|
The Old Fort was the citadel of the city of Dinapanah
(Refuge of the Faithful) which Humayun started building
in 1533 and completed five years later.
When Sher Shah Suri – the Afghan King - defeated Humayun,
he renamed the fort as Shergarh and added some more
buildings within the complex. Out of the three entrances
that Purana Qila had, only one remains open till date
- the Bara Darwaza.
Inside the fort you can see an imposing mosque - Qila
Kuhna Masjid, which was built by Sher Shah in 1541.
The central portion of the mosque is made up of white
marble and bright red sandstone. Another building of
interest inside the fort is the Sher Mandal - an
octagonal building made up of red sandstone.
The two-storied pavilion has steep steps leading up
to the roof. After Humayun recaptured Delhi in 1555,
he refurbished the Sher Mandal into his library. It
was here that Humayun fell to his death a year later.
The most attractive tomb in Delhi - Humayun's Tomb
also lies in this area but outside the walls of the
Old Fort. Built by Humayun's widow Haji Begum in 1564,
it is perhaps the most spectacular monument belonging
to the Mughal period.
It is believed the designs of Taj Mahal was inspired
by this magnificent monument. The red sandstone and
marble structure stands on a stone platform, surrounded
by a garden divided into quadrants by water channels.
High walls abound the monument on three sides while
the river Yamuna flowed past the fourth side.
|
