Which city is often described as having been destroyed and rebuilt (or re-founded) seven times, giving rise to the idea of its 'seven cities'?

Delhi is often described as a city that was destroyed and rebuilt (or re-founded) many times, giving rise to the traditional idea of the "seven cities of Delhi".

The traditional seven cities of Delhi:

• Qila Rai Pithora (Lal Kot): built by the Tomaras and expanded by Prithviraj Chauhan (12th century).
• Siri: early 14th century.
• Tughlaqabad: built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1321-1325).
• Jahanpanah: built by Muhammad bin Tughlaq (14th century).
• Firozabad (Firoz Shah Kotla): built by Firoz Shah Tughlaq (14th century).
• Dinpanah or Shergarh (Purana Qila): 16th century.
• Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi): built by Shah Jahan (1639-1648).
• Some lists also include Mehrauli and other settlements, and the eighth city is often said to be New Delhi, built by the British.

Why Delhi was rebuilt so many times:

• Its strategic location on the Yamuna, between the Himalayas and the Aravallis, on the main route between Central Asia and the Gangetic plain, made it a natural capital.
• New rulers often wanted to build their own capitals to show their power.
• It was attacked and plundered many times, for example by Timur (1398), Nadir Shah (1739) and Ahmad Shah Abdali.

New Delhi:

• At a Delhi Durbar, King George V announced that the capital of British India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.
• New Delhi was designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, and was inaugurated in 1931.

Ancient Delhi:

According to tradition, Indraprastha, the capital of the Pandavas, was located at Delhi (near the Purana Qila).

Delhi today:

• It is the National Capital Territory of India.
• It has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Qutb Minar complex, Humayun's Tomb, and the Red Fort complex.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Agra, Lahore and Varanasi are old cities, but the idea of the "seven cities" refers to Delhi.