LeonorColangelo at 09:29, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T09:29:38Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2023}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2024}}
The '''architecture of Delhi''' dates back more than a thousand years. As the capital of several empires of India, including the [[Rajput kingdoms|Rajput kingdom]], [[Delhi Sultanate]], [[Mughal Empire]], and [[British Raj]], the city of Delhi has been a centre for art and architecture.

== Rajput Kingdom ==
<gallery widths="150" heights="150" class="center">
File:Agrasen ki Baoli 3.jpg|[[Agrasen ki Baoli]]
File:Outer Wall of Lal kot and Rai Pithora.jpg|[[Qila Rai Pithora]]
</gallery>The few surviving structures from before the [[Delhi Sultanate]] period include [[Agrasen ki Baoli]], [[Surajkund]] reservoir, [[Lal Kot]] and [[Qila Rai Pithora]]. There were several temples built during this period, remnants of which are still present in [[Qutb Minar complex|Qutb complex]]. These were built by the Tomaras and Chahamans (Chauhans) Rajput dynasties.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-12 |title=Tomars of Delhi: Rajput Clans of India |url=https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/tomars-of-delhi/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=GeeksforGeeks |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tomara dynasty {{!}} Tomara Dynasty, Delhi, Rajputs {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tomara-dynasty |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chauhans Of Delhi And Ajmer |url=https://unacademy.com/content/railway-exam/study-material/history/chauhans-of-delhi-and-ajmer/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Unacademy |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-29 |title=Prithviraja III {{!}} Rajput Chauhan King & Indian History {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Prithviraja-III |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Delhi Sultanate ==
<gallery widths="150" heights="150" class="center">
File:Qminar.jpg|The [[Qutub Minar]] is the world's tallest brick [[minaret]] at 72.5 metres, built by [[Qutb-ud-din Aibak]] of the [[Mamluk dynasty (Delhi)|Slave dynasty]] in 1192 CE.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/233/|title=Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427184323/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/233/|archive-date=2019-04-27|url-status=live|access-date=2019-04-27}}</ref>
File:Alauddin's Madrasa, Qutb complex.jpg|[[Alauddin Khilji]]'s ''madrasa'' and Tomb in the [[Qutb complex]].
File:Tomb of Ghayasuddin Tughluq - Delhi.jpg|Tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughluq within the [[Tughlaqabad Fort]].
File:Jahaz Mahal on the bank of Hauz-i-Shamsi.jpg|[[Jahaz Mahal]] is built during the Lodi dynasty period (1452–1526) as a pleasure resort.
File:Shish Gumbad in Lodhi garden 12.jpg|[[Shish Gumbad]] in Lodhi garden, New Delhi
</gallery>The [[Delhi Sultanate]] ruled the city between 1206 and 1526. Their rule saw the development of early [[Indo-Islamic architecture]], the most prominent being the [[Qutb Minar complex]], a group of monuments surrounding the [[Qutb Minar]]. This period also saw building of many forts and cities like [[Siri Fort]], [[Tughlaqabad Fort|Tughlaqabad]] and [[Feroz Shah Kotla]]. Many tombs were built around this period which are still present in many locations like Qutb Minar complex, [[Hauz Khas Complex]] and [[Lodi Gardens]].

== Mughal Empire ==
{{Further|Mughal Architecture}}<gallery widths="150" heights="150" class="center">
File:Red Fort in Delhi 03-2016 img3.jpg|The [[Red Fort]] was commissioned by Mughal Emperor [[Shah Jahan]] in the 17th century, it was the main residence of the [[List of Mughal emperors|Mughal emperors]] for nearly 200 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/231/|title=Red Fort Complex|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402215128/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/231/|archive-date=2019-04-02|url-status=live|access-date=2019-04-27}}</ref>
File:RedFort DiwanIAm Inside.JPG|[[Diwan-i-Am (Red Fort)]]
File:Humayuntomb.JPG|[[Humayun's Tomb]] is considered a predecessor to the [[Taj Mahal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/232/|title=Humayun's Tomb, Delhi|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704063329/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/232|archive-date=2018-07-04|url-status=live|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref>
File:Jama Masjid - In the Noon.jpg|The [[Jama Masjid]] is one of the largest mosques in India.
File:Tomb of Safdarjung.jpg|[[Safdarjung's Tomb]] was built in 1754 in the [[Mughal architecture|late Mughal architectural style]] for Nawab [[Safdarjung]].
</gallery>[[Mughal architecture|Mughal Architecture]] emerged as a form of [[Indo-Islamic architecture|Indo-Islamic]] architecture during the rule of the [[Mughal Empire]]. Mughal architecture is characterized by large bulbous [[onion dome]]s, the use of white marble and red sandstone, delicate ornamentation work, and large buildings surrounded by [[Charbagh|gardens on all four sides]].

The [[Humayun's Tomb]] is the first notable example of Mughal architecture in Delhi. Except for a few architectures like Humayun's Tomb and [[Purana Qila]], most of the architectural work of this period was done in [[Shah Jahan]]'s time or later. This period also saw building of 18th century Astronomical Observatory called [[Jantar Mantar, New Delhi|Jantar Mantar]].

Another important achievement of this period was building of [[Mughal gardens]]. Its design was inspired by Persian Char Bagh Gardens. Some gardens built during Mughal period are garden built in front of Humayun's Tomb, [[Roshanara Bagh]], [[Qudsia Bagh]] and Garden built in [[Tomb of Safdar Jang|Safdarjang's tomb]] complex.

