Connaught Place

You're in the commercial heart of New Delhi. This huge circular plaza, ringed by white arcades, was built between 1929 and 1933. It's named after Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, uncle of King George V. In 1995 it was officially renamed Rajiv Chowk in memory of the prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, but hardly anyone calls it that. For locals it's simply "CP".

1A Georgian ring

It was designed by Robert Tor Russell, chief architect to the colonial government. It's often said that he took his inspiration from the Royal Crescent in Bath, in England. Notice the rhythm of columns and arches, designed so people could shop in the shade. The blocks are lettered from A to N, in two concentric rings: the Inner Circle and the Outer Circle.

2What was here before

Before the plaza, this was low, scrub-covered ridge country, roamed by jackals. Whole villages were cleared to build the new capital, and their residents were moved to Karol Bagh. Only a handful of buildings were spared, among them a Hanuman temple and the Jantar Mantar observatory, our next stop.

The British laid out a perfect circus; Delhiites filled it with life, cafés and bookshops.

Beneath your feet is Rajiv Chowk metro station, one of the busiest on the network.

3What to look for

• The white columns of the arcades.
• The block letters on the facades.
• The giant flag in the central park.