Travellers planning a trip to Delhi’s iconic Red Fort now have an extra day to explore it. The monument will remain open on Mondays as well, following an order issued by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Until now, the World Heritage Site observed a weekly closure on Mondays. With the new directive, the protected monument of national importance will remain open on all days of the week for visitors and the general public.
A citadel steeped in history
The Red Fort traces its origins to 1638, when Mughal emperor Shah Jahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi and founded Shahjahanabad, the city’s seventh historic settlement. Construction of the fort began in 1639 and was completed after nine years.
Situated on the right bank of the Yamuna River, south of Salimgarh Fort, the fort is laid out as an irregular octagon with two principal gateways — the Lahori Gate to the west and the Delhi Gate to the south. Built primarily of red sandstone, its palaces feature extensive use of marble.
From the western entrance, visitors pass through the vaulted arcade of Chhatta Chowk to reach the Naubat Khana, or Drum House, which now houses the Indian War Memorial Museum.
The Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience), a rectangular hall with a façade of nine arches, once housed the royal throne beneath a marble canopy. Behind it stands the Rang Mahal, or Painted Palace, once adorned with coloured interiors and crossed by the Nahr-i-Bihisht — the Stream of Paradise. The Mumtaz Mahal now accommodates the Delhi Fort Museum.
The richly-ornamented Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) is said to have supported the famed Peacock Throne, later carried away by the Persian ruler Nadir Shah.
Other notable structures include the Tasbih-Khana and the adjoining Khwabgah, the octagonal Muthamman-Burj — where emperors once addressed their subjects — later associated with Akbar Shah II, and a balcony from which King George V and Queen Mary appeared before the public in 1911.
The hammam (royal baths) is built entirely of marble and inlaid with coloured stones. On its west stands the Moti Masjid, added by Aurangzeb. To the north is the Hayat-Bakhsh-Bagh, later altered, with the Zafar Mahal built around 1842 by Bahadur Shah II.
ALSO READ | India’s first cow culture museum to open in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura
Visiting hours and entry
The Red Fort is open from sunrise to 9 pm.
Entry fee:
- Free for children below 15 years.
- Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives, Afghanistan and BIMSTEC countries: ₹50 (cash), ₹35 (online).
- Other foreign visitors: ₹600 (cash), ₹550 (online).
With Monday now added to its schedule, visitors have greater flexibility to walk through one of India’s most celebrated Mughal-era citadels.
ALSO READ | Ramzan 2026: Andhra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh let Muslim staff leave work an hour early
