Delhi is one of the most historically significant cities of India. Several rulers have ruled India from Delhi and have left their mark at various places in and around the city in the form of forts, palaces and other monuments. The Qutb Minar in New Delhi is among the most famous historical monuments in India. It is the world�s tallest free standing brick tower. The tower was built by one of the earliest Islamic dynasties of India. It is one of the major attractions of New Delhi tours and has evolved as the symbol of tourism in New Delhi. The Qutb Minar is the star attraction of the famous Qutb complex in the Mehrauli area of Delhi.

The magnificent structure was built by the members of the first Islamic rulers of India, the so-called slave dynasty. Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first ruler of this lineage succeeded his master Sultan Mohammad of Ghur, who let him rule independently. Qutb-ud-din commissioned the building of this tower in 1193. It is believed that the materials for the tower were procured from some Jain temples that stood at this site. The exact reason for constructing the tower has not been ascertained. It may have been a tower to show the supremacy of the newly arrived Turkish Muslims over the native rulers, who had been vanquished comprehensively. Qutb-ud-din could not finish the tower. Only the base had been completed at the time of his death. His son-in -law and successor, Iltutmish, continued the construction and added three more towers. The fifth and last storey was built by the Tughluq ruler, Firuz Shah, much later, in the 14th century.

Like the purpose of the tower, the origin of the name is also not certain. Most historians believe that the name is derived from Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiyar Kaki, a famous saint who was greatly revered by sultan Iltutmish. The other theory is that the name has been derived from Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who started the tower. It is said that the inspiration of the tower came from the minaret of jam in Afghanistan.

The red sandstone tower is 72 meters high. The tower tapers upwards, the base measuring 14.3 meters in diameter; the diameter of the top floor measures 2.75 diameters. The tower has 379 steps leading up to the top. The architecture is very interesting, since this minaret is among the first major examples of indo-Islamic architecture. The cylindrical floors are separated by balconies. Due to fragile conditions of the stairs, visitors are not allowed to climb up the tower at present. The intricate carvings and verses from the holy Quran inscribed on the exterior of the minaret make this tower a great architectural achievement.

The Qutb complex has some other famous monument as well. These include the renowned iron pillar, which dates back to the 4th century AD, but still shows no signs of rust. The Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was once a glorious structure. Its remains can be seen besides the Qutb Minar.

The Qutb Minar and the other structures of the Qutb complex are some of the best known tourist attractions of Delhi. Every year thousands of tourists visit these monuments, thus contributing immensely towards the growth of tourism in New Delhi.

Touristplacesinindia.com offers online information about Qutb Minar and other tourist attractions in New Delhi, and other tourist places in India.