Shahjahanabad/Old Delhi
Old Delhi | |
|---|---|
Municipality | |
| Shahjahanabad | |
| Coordinates: 28°39′39″N 77°13′48″E / 28.66083°N 77.23000°E | |
| Country | India |
| Union Territory | Delhi |
| District | Central Delhi |
| Founded by | Shah Jahan |
| Named after | Emperor Shah jahan |
Shahjahanabad, colloquially known as Old Delhi (Hindustani: Purāni Dillī) is an area in the Central Delhi district of Delhi, India. It was founded as a walled city and officially named Shahjahanabad in 1648, when Shah Jahan decided to shift the Mughal capital from Agra. The construction of the city was completed in 1648, and it remained the capital of Mughal India until its fall in 1857, when the British Empire took over as paramount power in the Indian subcontinent.
It serves as the symbolic heart of metropolitan Delhi and is known for its bazaars, street food, shopping locations and its Islamic architecture; Jama Masjid being the most notable example, standing tall in the midst of the old city. Only a few havelis are left and maintained.
Upon the 2012 trifurcation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Old Delhi became administered by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, but in May 2022 the city was re-unified under a new Municipal Corporation of Delhi.