== British Colonial period ==
<gallery widths="150" heights="150" class="center">
File:St. James Church 9.jpg|[[St. James' Church, Delhi|St. James' Church]] was designed in the [[Renaissance Revival architecture|Renaissance Revival]] style and completed in 1836. It is situated on a [[Cruciform#Cruciform Plan|cruciform plan]] and consists of [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] style [[portico]]es, with a [[Baroque architecture|baroque]] dome in the center.
File:India Gate in New Delhi 03-2016.jpg|The [[India Gate]] is a [[triumphal arch]] and war memorial in the middle of New Delhi. It was designed by [[Edwin Lutyens]] and completed in 1921.
File:New Delhi government block 03-2016 img6.jpg|alt=The Secreatariat Building was designed by Herbert Baker and completed in 1927.|The [[Secretariat Building, New Delhi|Secretariat Building]] was designed by [[Herbert Baker]] and completed in 1927.
File:Rashtrapati Bhavan flank perspective1.jpg|The [[Rashtrapati Bhavan|Rashtrapati Bhawan]] was the residence of the [[Governor-General of India|British Viceroy]], and now serves as the residence of the [[President of India]]. It was designed by [[Edwin Lutyens]] and completed in 1929.
File:Connaught Place New Delhi.jpg|[[Connaught Place, New Delhi|Connaught Place]] was designed in the [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] style by [[Robert Tor Russell]], and completed in 1933.
</gallery>After Delhi was declared the site for a new capital of India, [[George V]] laid the foundation of [[New Delhi]], which would serve as the capital. The British invited [[Edwin Lutyens]] and [[Herbert Baker]] to design the government buildings. This area would also be called [[Lutyens' Delhi]] in honor of the architect. Members of Lutyens' team of architects included [[Walter Sykes George]], [[Arthur Shoosmith|Arthur Gordon Shoosmith]] and [[Henry Medd]]. It is reported that Lutyens was reluctant to incorporate Indian features in his style, but later conceded.

== Post-Independence ==
<gallery widths="150" heights="150" class="center">
File:Supreme Court of India, inside buildings 01 (cropped).jpg|The [[Supreme Court of India]] was designed by [[Ganesh Bhikaji Deolalikar|Ganesh Bhikaji Deoalikar]] and completed in 1958. Its style was inspired by the [[Edwin Lutyens|Lutyens]]-[[Herbert Baker|Baker]] buildings.

File:Pragati Maidan, Hall 6.JPG|The [[Hall of Nations]], designed by [[Raj Rewal]] and completed in 1972 was regarded as one of the best examples of [[Modern architecture|modernist architecture]] in India. It was demolished in 2017, despite several protests.

File:New Delhi Municipal council building, Connaught Place.jpg|The [[New Delhi Municipal Council]] Building was designed in the [[Brutalist architecture|brutalist]] style by Kuldip Singh, and completed in 1984.

File:IMG 20170901 134047 - Copy - Copy.jpg|The [[Lotus Temple]] was designed by [[Fariborz Sahba|Faribohrz Sahba]] and completed in 1986. Its design was inspired by the shape of a [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]].<ref name="lotustempleunesco">{{cite web|author=Permanent Delegation of the Government of India to UNESCO|title=Bahá'í House of Worship at New Delhi|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5921/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826220742/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5921/|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|archive-date=26 August 2016|access-date=2019-05-02}}</ref>
</gallery>The [[Supreme Court of India]] was designed by [[Ganesh Bhikaji Deolalikar]] in the same style as that of the other major buildings in [[Lutyens' Delhi]]. However, modernist architecture became prevalent in Delhi as well as all over India, especially after the influence of [[Le Corbusier]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Mukerji|first1=Arjun|last2=Sanghamitra|first2=Basu|title=A Search for Post-Modernism in Indian Architecture|url=https://www.academia.edu/8859069|journal=Abacus|language=en|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref>

After Independence, the best examples of modern architecture in Delhi include [[Indian Institute of Technology Delhi|IIT Delhi]] (1961) by [[Jugal Kishore Choudhury|Jugal Kishore Chodhury]], [[Pragati Maidan|Hall of Nations]] (1972) and [[Asian Games Village (New Delhi)|Asian Games Village]] (1982) by [[Raj Rewal]], [[Palika Kendra]] building (1984) by [[Kuldip Singh (architect)|Kuldip Singh]], and [[Lotus Temple]] (1986) by [[Fariborz Sahba|Fariborhz Sahba]].

In 2017, the demolition of the [[Pragati Maidan|Hall of Nations]] received worldwide condemnation from architectural enthusiasts. It was considered to be one of the best examples of [[Modern architecture|modernist]] architecture in India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.archdaily.com/874154/the-demolition-of-delhis-hall-of-nations-reveals-indias-broken-attitude-to-architectural-heritage|title=The Demolition of Delhi's Hall of Nations Reveals India's Broken Attitude to Architectural Heritage|last=Langar|first=Suneet Zishan|date=2017-06-23|website=ArchDaily|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-23}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}{{Architecture of India}}

[[Category:Delhi]]
[[Category:Architecture in India by city|Delhi]]

Architecture of Delhi - Revision history

LeonorColangelo at 09:29, 18 February 2026