Qutub Minar: The world's tallest brick minaret

Iltutmish and Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who were Qutub-ud-din-Aibak’s successors, completed the construction of the entire tower. While Qutub-ud-din-Aibak finished the base, Iltutmish added three more storeys and Firoz Shah added the last.

The Qutub Minar, a 73 metre-high tower has five storeys, with a projecting balcony on each. While the first three are made of red sandstone, the fourth and fifth also use marble.

According to an inscription on its Eastern Gate, the material to make the mosque was gathered from previously existing structures.

This vista, from the third level, offers a glimpse of the Qutub Minar Complex and its surroundings.

An Iron Pillar, one of the oldest structures of Delhi, is present near the Qutub Minar, and dates back to the 4th Century BCE. Standing around 24 feet high and weighing more than six tonnes, the pillar is famous for its high resistance to corrosion.

A popular belief among tourists visiting the Qutub Complex is that if you can encircle the pillar with your arms while standing with your back to it, your wishes will be fulfilled. An instance of this can be seen in a segment from the Hindi movie “Cheeni Kam”, which starred legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan.

At the Qutub Complex, tourists can also visit the Alai Darwaza, a domed gateway built with red sandstone and adorned with white marble inlays. Commissioned by Allauddin Khilji, this grand monument stands as a testament to the craftsmanship of the skilled Turkish artisans who created it.

In close proximity lies the Alai Minar, commissioned by Alauddin Khilji, who wanted it to be twice as high as the Qutub Minar.

Unfortunately, the construction of the tower was stalled following the death of Khilji in 1316. Today, the rubble and masonry of the tower’s first storey can be seen at the spot.

The tomb of Iltutmish is also nearby. Built by the emperor himself, it is one of the first tombs in Delhi.

Tourists can also head to the Mehrauli Archaeological Park that houses Balban’s tomb.

The Qutub complex also hosts the Jamali Kamali Mosque and a tomb of a Sufi saint. The three-day Qutub Festival featuring classical dance and music is held each November and December, and is a real crowd puller. This panorama, from the top of the Qutub Minar, is the rarest of rare views at this World Heritage Site complex.

Alauddin Khilji's Tomb is among the first in the country to stand beside a madrasa, a college of Islamic instruction. The central room of the madrasa houses the tomb, and though its dome is lost, the structure of the rooms is almost intact.

The madrasa was established by Alauddin Khilji as a centre for education on theology and Islamic scripture. You can see the ruins of halls and rooms built surrounding a quadrangular court.

On the western side, the seven small structures are believed to have been the rooms of teachers. To the north stands an elaborately carved doorway, believed to have been the entryway.

The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque is located right next to the Qutub Minar. Built by Qutub-ud-din-Aibak, the mosque is considered to be the first building in the Qutub complex.

Exuding simplicity, the tomb of Iltutmish has a grand entrance that is intricately carved and adorned with geometrical patterns, and inscriptions in 'kufic' and 'naskh' forms of calligraphic script.

Imam Zamin, a saint from Turkestan, who settled in the Indian subcontinent around 1500, built this tomb for himself. The tomb stands on an octagonal base and is built with sandstone. Crowned with a small dome, it boasts an attractive interior, comprising of perforated screens or jaalis. Imam Zamin was buried in this tomb in 1538.