Delhi - Event

Delhi's Red Fort is named after the massive red sandstone walls which surround this magnificent architectural work. Dating back to the height of Mughal power, the centrepiece is a white marble palace decorated with gold and precious stones.

Construction of the fort began in 1638 when India's capital was moved from Agra to Delhi and the then-ruler of the Mughal Dynasty, Shah Jahan, needed a new royal palace. Ten years later the Red Fort, or Lal Qila was completed.

A series of individual pavilions each serve a specific purpose. The Khas Mahal acted as the emperor's private quarters and was the most exquisitely decorated. The Diwan-i-khas was designed to reflect heaven and served as the private audience hall.

All public audiences were held in the Diwan-i-am, while secret meetings took place in the Royal Tower, or Shah Burj. Shah Jahan's throne lies in the middle of the palace, below the gold ceiling inscription "If there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this".