The Ashrafi Mahal was built as a madrasa (Islamic college) by Hoshang Shah between 1405 and 1422. It was a quadrangle with rows of cells and arcaded corridors on the outside, and four corner towers. Mahmud Khilji of the following dynasty converted the northwest tower into a seven-storey victory tower, and roofed the courtyard as a platform for his own grand marble tomb. Tomb and tower have vanished but you can climb a grand staircase and walk around the roof.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.24 MILES
Down to the right of the ramp descending towards the ghats are the chhatris (cenotaphs) of Ahilyabai and Vithoji Rao, a Holkar prince who was trampled to…
17.26 MILES
Running along the banks of the holy Narmada River and shadowed by the daunting walls of the fort, the ghats are the life and spiritual soul of the town…
0.52 MILES
The Royal Enclave is the largest group of monuments, with several beautiful buildings from the 15th- and 16th-century Ghuri and Khilji dynasties set near…
2.57 MILES
A pleasant 4km cycle south of Mandu village brings you to the Rewa Kund tank and the two monuments of the Rewa Kund Group, Baz Bahadur's Palace and…
0.06 MILES
This group, straddling the main road in the centre of the village, comprises three grand edifices constructed in the 15th-century by the Ghuri and Khilji…
2.71 MILES
Standing at the top of an escarpment falling 366m to the plains, Rupmati’s Pavilion has a delicacy of design and beauty of location unmatched by Mandu's…
1.57 MILES
If you’re looking for a great reason to cycle out into the countryside, consider visiting this unusual former palace turned temple. It stands at the head…
1.28 MILES
If you have time, this group of handsome buildings is worth a detour between Mandu village and Rewa Kund. The main ones are Malik Mughith's Mosque, built…
Nearby Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh attractions
0.06 MILES
This group, straddling the main road in the centre of the village, comprises three grand edifices constructed in the 15th-century by the Ghuri and Khilji…
0.08 MILES
This colourful weekly haat (market), behind the Jama Masjid, is similar to ones held in many central Indian areas with a tribal population. Adivasis …
0.09 MILES
Entered by a flight of steps leading to a 17m-high domed porch, this disused red-stone mosque dominates Mandu village centre. Hoshang Shah begun its…
0.13 MILES
Entered through a kaleidoscopic potpourri of a gate, this complex is a splash of kitsch among the Islamic monuments. The temples feature marble, silver…
0.15 MILES
Reputed to be India’s oldest marble mausoleum, this imposing tomb is crowned with a tiny crescent thought to have been imported from Persia or Mesopotamia…
0.43 MILES
Local guides seem unsure just how old these rock-cut chambers are, but they may have been the residences of Shaivite sadhus in pre-Muslim times. Some…
0.52 MILES
The Royal Enclave is the largest group of monuments, with several beautiful buildings from the 15th- and 16th-century Ghuri and Khilji dynasties set near…
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