The Red Fort, which is also known as the Lal Qila, was constructed by one of the most famous Mughal emperors, Shah Jahan. Built on the banks of river Yamuna, the fortress-palace was designed by architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. It took 8 years and 10 months to build the magnificent fort. The fort served as the royal residence of the Mughal emperors from 1648 to 1857. It took over the honor of royal residence from the famous Agra Fort when Shah Jahan decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi. The Red Fort derives its name from the red-sandstone walls, which make the fort almost impregnable. The fort, which is located at Old Delhi, is one of the massive and prominent structures of India and is a fine example of Mughal architecture. It is often considered as the pinnacle of Mughal creativity. In modern times, the fort is of importance to the people of India as the Indian Prime Minister delivers his Independence Day speech from the fort, every year on August 15. In 2007, it was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
Shah Jahan, the then Mughal emperor decided to build the Red Fort as the citadel of Shahjahanabad, his new capital at Delhi. The fort, which was completely constructed in the year 1648, remained the residence of the Mughal emperors until 1857. Post the reign of Aurangzeb, the Mughal dynasty grew weaker in every aspect and that started taking a toll on the fort. When Farrukhsiyar, the ninth Mughal emperor, took over the reign from Jahandar Shah after murdering him, the fort began to lose its luster, quite literally. During his reign, the silver ceiling of the fort was replaced with copper in order to raise money. This was probably the beginning of the plunder that would go on for years to come. In 1739, Nadir Shah, the Persian emperor defeated the Mughals and took with him some of the valuables belonging to the fort, including the famous peacock throne, which had served as the royal throne of the Mughals. The weakened Mughals had no other option but to sign a treaty with the Marathas, who had promised to protect them and the fort. In 1760, when Ahmed Shah Durrani of the Durrani dynasty threatened to capture Delhi, the Marathas dug out the silver ceiling of Diwan-i-Khas to strengthen their army. However, Ahmed Shah Durrani defeated the Marathas in the third battle of Panipat and took over the fort. The Marathas reconquered the fort in 1771 and stalled Shah Alam II as the 16th Mughal emperor. In 1788, the Marathas occupied the fort and ruled over Delhi for the next 20 years before the British defeated them during the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803.
The fort now was occupied by the British, who even built a residence of their own within the fort. During the Indian rebellion of 1857, Bahadur Shah II, was arrested by the British and later exiled to Rangoon. With Bahadur Shah II, the Mughal Empire came to an end and this opened a window of opportunity for the British to loot valuables from the fort. Almost all furniture were either destroyed or shipped to England. Many edifices and landmarks within the fort were destroyed and barracks of stone replaced them. Many priceless possessions like the Koh-i-Noor diamond, the crown of Bahadur Shah and the wine cup of Shah Jahan were sent to the British government. After independence, the Indian Army occupied a major part of the fort before handing it over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASA) for restoration purposes.
How to Reach Red Fort
Delhi holds an international airport that connects several international destinations with Delhi. Delhi is connected with all states of the country via railways and roadways. Once you reach Delhi, you can find many modes of transportation to reach Red Fort. The fort is one of the important tourist destinations in the city.
The fort is located very close to Chandni Chowk metro state. If you get out of the Gate 5 from the metro station, you can hire rickshaw to reach the fort. You can also walk from the station to the destination. You can find taxis and autos from any part of the city to reach Red Fort.
Best Time to Visit Red Fort
The fort is at prime beauty throughout the year. If you visit during national holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day, you can find many interesting activities and even the Prime Minister’s speech. On the drawback, the fort will be heavily crowded during these holidays and the security will be very high.
Season has no effect on the beauty of the fort. However, visiting India during summer can be dehydrating and humid experience. Delhi experiences very hot climate from March to June. Monsoon starts in July and ends in September. The prime tourism season is the winter season, which starts in October and ends in February.
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