Qutb Minar

Qutb Minar is a monumental minaret in Delhi begun under Qutb al-Din Aibak in the late twelfth century and completed by later rulers. Its tapering, fluted shaft is built in successive stories of red sandstone and marble.

Minaret: A tower associated with a mosque, traditionally used for the call to prayer. Qutb Minar is among the tallest and most elaborate surviving examples of this tower type.
Qutb al-Din Aibak: A Turkic military commander who founded the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi and ruled from 1206 to 1210. He began construction of the minar while governing northern India.
Delhi Sultanate: A succession of Muslim dynasties that ruled much of northern India from 1206 to 1526. The tower’s builders and later restorers ruled from this sultanate’s capital region.
UNESCO World Heritage Site: A place recognized under the World Heritage Convention for outstanding cultural or natural value. The Qutb complex received this designation in 1993 for its major monuments and historical significance.
Indo-Islamic architecture: Architecture shaped by interactions between Islamic and South Asian building traditions. The minar combines Islamic monument forms with materials and craft traditions used in Delhi.
Iltutmish: A ruler of the Delhi Sultanate who reigned from 1211 to 1236. He substantially extended the minar beyond the portion begun under Aibak.
Mamluk dynasty of Delhi: The first dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, ruling from 1206 to 1290. Its early rulers commissioned the minar as their authority took shape in Delhi.
Archaeological Survey of India: India’s national agency for archaeological research, excavation, and monument conservation. The agency oversees conservation of the Qutb complex and regulates access to its monuments.
Ghurid architecture: The architectural tradition of the Ghurid dynasty, which ruled parts of Central and South Asia. The minar’s early design belongs to the architectural world of its Ghurid-era founders.
Firoz Shah Tughlaq: A ruler of the Delhi Sultanate who reigned from 1351 to 1388. After lightning damaged the upper stories, he repaired and altered the tower’s summit.

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