Symbol of 1857 uprising

in memoriam

Erected in 1863 in memory of the soldiers and officers of the Delhi Field Force, British and native Indian, who were killed or died of wounds or diseases between May 30 and September 20, during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Mutiny Memorial is situated near the Old Telegraph Building, Kashmere  Gate.

 In close proximity to this towers is another historical structure – the Ashoka Pillar.  

Raised during the British period the Mutiny Memorial, influenced by Gothic architecture is a tapering tower raised on a high base of local hard stone paved with red sandstone. On its walls are plaques engraved with names and ranks of soldiers who died fighting for the British Army against the ‘enemy’ during the great uprising of 1857. 

However, in 1972, on the25th anniversary of India’s  independence, the Government renamed the memorial as ‘Ajitgarh’ . A plaque was erected stating that the ‘enemy’ mentioned on the memorial by the British were in fact the Indian freedom fighters who rebelled against the British Rule, fought bravely and were martyred in the first war for an independent India in 1857.

The Memorial, though a lesser known historical monument, is open to visitors between 10am- 5pm. 

Entry is free for all tourists and visitors.