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Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the mid-17th century, the Red Fort stands as a major tourist attraction in Delhi. It is a massive fort built using red sandstone, which stands 75 feet tall. Moreover, the Red Fort complex includes several other palaces, entertainment halls, balconies, indoor canals, gardens, and a mosque. Here are a few interesting facts about Red Fort for students to enrich their knowledge about the Red Fort, one of the important architectures of India.
1. The Red Fort complex was built as the new palace fort of Shahjahanabad as it was the then capital of the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan.
2. It was built when Shah Jahan decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi in 1639. It took almost a decade for the fort to be built.
3. Red Fort is the place where every year the Indian Prime Minister hoists the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day.
4. The Red Fort is one of the finest Mughal architecture in India. It is adorned with marble work, and mosaics of mirrors, and contains ruins of the old Persianate
5. Red Fort is spread over 256 acres and is constructed in an octagonal shape.
6. In 2007, UNESCO announced the Red Fort as a World Heritage Site.
7. Red Fort was originally white in color as it was built using limestones. However, the British painted it red once the white stone began chipping off.
8. The original name of Red Fort was Qila-e-Mubarak, which loosely translates into “The Blessed Fort”.
9. Ustad Hamid and Ustad Ahmed, the chief architects of that time, began the construction of the Red Fort somewhere around 1638.
10. It took about 10 years to complete the Red Fort construction.
11. It is believed that the Kohinoor diamond was actually a part of the royal throne of Shah Jahan, located in the Diwani-Khas. The diamond was later robbed by Nadir Shah, the Persian Napoleon.
12. There are two main entrances to the Red Fort, known as the Delhi Gate and the Lahore Gate.
13. There used to be a third gate in the Red Fort, now known as the Water Gate. It was built on the riverbank of Yamuna and provided easy access to the river.
14. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor, was tried by the British for treason in the Red Fort. The trial took place in Diwani-Khas where Bahadur Shah Zafar was found guilty and later exited to Rangoon.
15. After seizing the Red Fort, the British forces destroyed major portions of the Red Fort and sold the treasures inside it .
We hope you enjoyed reading these facts about Red Fort. If you want to read more such interesting and informative blogs, you can read our blog 15 Facts About the Taj Mahal: The Epitome of Eternal Love.