Qutub Minar: 10 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About!

Victory Tower, Part of the Qutub complex © Suanlian Tangpua / Pixabay

Qutub Minar, finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture with red and buff sandstone, is a minaret and symbol of power shift in Delhi as "Victory Tower", as well a UNESCO World Heritage Site that's a part of Qutb Complex, also spelled as Qutub. There is a mosque in the Qutb complex, which is known as Quwwat-Ul-Islam (built using the ruins of 27 Hindu and Jain temples), is credited with the first mosque built in India.

During the 12th century, Mohammad Ghori ousted the Gahadavala Dynasty ruler Rajputs and his successors and handed over the victory empire to his deputy ruler Qutb-ud-din Aibak. Aibak's laid the foundation of the Mamluk Dynasty (Ghulam Sultanate) in Delhi. This victory empire reshaped the culture and architecture of the city and in 1199 the construction of the first storey of Qutub Minar was started.

The Tallest brick minaret in the world is one of the best historical monuments most visited in India. Which is included in To-do list by about 3.5 million of visitors every year. Here, let's look at some facts about Qutub Minar, about which you must know.

1. How Tall

It is 72.5 meters high with a base diameter of 14.5 meters (47 ft). Tower tapers, and are about 2.7 meters (9 ft) at the top. Records the title of the tallest minaret in the world made of bricks.

2. Naming Philosophy

It is generally believed that the minaret was named after Qutub-ud-Din Aibak, who started its construction work in 1199. There is also a fact that it was named after Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, the 13th century Sufi saint, the deputy ruler of The Aibak's; Shamsuddin Iltutmish, was his devotee.

3. Tilt Aside

The structure with the cycle of time has leaned 65 cm (25 inches) south-westward. This inclination has been due to natural calamity and renewal lying on the Qutub Minar over the years. The annual change is about 3.5 seconds.

4. Surrounded by monuments

Tourists usually consider only the Qutub Minar to be a historical standalone minaret, but it is surrounded by more than half a dozen other minor historical monuments, together with their group referred as the "Qutb Complex". The complex includes Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Alai Darwaza, rust free - Iron Pillar, Iltutmish's Tomb, Alai Minar, Ala-ud-din's Madrasa and Tomb, Imam Jamin's Tomb, Sanderson's Sundial and Major Smith's Cupola.

5. Strongly Standing

The Qutub Complex has a 7.2-meter-high iron pillar of 2,000 years old, which has stood for two centuries resisting corrosion. It has stood the test of time and has attracted the attention of archaeologists and scientists due to its hidden characteristics.

6. UNESCO Site

The built-up structure is an Indian heritage site as well as a World Heritage Site and it was added to the list of World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.

7. Tale of Storey

The minaret has five distinct storeys, built by the rulers of Delhi in three phases. The first storeys of the minaret was built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, later added three more by son-in-law of Aibak's, Shamsuddin Iltutmish. The top storey was damaged by lightening srike in 1369, Feroz Shah Tughlaq restored the damaged storey, and added another as the fifth storey. Each storey has a balcony and there are 379 stairs inside the tower to reach the top.

8. Alai Minar, Unfulfilled Dream

Located in the north of Qutub Minar and the mosque, the intended minaret of huge debris began the construction of the 14th century by Alauddin Khilji called Alai Minar. He envisioned the tower to be twice as high as the Qutub Minar in proportion to the mosque. However, after completion of construction of 24.5-meter-high (80 ft); Discontinued soon after Khilji's death in 1316. No one agreed to continue this project by the successors of the Khilji dynasty, it never went ahead.

9. Engraved on Stone

The entire structure is built using red and buff sandstone, Arabic and Nagari characters used to inscribe on the walls. Which contains verses and carvings of the Holy Quran. In addition, several inscriptions state its history.

10. Stampede at Qutb

Before 1976, the general public was allowed to reach the top of the minaret via the inner staircase. On December 4, 1981, the light on the staircase failed. 47 were killed and some injured in a stampede of exit among 400-500 visitors. Most of them were students. Consequently, public access to the inside of the tower has been closed.

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