Zafar Mahal

One of the last Mughal palaces in Delhi, Zafar Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Akbar Shah II in the early 19th century near the dargah of the Sufi saint Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki in south Delhi’s Mehrauli. Soon after, it was rebuilt by the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, after whose name it is now known. Zafar added the monumental Hathi (Elephant) Gate in the building and used it as his summer palace. The complex contains the beautiful white marble Moti Masjid and several royal graves, including several emperors such as Shah Alam I and Shah Alam II. There’s even an empty grave for Bahadur Shah Zafar, who was exiled and buried in Myanmar after the 1857 rebellion. The palace was used during the Phoolwalon ki sair festival held after every monsoon. There are several interesting tombs in the area, most notably that of Adham Khan and Chaumachi Khan.