A major landmark in Delhi is the imposing Jama Masjid (Great Mosque); its tapering minarets and bulbous domes dominate the city's skyline. Nearby is the spectacular Red Fort (completed 1648), a complex of buildings enclosed by a high, red sandstone wall that once served as the imperial palace of India's Mughal emperors. The two most famous buildings of the Red Fort are the Diwan-i-am (Hall of Public Audience), where the grand Mughal presided from a royal alcove with jewel-encrusted marble walls, and the smaller Diwan-i-khas (Hall of Private Audience). The decorated white-marble walls of the latter, considered a masterpiece of Mughal architecture, are inscribed with a couplet in Persian, which has been translated in English as “If there is a heaven on earth, it is this—it is this.” Other features in the Red Fort are the Rang Mahal (Painted Palace) and the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque). Notable historical landmarks just outside Delhi include the Qutb (Kutb) Minar, a tall, decorated tower (13th century); the royal tomb (16th century) of Humayun; and Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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