The ancient history of Lucknow is mired in mysteries and folk sayings and probably derives

its name from Lakshman . Rama ordered Lakshmana to establish a town near at the present
site of Lakshman Tila. Lucknow Is well connected and with its adjoining districts forms the
core of this rich agricultural region, and is flanked by river Gomti.
Lucknow has an extremely rich cultural and architectural heritage.

The City of Lucknow – An Intro

 The Urban Character - LUCKNOW
Every town has its own story and distinctive character. Understanding that
character and how it was formed is a cornerstone for planning, design and
management that aims to reinforce a sense of place.

Lucknow’s Urban Character can be best understood as the consequence of the

amalgamation of social, political and cultural paradigms that percolated into the
city ever since the invasion of gaznavi in AD 1031.

The Nawab The Rajputs The Mughals The Britishers

The Patronage Effect

 INDRIANAGAR

CHOWK

GOMTI NAGAR

CANTONMENT

The Nawabi Period The Colonial Period Post-independence Contemporary

Different ruling powers left their own impressions in different parts of the city through a
different urban ingredient. Whereas the Nawabs gave the Baghs, Ganjs, mosques and
imambaras to the southern and western parts of the city, the Britishers gave the
Cantonment and the Railway Station to the east and south which resulted in a layering
process whereby the new power overlaid another fabric over the preceding one.

The Patronage Effect

 The natural feature river Gomti

The Nawabi Period

 Machee Bhawan

Machee Bhawan
Source : British Library
The first fort came on the highest hill

The Nawabi Period

 Machee Bhawan

Chattar Manzil

Kaiserbagh

Lal Baradari

Chattar Manzil

Kaiserbagh Palace Other palaces

The Nawabi Period

 Jami mosque

Imambara

Shahjanaf
Imambara

Jami Mosque

Shahjanaf imambara

Chotta Imambara
The Institutions

The Nawabi Period

 Sikander
Bagh

Musa Bagh

Sikander Bagh
Baghs or The Gardens

The Nawabi Period

 Chowk
Old City

The Nawabi Period

 Mohallas

The Nawabi Period

 Stone Bridge Iron Bridge Bridges

The Nawabi Period

 New Settlements

The Nawabi Period

 Hazratganj

The Nawabi Period

by Felice Beato, Panorama of the Husainabad Imambara

The Nawabi Period

by Felice Beato, Overlooking the city towards the Rumi Darwaza

The Nawabi Period

 The Colonial Period

The Uprising/Mutiny, a momentous event that changed the course of Lucknow. After the last
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was deposed and exiled to Matiya Burj (near Calcutta) in 1856, and
administration of Awadh passed into the hands of East India Company, widespread
disgruntlement among the Indians led to the Sepoys revolting and setting fire to the
cantonments in a number of places including Lucknow.

The result was a new ideology, that of British imperialism, which was based on portrayal of
power.

Security, Sanitation and Military

Ruins of Residency

The Colonial Period

 THE Tangible Elements

Source
T h e : Lucknow
C o l archives
onial Period
 Source:U.P.state museum

1. The first work was done in the field of town planning. The work
of reshaping the unhealthy and indefensible city of Lucknow.
2. A 200m stretch was cleared on its banks around Macchi
Bhavan. A map was drawn creating seven broad (150ft wide),
straight roads through the heart of the city to ensure the
smoothly movement of the British troops.
Initial Urban Planning

The Colonial Period

 Felice Beato’s panoramic photographs taken in 1858 capture the entire desolation in the
immediate aftermath of the events.

The Colonial Period

 Source:U.P.state museum

3. Shift of the cantonment

4. Creating green lungs and shift of the graveyard to the edge of the city.

The Colonial Period

 Source:U.P.state museum

5. Shift of the Karbala and the procession route.

Karbala

The Colonial Period

 Source:U.P.state museum

6. Arrival of the railways in 1862 near Charbagh

The Colonial Period

 Sikander Bagh - NBRI 7. New institutions were created at the baghs of the Nawabi rule.

The Colonial Period

 Banarasi Bagh- Geological Park
7. New institutions were created at the baghs of the Nawabi rule.

The Colonial Period

 Badshah bagh - University 7. New institutions were created at the baghs of the Nawabi rule.

The Colonial Period

Machee Bhawan- King George Medical College 7. New institutions were created at the baghs of the Nawabi rule.

The Colonial Period

The Colonial Period
COLONIAL BUILDINGS OF LUCKNOW

ISABELLA THOBURN COLLEGE LUCKNOW UNIVERSITY

MAYFAIR, HAZRATGANJ KING GEORGE’S MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

 VIDHAN SABHA BHAWAN LUCKNOW RAJ BHAWAN (KOTHI HAYAT BAKSH)

CHHATAR MANZIL (KOTHI FARHAT BAKSH) DILKUSHA PALACE

LA MARTINIERE BOY’S COLLEGE COLVIN TALUQDAR’S COLLEGE

ST. AGNES’ LORETO CONVENT ST. FRANCIS’ COLLEGE

 THE RESIDENCY LALBAGH METHODIST CHURCH

ALL SAINTS GARRISON CHURCH CHRIST CHURCH CLOCK TOWER

DILKUSHA PALACE
•Dilkusha Kothi or palace is the remains
of an eighteenth-century house built in the
English baroque style in the
quiet Dilkusha area of Lucknow in India.
•Today there are only a few towers and
external walls as a monument, though the
extensive gardens remain.
•The house was attacked during its
involvement in the Lucknow siege in 1857
together with the Residency and the
nearby school of La Martiniere. A picture taken in the 1880s by
an unknown photographer
shows the palace in ruins

