Mughal Art and Architecture

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE – III
B.ARCHITECTURE – SEM VI
PRESENATION ON MUGHAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE

SUBMITTED TO : Ar. HARPREET SINGH
SUBMITTED BY : ALANKRIT (2015ARA004) , GURPREET KAUR (012)
PRIYA SEHGAL (029).
INTRODUCTION
• Mughal architecture is the type of Indo-Islamic
• The Mughal dynasty was established after the
architecture developed by the Mughals in the victory of Babur at Panipat in 1526.
16th, 17th and 18th centuries throughout the • During his five-year reign, Babur took
ever-changing extent of their empire in considerable interest in erecting buildings,
the Indian subcontinent.
• It developed the styles of earlier Muslim though few have survived. His
dynasties in India as an amalgam grandson Akbar built Humayun's Tomb (for his
of Islamic, Persian, Turkic and Indian father), Agra Fort, the fort-city of Fatehpur Sikri,
architecture.
and the Buland Darwaza.
• Mughal buildings have a uniform pattern of
structure and character, including large bulbous• Akbar's son Jahangir commissioned the Shalimar
domes, slender minarets at the corners, massive Gardens in Kashmir.
halls, large vaulted gateways and delicate • Mughal architecture reached its zenith during the
ornamentation.
reign of Shah Jahan, who constructed the Jama
• The Mughals built magnificent forts, palace,
gates public buildings including sarais, hamams, Masjid, the Red Fort, the Shalimar Gardens in
mosques, baolis ( water tanks or well ). Lahore, his reign corresponded with the decline
• They also laid out many formal gardens running of Mughal architecture and the Empire itself.
with water.
• Mughal gardens were made in Islamic style of
architecture influenced from Persian gardens
and Timurid gardens.
TIMELINE OF MUGHAL DYNASTY
RANK MUGHAL PERIOD OF IMPORTANT BUILDING FEATURES
RULER RULE BUILDINGS
1 BABUR 1526-1530 Jama masjid at 1) Beautiful gardens in every place.
sambhal
Babri mosque in
ayodhya
2 HUMAYUN 1530-1540 Purana qila 1)Use of red stone and white marble.
1555-1556 Humayun’s tomb
3 AKBAR 1556-1605 Red fort at agra 1) Extensive use of red stone.
City of Fatehpur sikri 2) synthesis of hindi-muslim art tradition.
Lahore fort 3) Construction of buildings for civilian
Tomb of sikandra purposes
4 JAHANGIR 1605-1627 akbar’s 1)Use of red stone and white marble.

mausoleum,sikandra
5 SHAH JAHAN 1628-1658 Taj mahal at agra 1) Mostly use of marble in place of
Red fort at delhi redstone.
Jama masjid at delhi 2) Use of gold, silver, precious and
colured stones.
3)Pictures of trees and animals Scenes.
6 AURANGZEB 1658-1707 Moti masjid at delhi 1)Use of grey and white marble.
Badshahi masjid at 2)Floral panels on the iron doors.
lahore
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES:
BULBOUS DOMES
BUBOLOUS DOMES MINARETS LARGE

VAULTED WAYS ORNAMENTATION
GATEWAYS
DESIGN
ELEMENTS:
GEOMETRY
ARABESQUE
CALLIGRAPHY
FLOWERS
ANIMALS AND BIRDS
INSCRIPTIONS
RED SANDSTONE WHITE PRECIOUS STONE INLAYS
MARBLE
MAIN FEATURES OF MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE:
• Variety of buildings: The Mughal rulers built magnificent gates, forts,
mausoleums, mosques, palaces, public buildings and tombs etc.
• Synthesis of Persian and Indian style: The specimens of architecture created

under the Mughals have become the common heritage of both the Hindus and
the Muslims. It is a happy blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture.
• Specific characteristic: A common characteristic of the Mughal buildings is “the

pronounced domes, the slender turrets at the corners, the palace halls supported
on pillars and the broad/gateways.”
• Costly decorations: The Mughal emperors in general but Shah Jahan in particular
decorated his buildings with costly articles. One of the important distinguishing
features of the Mughal buildings is their ornamentation as compared with the
simple buildings of the previous Muslim rulers of India.
• Building material: During the Mughal period, buildings were constructed mostly
of red sandstone and white marble.
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS:
 FINIAL: A finial is an element marking the top or end of
some object, often formed to be a decorative feature.
 ONION DOME: An onion dome is a dome whose shape

resembles an onion. Such domes are often larger in
diameter than the drum upon which they sit, and their
height usually exceeds their width.
 DRUM: The term denotes a circular or polygonal wall

supporting a dome, cupola, or lantern.
 CHHATRI: Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions

used as an element in Indian architecture.
 SPANDREL: A spandrel is the space between two arches or

between an arch and a rectangular enclosure.
 CALLIGRAPHY: Calligraphy is a visual art related to writing.
 ARCH: An arch is a curved structure that spans an elevated

space and may or may not support the weight above it.
 DADO: In architecture, the dado is the lower part of a wall,

below the dado rail and above the skirting board.
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE:
THE USAGE OF IWANS EXTENSIVE USE OF ARCHES GARDENS FOUNTAINS

