A maze of crowded bazaars, pols  (large gateways, leading to residential quarters), exquisitely carved façades, temples, mosques and subterranean stepwells (vavs)  mark the 3-km (2-mile) square that makes up the Old City. This area is best explored on foot, and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation organizes a daily Heritage Walking Tour through the atmospheric bylanes.

Built at the site of the original city, Bhadra Fort  has panoramic views of the surrounding streets. Southwest of the fort is Ahmed Shah’s Mosque , a simple place of worship, built in 1414 on the site of an early 13th-century Hindu temple.

Perhaps Ahmedabad’s most photographed monument, Siddi Saiyad’s Mosque  in the northeast corner of Bhadra Fort, is renowned for its superb yellow stone latticework. Made by a slave of Ahmed Shah in 1572, the twin jalis  on the western wall depict the intertwining branches of a tree, carved with extraordinary delicacy.

Southeast of the fort, the Teen Darwaza  (“Triple Gateway”) straddles the road, which is lined with shops selling blockprints, silverware and assorted bric-à-brac. Close by, along Mahatma Gandhi Road, is the Jami Masjid , which Sultan Ahmed Shah built in 1423, to enable the faithful to congregate for Friday prayers. The masons who constructed this yellow sandstone structure, ingeniously used pieces retrieved from demolished Hindu and Jain temples – the black slab close to the main arch is said to be the base of an inverted Jain idol. The mosque’s 15 domes are supported by 260 pillars covered with intricate carvings. The interior is illuminated by natural light filtered through latticework screens.

Outside the east entrance of the Jami Masjid, close to the jewellery bazaar in Manek Chowk, is the Tomb of Ahmed Shah , with elegant pillared verandahs, where the sultan, his son and grandson are buried. In the heart of the market, echoing the plan and layout of the sultan’s tomb, lies Rani-ka-Hazira , the mausoleum of his many queens.

To the southeast of Manek Chowk is Rani Sipri’s Mosque , also known as Masjid-e-Nagina (“Jewel of a Mosque”) because of its elegant proportions and slender minarets. Northwest of Manek Chowk is Rani Rupmati’s Mosque , dedicated to the sultan’s Hindu wife. Built in the mid-15th century, the mosque incorporates elements of Hindu and Islamic design, with perforated stone screens to provide privacy for women. The city’s famous Shaking Minarets, which are located next to the railway station, are closed to visitors.

Situated outside the Delhi Gate, the Hatheesing Temple  was built in 1850 by Huthising Kesarising, a Jain merchant. This intricately carved marble temple is dedicated to Dharmanath, the 15th Jain tirthankara . A paved courtyard has 52 cubicles, housing shrines dedicated to different tirthankaras .

A fine example of Gujarat’s stepwells is the Dada Harir Vav  lying to the northeast of the old city. Built in 1500 for Bai Harir Sultani, a lady from the sultan’s harem, its walls and pillars are beautifully decorated with elaborate carvings.

Across the Sabarmati river, modern Ahmedabad has some fine examples of contemporary architecture designed by Le Corbusier and the American architect, Louis Kahn. The Sanskar Kendra , designed by Le Corbusier, has a rare collection of miniature paintings. The Indian Institute of Management (IIM), India’s top college for business studies, is in a campus designed by Louis Kahn. Close by, the LD Institute of Indology  houses ancient manuscripts and paintings, and the Calico Museum  displays an outstanding collection of textiles. The prestigious National Institute of Design is on the south bank of the river.

A spartan colony of tiled houses, the Sabarmati Ashram  was a second home to Mahatma Gandhi. It was from here that he orchestrated the final struggle for India’s freedom. His cottage, Hriday Kunj, has been maintained much as he left it, and contains some personal items such as his round eyeglasses, wooden slippers, books and letters.