Old Delhi’s main drag is lined by Jain, Hindu and Sikh temples, plus a church, with the Fatehpuri Masjid at one end. Tree-lined and elegant in Mughal times, the thoroughfare is now mind-bendingly chaotic, with tiny little ancient bazaars tentacling off it. In the Mughal era, Chandni Chowk centred on a pool that reflected the moon, hence the name, 'moonlight place'. The main street is almost impossible to cross, full as it is of cars, hawkers, motorcycles, rickshaws and porters.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.6 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…
0.49 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…
4.47 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…
0.38 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…
4.46 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…
9.46 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…
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3.28 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…
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10.06 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 attractions
0.02 MILES
The icing-sugar-white 18th-century Sisganj Gurdwara marks the martrydom site of the ninth Sikh guru, Tegh Bahadur, executed by Aurangzeb in 1675 for…
0.22 MILES
Opposite the Red Fort is the red sandstone Digambara Jain Temple, built in 1658. Interestingly, it houses a bird hospital established in 1956 to further…
0.23 MILES
The Digambara Jain Temple complex houses an unusual example of the Jain devotion to preserving all life in the form of this unique bird hospital, with…
0.31 MILES
Established in 1951, Delhi's library is open to all those with proof of residency, and has 1.6 million books in various languages.
0.33 MILES
The main entrance to the Red Fort is hidden by a defensive bastion built in front by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb. During the struggle for independence,…
0.34 MILES
Built in 1864, Delhi's Town Hall originally housed a library, the European Club and the Lawrence Institute. There was once a statue of Queen Victoria in…
0.38 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…