Jantar Mantar is an 18th-century astronomical observatory in the heart of Delhi, made up of large geometric masonry instruments designed to track the movements of celestial bodies with the naked eye.
History
The observatory was built in 1724 by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, an astronomer-king who constructed five such observatories across India — the Delhi Jantar Mantar was the first of these.
What to See
The site's standout structure is the Samrat Yantra, one of the largest sundials in the world, capable of measuring time to an accuracy of about two seconds — alongside several other instruments designed to track the position of stars, the sun, and other celestial measurements.
Visiting Tips
The instruments aren't self-explanatory to most visitors, so a guide or an audio tour adds significant value in understanding what each structure was built to measure.
Best Time to Visit
Daytime, when the shadows cast by the instruments are most visible and meaningful to observe.
