The city of Tughlakabad

The fortress of Tughlakabad which is still standing on a rocky hill, about 8 km from the Qutub Minar on Qutub-Badarpur road was built by Ghiyasuddin Tughluq in 1320's. It constitutes the third city of Delhi, roughly octagonal on plan with a perimeter of 6.5 km. This is sometimes called the fourth city of Delhi. There were eleven rulers from the Tughlak dynasty but only the first three generations were interested in architecture- raising mosques, caravansarais, madrasas and laying canals.

   On its south was a vast reservoir created by erecting bunds between hills to its east. Tughluqabad was divide mainly intro three portions. To the east of the present entrance from the Qutub- Badarpur road, a rectangular area with high walls and bastions served as the citadel.

   Beyond this to the north lay the city, now marked by ruins of houses. Streets in the city, some of which can be traced even now, ran in a grid pattern from gates on one side to those on the opposite side. Inside the citadel enclosure are a tower known as Bijai Mandal and the remains of several halls, including a long underground passage.

   Near the embankment connecting it with Adilabad are sluice gates through which water was controlled for irrigating the fields below. The fortress was left abandoned in 1327's.