Red Fort

A brilliant architectural beauty is a historical fort in Delhi, Red Fort which was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty for more than 200 years. The Mughal families lived there until 1857. A golden feather in the crown of Delhi is the fort and it houses several museums in it. Though it was the house of the Mughal emperors, it was also the political and cultural center of the Mughal state and this was the place where a lot of significant events happened. It is the best place to visit in Old Delhi as it is also known to be a symbol of India’s struggle for freedom.

But what made the fort famous was the midnight speech made by Jawahar Lal Nehru before India was going to wake up to independence from British rule and afterward, it was becoming the politically significant spot in Indian history. It hosts the Independence Day celebrations each year from then onward. Red Fort history has a lot to share with the world and it came into the concept form in 1639 after the then Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan shifted his capital to the newly constructed city in Delhi and laid the foundation stone to build up the fort.

Red Fort architecture is an amusing one with a huge walled citadel that shines in red sandstone and the construction of the fort took almost one decade to complete and it came into the limelight in 1648. For the next 200 years, it was maintained as the seat of the Mughal Empire. Once the capital of the Mughal Empire, the fort lies along the famous river Yamuna. Some of the facts regarding the fort say the complex consist of Shah Jahan’s palace as well as the Salimgarh fort which came into existence in 1546 AD.

The fort is managed by the Archeological Survey of India and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

Red Fort Light and Sound Show:
A spectacular show regarding the history of Red Fort and the capital Delhi is shown at the fort for one hour every evening. The show will be in Hindi and English with a half an hour gap in between the two shows.

Light and Sound show at the fort starts at 06:00 pm. To watch the Light and Sound Show, adults should pay Rs.80 and children should pay Rs.30.

Red Fort visiting timing:
The Fort will be closed on Mondays but will be open on all other days from 09:30 am to 04:30 pm.

Red Fort Entry Fee:
Entry fee for Indian citizens is Rs.10 while the same for foreigners is Rs.150.

Red Fort location:
Netaji Subhash Marg, Lal Qila, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006.

Insider Tips:

-The nearest metro station to the Red Fort is Chawri Bazaar.

-It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

-Tickets for international visitors will cover museum entrance fees also.

-As the parking lot is near Jama Masjid, located on the opposite side of the Red Fort, car parking is an issue. You need to take a long walk from the parking to reach the gate of the fort. Also, the traffic snarl on the connecting roads makes it difficult for the visitors to cross the roads. It is advisable to travel by taxi.

-To avoid queues to get the Light and Sound show ticket, you can book it online at theashokgroup.com.

-October to March is the suitable time to visit Red Fort.