Gates of Delhi

The Gates of Delhi were built in Delhi, India, under dynastic rulers in the period that could be dated from the 8th century to the 20th century. They are

In 1611, the European merchant William Finch had described Delhi as the city of seven castles (forts) and 52 gates. More gates were built after that period during the Mughal rule and during the British rule. Currently, only 13 gates exist in good condition, while all others are in ruins or have been demolished. Like all gates denote, the direction of the destination station is the starting name of the gate.

In the first city of Delhi, 13 gates were built in the 11th century citadel of Lal Kot, with the extended Qila Rai Pithora, which was ruled by the Slave Dynasty from 1192 with the establishment of the Qutb complex. These were located in the rubble built ramparts of Lal Kot (5–6 m (16–20 ft) thickness) of which only a few remain, either in ruins or under renovation. These are the Chaumukha, Sohan, Ranjit, Fateh, Hauz Rani, Barka, Badaun and Budayuni gates. Of these, the Chaumukha, Ranjit, Sohan and Fateh darwazas have been listed by the INTACH as heritage monuments. The ruins of Hauz Rani and Barka are seen around the remains between giant gaps in the long stretches of the Lal Kot wall, surrounded by a wide moat on the outside. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has proposed to conserve all the identified gates.

The Chaumukha Darwaza (Chaumukha in Hindi language means four faces) is inferred as the gate way of Lal Kot since it aligns with Lal Kot walls. It is near the Qutb Complex and has been categorized as Grade B in archaeological value. It has been conserved by the ASI. The gate’s architectural style is traced to the Tuglaq period in view of its massive thickness. It has a “horned" outwork with paved stones in an engraved grid pattern that indicates that it was designed for defense purposes. The purpose for which it was built has not been discerned. Hence, it has also been conjectured that it could have been built by Thomas Metcalfe as one of his follies, close to his original 'Dilkusha' mansion (now seen in ruins) to enhance the elegance of his retreat.

...
Wikipedia