Red Fort

Red FortLal Qila or Red Fort, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, Old Delhi, India.

Red Fort, Mughal fort in Old Delhi, India. It was built by Shah Jahān in the mid-17th century and remains a major tourist attraction. The fort was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.

Old Delhi, India: Red Fort
Old Delhi, India: Red FortRed Fort, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, Old Delhi, India.

The fort’s massive red sandstone walls, which stand 75 feet (23 metres) high, enclose a complex of palaces and entertainment halls, projecting balconies, baths and indoor canals, and geometrical gardens, as well as an ornate mosque. Among the most famous structures of the complex are the Hall of Public Audience (Diwan-i-ʿAm), which has 60 red sandstone pillars supporting a flat roof, and the Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas), which is smaller and has a pavilion of white marble.

An earlier red fort had been built in Old Delhi in the 11th century by the Tomara king Anangapala. The Quṭb Mosque now stands on the site.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Zeidan.
Citation Information
Article Title: Red Fort
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 18 November 2024
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Access Date: November 21, 2024