Begun by Qutb al‑Din Aibak c. 1199 and continued by successors, the 73‑meter minaret’s fluted red sandstone and marble bands showcase early Indo‑Islamic ornament. Within the Qutub complex—mosque, gateways, Iron Pillar—it narrates Delhi’s medieval transitions and UNESCO‑listed heritage.
Begun c. 1199 by Qutb al‑Din Aibak and continued by Iltutmish and later rulers, the 73‑meter Qutub Minar rises in five tapering stories of fluted red sandstone and marble. Alternating circular and angular flutes, projecting balconies, and bands of Kufic and naskh inscriptions create a richly textured surface that catches Delhi’s sun.
The surrounding Qutb complex includes the Quwwat‑ul‑Islam mosque (among India’s earliest surviving congregational mosques), later gateways, Alauddin Khalji’s ambitious (unfinished) Alai Minar, and the ancient Iron Pillar. Together they narrate Delhi’s early Sultanate era—its ambitions, experiments, and layered reuse of materials.
Earthquakes toppled the top stories more than once; Firoz Shah Tughlaq rebuilt upper tiers, and British‑period repairs added a now‑removed cupola. Modern care focuses on stone weathering, mortar compatibility, visitor flow, and protecting lawns and foundations from waterlogging during monsoons.
