Red Fort, Delhi (Lal Qila / Red Fort)

Timeline

1. 1638–1639Right bank of the Yamuna, south of Salimgarh Fort · DelhiShah Jahan decided to shift the imperial center north from Agra to Delhi, planning Shahjahanabad on the northern edge of Old Delhi. The palace-fort site was chosen on the riverfront to draw water into the moat and connect to the Nahr-i-Bihisht, and incorporated the existing Salimgarh Fort. Ustad Ahmad Lahori and others directed the survey and groundbreaking, and the Red Fort was established as the ceremonial core of the new city.
2. 1639–1648Red Fort construction site, Shahjahanabad · ShahjahanabadOver about nine years, the red sandstone walls, Lahore Gate, Delhi Gate, and inner courtyards were completed in succession; the marble Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas, and the private riverfront pavilions were linked by water channels. The layout followed Islamic palace-fort prototypes, with details blending Persian, Timurid, and Indian artisan traditions, and is regarded by later ages as one of the summits of Shah Jahan's architectural taste.
3. 1648–1658Diwan-i-Khas, Red Fort · Red FortShah Jahan moved into the new palace, installed the Peacock Throne in the Diwan-i-Khas, received envoys, and held court assemblies. The Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and Chandni Chowk together formed the capital's axis: the palace-fort handled military, political, and ceremonial affairs, while the city handled commerce and residence. After Aurangzeb seized the throne in 1658, Shah Jahan was imprisoned at Agra; the Red Fort changed hands but its status as capital was unchanged.
4. 1658Red Fort, Delhi · DelhiAurangzeb added the Moti Masjid in the private pavilion area and strengthened the barbican before the gate. For the next two centuries the Red Fort remained a Mughal residence, and after 1857 it was altered by the British army. In 2007 the Red Fort complex was inscribed as a World Heritage Site, and its planning influenced later palace gardens in Rajasthan and North India.