Old Delhi or Purani Dilli is an area part of the greater Union Territory of Delhi, India. It was founded as a walled city named Shahjahanabad in 1639, when Shah Jahan decided to shift the Mughal capital from Agra. The construction of the city was completed in 1648, and it remained the capital of the Mughal Empire until its fall in 1857, when the British Raj took over as paramount power in India.
It was once filled with mansions of nobles and members of the royal court, along with elegant mosques and gardens.
Despite having become extremely crowded by recent wave of migrants from East India, it still serves as the symbolic heart of metropolitan Delhi and is known for its bazaars, street food, shopping locations and its Islamic architecture; Jama Masjid being the most notable example, standing tall in the midst of the old city. Only a few havelis are left and maintained.
Upon the 2012 trifurcation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Old Delhi became administered by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.