Shalimar Bagh (also Shalimar Garden) was build by Shah Jahan. It was earlier known as Aizzabad Bagh. In the centre of the Salimar garden is a building known as Shish Mahal. From this building one can seen traces of a beautifully laid out garden with fountains, waterfalls and a canal.
It was in this garden that Aurangzeb was hurriedly crowned after he had defeated his rivals for the throne. Bernier mentions that the first halt was made here when in December 1664 A.D. Aurangzeb with all his court proceeded to Lahore and Kashmir. For a time after 1893 A.D. the garden was used by the British Resident at Delhi as summer retreat.
Ochterony was fond of it, while Sir Charles Metcalfe used it as his country house, where he and his Indian wife lived in sylvan seclusion. This house still stands amidst the fruit trees and is known as Metcalfe Sahib ki Kothi.
Shalimar Bagh does not seem to have regained its former splendor, the Bishop Heber who was at Delhi in the winter of 1825 A.D. remarked that it had “completely decayed”. After the war of 1857 the garden, being the Mughal emperors’ property, was confiscated and sold. It has been turned into an orchard. The fountains and channels in the garden have now silted up. But now efforts are being made to restore the garden, much of which has been encroached upon! Even the Shish Mahal is in a bad state.