The Leh Palace was built in the town of Leh, India, in the 17th century. The Leh Palace is a 9-storey structure where the upper levels housed the Royal family and the lower levels were used as store rooms and stables. The Palace houses a museum that holds a opulent collection of jewellery, crowns, ceremonial […]
The Lake Palace, also known as Jag Niwas, was built in Udaipur, India, between 1743 and 1746. Located on an island in Lake Pichola in Udaipur, the palace gradually fell into decay by the 19th century, until it was converted into a luxury hotel. Known as the most romantic hotel in the world today, the
The Palace of Mysore was built in Mysore, India, between 1897 and 1912. The Mysore Palace was the seat of the Maharajas of Mysore, as well as their official residence, from the 14th to the 20th century. A 3-storey grey granite structure, the palace is a beautiful amalgamation of Hindu, Muslim, Rajput and Gothic styles
The Hawa Mahal is a palace built in Jaipur, India, in 1799. A 5-storey monument built in the shape of a pyramid; the Hawa Mahal is 15 metres in height. The highlighting feature of this monument is the honeycomb-like façade built right at the front of the palace in red and pink-coloured sandstone. The interior
The Cellular Jail (known as Kala Pani) was a colonial prison built in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, between 1896 and 1906.The structure of the jail consisted of seven wings (3-storey high), made of bricks brought all the way from Burma. These wings intersected in the middle at a tower, which was used for
The Pancha Rathas, also known as the Pandav Rathas of Mahabalipuram, were built in Tamil Nadu, India, in the late 7th century AD.A fine example of monolith Indian rock-cut architecture, the structures are like no other in the history of Indian architecture. An innovation of Narsimhavarman-I, the five monuments in the complex resemble chariots that
The Masjid-i-Jahan-Numa, commonly referred to as Jama Masjid, was built in Delhi, India, between 1644 and 1656. Built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, the Jama Masjid is a beautiful monument built in red sandstone and white marble. The Masjid has three great arches, four towers, three domes and two minarets that are 40 metres
The Gateway of India is a monument that was built on the waterfront in Mumbai, India, between 1914 and 1924. The Gateway of India was initially a crude jetty used by fishermen, until the British renovated it and used it for important dignitaries. 26 metres in height, the monument is a reinforced concrete and yellow
Humayun’s Tomb is the Tomb of Mughal Emperor Humayun, built in Delhi, India, between 1569 and 1572. Humayun’s Tomb was the first garden-tomb to be built on the Indian subcontinent. Built in red sandstone and white marble, the tomb comprises eight-sided chambers that represent the Islamic concept of paradise. The entire complex represents Central Asian
The Charminar is a monument and mosque built in Hyderabad, India, in 1591 AD. The Charminar is a square structure made of granite, limestone and pulverized marble. At each of the four corners stands a minaret 56 metres in height with a double balcony. It is believed that the monument was built to commemorate the
The Ajanta Caves are Buddhist cave monuments built in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India, between the 2nd century BC and 480/650 AD.A group of 30 odd caves that can rise as high as 76 metres, with rock-cut style of architecture; the Ajanta Caves are rich with paintings and sculptures with illustrations from the Jataka Tales and figures
The Elephanta Caves are a network of carved caves built on Elephanta Island, in the Mumbai Harbour, India, between the 5th and the 8th century. Comprising of two groups of caves made in a rock-cut architectural style, the caves are carved from solid basalt rock. The first 5 caves are dedicated to Lord Shiva, one
Khajuraho is a group of Hindu and Jain temples built in Madhya Pradesh, India, mostly between 900 and 1130 AD. Khajuraho temples comprise 20 existing temples spread across 6 square km near water. The Hindi mandala design principle of square and circles is present in the temple-layout. Dedicated to different deities, these temples are representative
The Lal Qila or Red Fort was built in Delhi, India, in 1648. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan constructed the Lal Qila, and it stayed as the residence for Mughal Emperors for almost 200 years. Built in red sandstone, the fort represents the epitome of Mughal architecture with strong reflections of Timurid and Persian traditions.
The Qutub Minar is a brick minaret built in Delhi, India, in 1200 AD to 1220 AD. Made of red sandstone and marble, the Qutub Minar is a complex tapering tower. The Qutub Minar is nearly 73 metres high and tapers from a 15-metre diameter base to a mere 2.5 metres at the top. Initially,