Qutb Minar, Delhi

Mughal monuments of Delhi, Agra, and elsewhere were not the only subjects popular with early photographers in India-nor are they with tourists taking photos today. Delhi in particular has a long history, and monuments from earlier Islamic dynasties dot the city.

Some 240 feet (75 meters) high, the Qutb Minar was started at the end of the 1100s under Qutb-ud-in Aibek, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, and only finished many years later. It dominates a large mosque complex built at the same time and is visible from miles away. The idea of a monumental minaret is less a religious message than a statement of victory. There is a tradition of victory towers in north India as well as some earlier examples in the Islamic world.