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Purana Qila

Purana Qila historical timeline

Last updated on October 19, 2026
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The enclosure links Delhi’s deep archaeology to a particularly turbulent sixteenth century and to large-scale displacement in the twentieth.

Chronology

  1. 1530s Humayun establishes Dinpanah and begins the walls and gateways associated with the present fort.
  2. 1540s Sher Shah Suri displaces Humayun and carries the citadel forward, adding the Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque and buildings associated with his rule.
  3. Hemu is crowned in the fort after taking Delhi, shortly before his defeat at the Second Battle of Panipat.
  4. 1941–1945 British authorities use Purana Qila as an internment camp for civilians from enemy countries during the Second World War.
  5. The fort becomes a major camp for Muslims preparing to migrate to Pakistan during Partition; the camp continues into early 1948.

Verified against Wikipedia, October 2026.