Established in 1951, Delhi's library is open to all those with proof of residency, and has 1.6 million books in various languages.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Town Hall

0.23 MILES

Built in 1864, Delhi's Town Hall originally housed a library, the European Club and the Lawrence Institute. There was once a statue of Queen Victoria in…

2. Chandni Chowk

0.31 MILES

Old Delhi’s main drag is lined by Jain, Hindu and Sikh temples, plus a church, with the Fatehpuri Masjid at one end. Tree-lined and elegant in Mughal…

3. Sisganj Gurdwara

0.32 MILES

The icing-sugar-white 18th-century Sisganj Gurdwara marks the martrydom site of the ninth Sikh guru, Tegh Bahadur, executed by Aurangzeb in 1675 for…

4. Kashmere Gate

0.46 MILES

This northernmost gate (leading to Kashmir) was the largest of all the entrances to the walled city. It was only built in the 19th century, and was…

5. Fatehpuri Masjid

0.47 MILES

Built by Fatehpuri Begum, one of Shah Jahan’s wives, this 17th-century mosque is a haven of tranquillity after the frantic streets outside. The central…

6. Digambara Jain Temple

0.49 MILES

Opposite the Red Fort is the red sandstone Digambara Jain Temple, built in 1658. Interestingly, it houses a bird hospital established in 1956 to further…

7. Bird Hospital

0.5 MILES

The Digambara Jain Temple complex houses an unusual example of the Jain devotion to preserving all life in the form of this unique bird hospital, with…