This is one of five observatories built by Maharaja Jai Singh II, ruler of Jaipur. Constructed in 1725, Jantar Mantar (derived from the Sanskrit word for ‘instrument’, but which has also become the Hindi word for 'abracadabra') is a quiet park containing a collection of curving geometric buildings that are carefully calibrated to monitor the movement of the stars and planets.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
7.39 MILES
There are extraordinary riches scattered around Mehrauli, with more than 440 monuments – from the 10th century to the British era – dotting a forest and…
2.49 MILES
Founded by Emperor Shah Jahan and surrounded by a magnificent 18m-high wall, this fort took 10 years to construct (1638–48) and is rumoured to have had…
3.11 MILES
Humayun’s tomb is sublimely well proportioned, seeming to float above its symmetrical gardens. It's thought to have inspired the Taj Mahal, which it…
1.93 MILES
A beautiful pocket of calm at the heart of Old Delhi's mayhem, the capital's largest mosque is built on a 10m elevation. It can hold a mind-blowing 25,000…
2.86 MILES
Visiting the marble shrine of Muslim Sufi saint Nizam-ud-din Auliya is Delhi's most mystical, magical experience. The dargah is hidden away in a tangle of…
7.24 MILES
If you only have time to visit one of Delhi's ancient ruins, make it this. The first monuments here were erected by the sultans of Mehrauli, and…
2.01 MILES
Shh, whisper it quietly: this place is better than the Red Fort. Delhi's 'Old Fort' isn't as magnificent in size and grandeur, but it's far more pleasant…
8.33 MILES
This magnificent 14th-century ruined fort, half reclaimed by jungle and gradually being encroached on by villages, was Delhi's third incarnation, built by…
Nearby New Delhi attractions
0.25 MILES
This popular Hindu temple is dedicated to the much-revered god Hanuman, sometimes referred to as the Monkey God. It throngs with devotees on Tuesdays and…
0.28 MILES
A first for the subcontinent, Madame Tussauds 23rd waxwork museum is housed in the erstwhile Regal Theatre, now refurbished to provide a stage for more…
0.32 MILES
This tiny new museum in the heart of the city is unmistakable for its large, stainless steel spinning wheel, an iconic symbol of Mahatma Gandhi and his…
0.35 MILES
Housed in an annex of this branch of India Post, the National Philatelic Museum displays sets of stamps featuring the gamut of Indian life, from…
0.43 MILES
This confusing circular shopping district was named after George V’s uncle, the Duke of Connaught, and fashioned after the Palladian colonnades of Bath…
0.49 MILES
This magnificent white-marble gurdwara (Sikh temple), topped by glinting golden onion domes, was constructed at the site where the eighth Sikh guru,…
0.5 MILES
This atmospheric 14th-century step-well was once set in the countryside, till the city grew up around it; 103 steps descend to the bottom, flanked by…
0.84 MILES
This circular, colonnaded building, designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, was where the 1947 handover of power from Britain to the newly…