Pandua Minar, Pandua, West Bengal India

Pandua Minar is a 5-storeyed large circular minaret and stands 125 feet tall in Pandua town which was built as a Tower of Victory as well a Watch Tower in 1340 AD by the Mughal King - Shah Sufiuddin.

It is interesting to note that this Minar was not built in the typical Mughal style. It Infact bears ribbed outer walls and the Minar tapers at the top - the base of the Minar being the widest - resembling its predecessor - the Qutb Minar in Delhi which is twice the height of the Pandua Minar and had a similar ribbed outer walls. The base of the Pandua Minar is more than double the size of the Qutb Minar. Both these Minars were built to be Victory Towers. Pandua Minar has a 161-step spiral staircase within but is not open for tourists.