Lal Quila also known as the Red Fort is one of the most significant monuments of India. It stands on the bank of river Yamuna. The entire structure is made of Red stone. The fort was built by Shahjahan - the Mughal King who also built the famous Taj Mahal - in 1648. Shahjahan named it the Uru-Muhalla. Shahjahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi and Red Fort was the new capital. Lal Quila is located at the eastern side of Shahjahanabad and the very name of "Lal Quila" comes from the huge wall that enfolds the whole structure. The wall is 2.5 km long and the height varies from 16 meters on the river side to 33 meters towards the city.

One of the special features of the fort is the gigantic wall that encompasses the whole structure. The walls have two entrances, one at the delhi gate and the other at the Lahore gate. Lahore Gate is the main doorway of the fort, leading to Chatta Chowk. It also comprises of a bazaar street where merchants sell their goods to the nobles of the court.

As you move down the passage of Chatta Chowk, you will come across Naqqar Khana, also called drum house. Earlier this place was used by the musicians who played their bands here daily. The place now is used as a war museum. There is one more open space besides the main entrance path which served as the courtyard of the Diwan-i-Am.

An ornate throne balcony can be viewed at the eastern wall of the Diwan-i-Am. Nobles used to assemble here facing towards each other depending on their ranks and hierarchy.

The emperor used to sit above, at a platform with royal princess occupying the place next to the throne and the wazirs used to sit on the marble takht below the throne. The architectural drawings behind the Emperor's throne were done by French artist which were a major feature of almost every Mughal architecture. You could also observe the rings that were used for curtains possibly to veil the hall from the sunlight.

A gateway called Lal Purdah can be seen on the left of the Diwan-i-Am which was the way out of the court. This gate was used by Emperor's important members in the court who were called Lal Purdaris.

On the left you will notice a royal bath. Close to the royal bath, there is a mosque or private royal chapel. This mosque was constructed by Auranzeb which was used for offering prayers.

At the back of the throne, you will find the royal apartments which constituted of a row of pavilions. These pavilions are enclosed by continuous water channels called the Nahr-i-Behisht. There is a tower called Shah Burj, situated at the north east corner of the fort which acts as a source of water from the river Yamuna to these water channels.

The entire design within the palace is based on the theme of "Paradise- as described in the Koran. An inscription inside the palace reads "If there be a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here". Hindu influence of Mughal Architecture can be observed in all the pavilions despite the fact that the palace was built with Islamic architectural prototypes.

Palace garden at the Red Fort is one of the main attractions as it gives you a hint of the great Mughal garden. The garden is also called the Hayat Baksh garden. Another garden in the palace is called the Moonlight Garden or the Mehtab Bagh. It was called as Moonligh Garden because the garden was packed with flowers that blossomed during the moonlight.

Another pavilion is Diwan-i-Khas, a sumptuously adorned hall that was used for mistrial and court gatherings. It is the best among all the other pavilions thanks to its architecture specialty which constitutes designs with flowery pieta patterns on the columns and the wooden painted ceiling. There is a sculpture on the marbles of Baithak, known as the sitting space. The place was used by the emperor to entertain his friends and people closed ones. The balcony on the top, also called the Jharoka, was used by the emperor to address the crowd.

As you'll move beyond the private apartments, you will come across a palace called the Rang Mahal or the Palace of Colors. The palace belonged to Padshah Begum. Beyond the Rang Mahal, there is a building which has now been renewed into a museum. The museum contains nostalgia of the great Mughal era, the costumes and the pictures of the Mughal era.

Red Fort has a bundle of amazing things to offer to the visitors. There are many things that can only be seen and witnessed and not heard. You must visit the fort at least once and you'll get to learn a lot about the great Mughal architecture. Being among the top tourist destinations of Delhi, Red Fort catches the attention of thousands of visitors every year. Above all, the Red Fort has a very important role in the democracy of India. It is the site that is used for celebrating the Independence Day. The Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on August 15 from this very historical monument.