green parks surrounding India Gate are most attractive during the evening when people start visiting this place and children start playing in the parks. You can see lots of couples on boat rides at the Boat Club. You can also see some local vendors selling balloons, snacks like potato chips, fruitcakes, mineral water bottles, ice creams, small toys for kids, and many more things.

India Gate turns most beautiful at night when all the lights lit up. The entire monument looks attractive and beautiful at this time. Also, if you want to see the real crowd of delhites with lots of adults and kids having fun with their families, you should visit this place on a Sunday during evening time or at night because this is the best time to visit India Gate according to my experience in Delhi.

If you plan to visit India Gate in daytime for having fun, then I recommend you visit it in wintertime because Children's Park and Boat Club accompanied with green lawns of India Gate make it the best picnic spot in Delhi that can be visited in wintertime. In summertime, it is not recommended to visit this place because of the scorching heat of Delhi.

Old Fort (Purana Qila)

Old Fort is just 4 kilometers away from the Connaught Circus (Rajeev Chowk) to the Southeast of India Gate in Central Delhi. After a survey of Old Fort in 1955 done by Archaeological Survey of India, it was revealed that Old Fort is located on the historic pre-Indraprastha site of the epic Mahabharatha. Construction of Old Fort in Delhi was begun in 1530 by emperor Humayun, but he was unable to complete the task, as he was defeated by the Lion King (Sher Shah Suri) in 1541, therefore, construction of Old Fort was completed by Sher Shah Suri. It was his sixth city or qila as the Fort of Delhi called as Shergarh. Old Fort is walled with three main entrances. It is interesting to note that the famous Delhi Zoo or National Zoological Park of Delhi is located next to Old Fort’s southern entrance.

I hope this information will serve as your guide to visit famous historical landmarks in Delhi and also help you in creating the best itinerary of Delhi. In my upcoming hubs, I will provide some information on historical monuments in other parts of Delhi.