We woke up in Delhi with mixed feelings about the capital. The metropolis was dirty, smelly, messy and crowded - but we knew the city was full of hidden charms and had so much more to offer. We just needed some time to adjust. Today, we'd tackle one of Delhi's most iconic landmarks: the Red Fort.

The Red Fort is one of Delhi's top tourist sights and a UNESCO World Heritage Site for good reason. Built in 1648 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (the same ruler who commissioned the Taj Mahal), this massive fortress served as the main residence of Mughal emperors for nearly 200 years. The name comes from the enormous red sandstone walls that surround the complex.

Getting There

To avoid the chaotic traffic we'd experienced yesterday at the airport, we boarded the spanking-new Delhi Metro. The contrast with surface-level Delhi couldn't be more stark - clean, air-conditioned, organized, with clear signage in both Hindi and English. Don't believe there are no traffic regulations in Delhi. There is just no one to enforce the rules, so nobody cares about them. The metro was our escape from that chaos.

We got off at Chandni Chowk station and emerged into Old Delhi. The streets were already bustling at 9am - rickshaws weaving through crowds, vendors setting up their stalls, the smell of street food mixing with incense from nearby temples. The Red Fort loomed ahead, its massive walls rising 18 meters high and stretching for over 2 kilometers.

Inside the Fort

We bought our tickets (foreigners pay significantly more than Indians - a common practice at historical sites throughout India) and entered through the Lahore Gate. The ticket booth warned us about unauthorized guides who would claim to be "official" - we politely declined several persistent offers.

Inside, the fort is enormous. The complex covers 254 acres and contains palaces, gardens, halls of public and private audience, and even a mosque. Many of the buildings were damaged or destroyed over the centuries - first during the 1857 rebellion when the British brutally suppressed Indian forces, and later during British colonial rule when the fort was used as a military barracks.

The Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) was our first stop - a massive open pavilion where the emperor would hear petitions from common citizens. Red sandstone columns support intricate arches, and you can still see remnants of the original decorative panels inlaid with precious stones.

The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) was even more impressive. This is where the famous Peacock Throne once sat - an impossibly ornate seat made of solid gold and encrusted with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and pearls. It was looted by Persian invaders in 1739, but the hall itself remains beautiful with delicate marble work and Persian inscriptions.

Mughal Gardens and Museums

We wandered through what remains of the Mughal gardens - once elaborate water gardens with fountains and flowerbeds, now mostly dry and empty but still giving a sense of the grandeur that once existed here. It was easy to imagine how magnificent this place must have been in its heyday, with the emperor holding court while water flowed through the channels and birds sang in the gardens.

Several museums within the fort complex detail the history of the Mughal empire and display artifacts from the period. The Archaeological Museum was particularly interesting, with weapons, paintings, manuscripts, and even some of the original decorative elements salvaged from damaged buildings.

By noon, the heat was becoming intense. The sun beat down on the red sandstone, radiating heat back up. We'd brought water bottles but were draining them quickly. Most of the fort has little shade, so timing your visit for earlier or later in the day makes sense.

Reflections

As we left through the Lahore Gate, we reflected on the layers of history contained within these walls. This was where Mughal emperors ruled one of the world's richest empires. This was where the last Mughal emperor was tried and exiled after the 1857 rebellion. This was where India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, raised the Indian flag on August 15, 1947, marking independence from British rule. Even today, every Independence Day, the Prime Minister addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Delhi was beginning to reveal its charms - layers upon layers of history, from Mughal splendor to colonial oppression to modern independence. We still found the city overwhelming, but understanding its past helped us appreciate its chaotic present.

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Have you visited the Red Fort? What was your favorite part? How did you handle Delhi's chaos and heat during your visit?