Overview

Nobody quite knows why this structure was built. Some believe it was erected as a symbol of victory of the Muslim rule in India. What is indisputable is that it is one of the finest monuments in the country and one of the most recognized, second only to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Its construction was started Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi in 1200, but managed to finish only the base. His successor, Iltutmush added three more storeys, and later, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and the last storey. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone. The fourth and fifth floors are made of marble and sandstone.