The Tomb of Balban is the ruin of a 13th-century mausoleum for Ghiyas ud Din Balban, one of the most powerful sultans of the Delhi Sultanate (reigned 1266–1287). The structure is notable in the history of Indian architecture because it contains what is believed to be the earliest true pointed arch in the subcontinent — a moment when Islamic architectural forms first appeared in India.
The tomb is now an atmospheric ruin within Mehrauli Archaeological Park, its stone vaults open to the sky and vegetation growing from the walls. A smaller adjacent tomb, believed to be that of Balban's son Khan Shahid, is equally evocative. The site is rarely crowded and best visited early in the day when the light falls through the broken domes.