POOL
POOL
DOME SYMMETRY USAGE OF MUQARNAS
MASHRABIAS CALLIGRAPHY
HUMAYUN’S TOMB
• Humayun's Tomb is an early example of Mughal
architecture built in Delhi.
• Built in the mid 16th century by his wife Haji
Begum.
• The tomb is situated south of the Purana Qila, on
the eastern edge of Delhi.
• It is set in the center of a garden in the classical
Mughal char Bagh pattern.
• A high wall surrounds the garden on three sides.
• The garden is divided into four parts by two
bisecting water channels with paved walkways
(khiyabans), which terminate at two gates.
• It is a square nine fold plan.
• Eight two-storeyed vaulted
chambers radiate from the
central, double-height domed
chamber.
• The chambers of each level
are interconnected by straight
PLAN and diagonal passages.
• Each of the main chambers
has in turn eight more, smaller
chambers radiating from it.
• The symmetrical ground plan
contains 124 vaulted
chambers in all.
• The central octagonal chamber has the
cenotaph of Humayun, which is encompassed
by octagonal chambers at the diagonals.
• It also has arched lobbies on the sides and
their openings are closed with perforated
screens.
• Central octagonal hall has eight alcoves, one
on either side, divided into a double-storeyed
elevation.
• The third storey above them has jail openings.
• Above them is the stalactite which takes the
double-dome.
• Three emphatic arches dominate on each side,
of which the central one is the highest
ROOF PLAN
• The second storey also has a similar
design
• Roof surmounted by a 42.5 meters high
double dome with marble and pillared
kiosks or chhatris placed around it,
which occurs here for the first time in
India.
• This architectural design is known as
hasht bihisht (Eight Paradise) and is
typical of Iranian buildings from the
time of Timur the Lame.
• The stone windows are placed in such a way
on all the floors that they allow light to
stream into the central hall throughout the
day.
• The dome is double layered.
• The outer layer supports the white marble
exterior facing.
• The top of its central dome reaches 140
feet from the ground.
SOUTHERN GATE
• It is a double story building
• Local grey quartzite with red
sandstone is used lavishly on all edges.
• White marble is used on all prominent
outline.
• A screen of arches attach to the
gateway on either side at an inclined
angle adds the grand effect of this
imposing gateway.
WESTERN GATE
• This west gateway is 16 m high.
• Rooms on each side flank the central passage
• The upper floor has small courtyard.
• Each side is crowned by a square chatri
composed of jalied balustrade, slender piller,
chajja and a white marble cupola resting on a
square inlaid drum.
• Six sided stars used by the Mughals as an
ornamental cosmic symbol adorn the structure.
CONCEPT , SYMBOLISM AND INTERPRETATION :
SYMMETRY AND GEOMETRIC PATTERNS: This Factor

Played an Important Role in Ordering the entire complex.
DETAILED DESIGN AND HIERARCHY :

DIMENSIONAL ORGANISATION :
Use of Grid System.
DELIBRATE PLAY BETWEEN ELEMENTS
AND ENVIORNMENT :
Under the reign of Shah Jahan the symbolic content of Mughal architecture reached its peak.
Inspired by a verse by Bibadal Khan, the imperial goldsmith and poet, and in common with most
Mughal funerial architecture, the Taj Mahal complex was conceived as a replica on earth of the
house of Mumtaz in paradise.
ELEMENTS :

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HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE – III

PRESENATION ON MUGHAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE

4 JAHANGIR 1605-1627 akbar’s 1)Use of red stone and white marble.

BUBOLOUS DOMES MINARETS LARGE

• Synthesis of Persian and Indian style: The specimens of architecture created

• Specific characteristic: A common characteristic of the Mughal buildings is “the

 ONION DOME: An onion dome is a dome whose shape

 DRUM: The term denotes a circular or polygonal wall

 CHHATRI: Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions

 SPANDREL: A spandrel is the space between two arches or

 CALLIGRAPHY: Calligraphy is a visual art related to writing.

 ARCH: An arch is a curved structure that spans an elevated

 DADO: In architecture, the dado is the lower part of a wall,

THE USAGE OF IWANS EXTENSIVE USE OF ARCHES GARDENS FOUNTAINS

SYMMETRY AND GEOMETRIC PATTERNS: This Factor

DETAILED DESIGN AND HIERARCHY :

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