10 interesting facts about Delhi: the capital, its heritage and the Metro

Delhi is not only the capital of India — it is a witness to thousands of years of history. From the Indraprastha of the Mahabharata through the Sultanate, the Mughals and British rule to independent India, Delhi has been built, ruined and built again many times. Here are 10 interesting facts about Delhi.

1. From Calcutta to Delhi

The capital of British India was first Calcutta (Kolkata). On 12 December 1911, at the Delhi Durbar, King George V announced that the capital would move to Delhi.

2. New Delhi is opened

Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker planned "New Delhi" for the new capital. New Delhi was formally inaugurated on 13 February 1931.

3. Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Delhi has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites — the Qutub Minar and its monuments, Humayun's Tomb and the Red Fort Complex. Humayun's Tomb is an early example in India of a tomb set in a large garden, a style seen later in the Taj Mahal.

4. The Red Fort

The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Red Fort in his new capital, Shahjahanabad; it was completed in 1648. Since independence, the Prime Minister has hoisted the tricolour from its ramparts every year on 15 August.

5. Chandni Chowk

Old Delhi's famous market, Chandni Chowk, was laid out in the 17th century by Shah Jahan's daughter Jahanara. It is said that a canal once ran down its middle, in which the moonlight shimmered — which is how it got its name ("moonlit square").

Did you know? The Iron Pillar in the Qutub complex is about 1,600 years old and, despite standing in the open, has very little rust.

6. On the banks of the Yamuna

Delhi stands on the banks of the Yamuna. Old Delhi and the historic area around it lie on the river's western bank.

7. The National Capital Territory

In 1991 the 69th Amendment to the Constitution made Delhi the National Capital Territory (NCT), with its own legislative assembly. Delhi covers about 1,484 square kilometres.

8. The Delhi Metro

The first line of the Delhi Metro opened on 24 December 2002, between Shahdara and Tis Hazari. Today it is one of the largest metro networks in the country and carries lakhs of people every day.

9. Rashtrapati Bhavan

Rashtrapati Bhavan, on Raisina Hill, is the official residence of the President of India. It has 340 rooms, and its Mughal Gardens — now called "Amrit Udyan" — open to the public for a while every year.

10. Modern architecture

Delhi's Lotus Temple (the Bahá'í House of Worship, 1986) is famous worldwide for its lotus-flower shape, and the Akshardham temple (2005) for its grand carvings.

The "seven cities" of Delhi

Historians often say that today's Delhi is made up of several older cities. By tradition it begins with the Pandavas' Indraprastha. After that came Lal Kot (Qila Rai Pithora) of the Tomars and Chauhans, Siri of Alauddin Khilji, Tughlaqabad of the Tughlaqs, the Purana Qila of Sher Shah Suri's time and Shah Jahan's Shahjahanabad. Every ruler built a new capital, which is why some layer of history shows in every corner of Delhi.

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