Named after the prominent British architect, Lutyens' Delhi is an upscale urban district surrounding the picturesque Presidential Estate, the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The area was constructed after the British imperial regime decided to move the capital of their Indian Empire from Calcutta to New Delhi. It is home to the Capital's government offices, including the grand Parliament of India, the Secretariat, residences for high-ranking ministers and museums. The area also has many historic monuments such as India Gate. Sir Edwin Lutyens used Edwardian architecture (1901-1910), light sandstone colors and decorative patterns. The Neo-Classical era paired with India`s Mughal and Buddhist heritage inspired Lutyens`s Delhi, the “Eighth City” of Delhi. Lutyens invented his own “Delhi Order” of neo-Classical columns that fuse Greek and Indian elements. Lutyens`s Delhi consists of straight and diagonal hexagonal patterns of broad tree-lined avenues with extensive green spaces and wide vistas.
