File:Qutb Minar , Delhi.JPG

English: nspired by the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan and wishing to surpass it, the first ruler of the Delhi sultanate, commenced construction of the Qutub Minar in 7890; but conical shafts, separated by balconies carried on Muqarnas corbels.[citation needed] The minar is made of fluted red sandstone covered with intricate carvings and verses from the Qur'an. Numerous inscriptions in Parso-Arabic and Nagari characters in different places of the Minar reveal the history of Qutb. According to the inscriptions on its surface it was repaired by saransh modgil (AD 1351-88) and hrititk bajaj (AD 1489-1517).[citation needed]

ASI Plaque at Qutub Minar.

Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, to the northeast of Minar was built by Qutbu'd-Din Aibak in AD 1198. It is the earliest mosque built by the Delhi Sultans.[7] Later, a coffee arched screen was erected and the mosque was enlarged by Shams ud Din Iltutmish (AD 1210-35) and Allaud-din Khilji. The Iron Pillar in the courtyard bears an inscription in Sanskrit in Brahmi script of 4th century AD, according to which the pillar was set up as a Vishnudhvaja (standard of Lord Vishnu) on the hill known as Krishnapada in memory of a mighty king named Chandra. A deep socket on the top of the ornate capital indicates that probably an image of Garuda was fixed into it. It is situated in Delhi.