The Kothi in today’s

date
•The Kothi was an exact replica of an English Country house called Seaton
Delavel built in 1721.
•The Kothi was constructed in around 1800 by the British resident Major Gore
Ouseley and a friend of the King of Oudh, Nawab Saadat Ali Khan.
• It was initially intended as a hunting lodge for the Nawabs of Oudh although it
was later used as a summer resort too.
•Changes were made to its design by Nawab Nasir-ud-Din Haider (1827-1837).

DILKUSHA KOTHI IN 1858

PICTURED BY FRANCIS BEATO THE DESIGN FOR SEATON DELAVAL HALL
•The huge semi circular arches with
exposed brickwork and and high piers
constituted the masonry.
•Flat arches
•Blind flat arches

•The use of baroque style scrolls at the

front façade.
•External finishes are of European style
never used in Lucknow before.
USE OF LAKHAURI BRICK
•The material was lakhauri bricks.

•There were flight of steps leading to

landscaped parks/ garden there.

•As it was a palace, landscaping was

given more importance.

•The lime plaster covered the surface.

•It was a climate responsive structure. SEMI- CIRCULAR ARCHES

AND HIGH PIERS
THE RESIDENCY

COLONIAL ERA
1775 A.D.
LUCKNOW,AWADH
 RESIDENCY
The history of the residency can be traced back to 1774 A.D. when Nawab
Shujauddaula agreed to have a British resident stationed at Awadh.

Residency was established at lucknow when the capital of awadh was shifted from
Faizabad to Lucknow in the year 1775 A.D.

Originally, the site of of the residency belonged to Sheikhzadas. Nawab asafuddaula

started the construction of lucknow residency in the year -1775 A.D. for the british
resident and his staff which was completed by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan in 1800 A.D.
Later it was used by chief commisioner of Awadh. Gradually, more buildings were
added as their requirements grew.

The remains of residency gives a remindful memory of the first war of independence of
1857 and its memory can be seen on each and every structure of residency.

These sturctures bear the bruises of constant shelling and counter shelling ,of which
some were completely brought to ground and the remaining in ruins.
During its historic siege in 1857 A.D., these buildings and every fortified post were named
usually named after the person who lived there.
They were named as Sago’s house, Dr. Fayerer’s house, brigade mess, kanpur battery, redan
battery, sikh square, anderson’s post, etc. and covered an area of about 33 acres.
47
BAILLEY
GUARD GATE
The entrance gate to The Residency
13-Dec-15
Bailley Guard Gate, the entrance gate
to The Residency, was constructed by
the Nawab Saadat Ali Khan in the
honour of John Bailley who became
the resident of Lucknow in the
beginning of the 19th century.

This entrance has a rectangular

chamber that is open from the top
having an arched opening on either of
the longer sides i.e. 33’ high and 25’
wide.

The arch is a typical european circular

arch 17’ high and 10’ wide.

On the either side of the opening are

guard rooms that are identical.
COLONIAL
FEATURES

A structure wholly built by clay bricks, has

certain features that can particularly be
categorized as colonial.

As can be seen in the picture on the right of

the guard room, a typical European style pier
that is thick at the base and tapering as it goes
up.
The base upon which the timber lintel has
been placed is flat and has a typical european
moulding that is typically beared upon plaster
of paris.
The
TREASURY
HOUSE
13-Dec-15
The treasury was the structure that was
constructed to keep the exchange and the
collection of taxes at that time.

The treasury is a typical example of colonial

architecture in many of its feature and the
style it has been constructed in.

Basically the treasury house is a single

storeyed square base structure that contains
interconnected cellars.

On the eastern end, there is a hall that could

have been used for common purposes.

The remains of the shelves that were used at

that time can also be seen in the structure.

The picture shown on the right, shows the

memorial stone of the officer incharge that
was posted in the court of the nawab, that is
located at the right of the treasury house.
He was the one for which the residency was
made.
THE INTERIORS AND
THE SALIENT
FEATURES
The treasury had this supporting system of a
combination of twin pillars like many other
structures in the region.

These twin pillars could both be seen on

the interiors as well as exteriors.
Again the colonial touch can be seen in
the pillars and the arches and the mode
of construction of the arches.
Typical european influence seen
in the arches over here;the
method of construction as well
as the mode of ornamentation.
 REAR VIEW OF THE
TREASURY

A COMBINATION OF 3 IDENTICAL
PILLARS COULD BE SEEN ON THE
CORNERS TO SUPPORT THE HEAVY
CEMENTED ROOFS THAT HAD
BEEN DORMENTED WITH TIME.
Dr. FAYRER’S
HOUSE
This structure was named after Dr.
Fayrer who was residency surgeon
during the siege Sir Hennry Lawrence
was shifted to this building after being
mortally wounded on 2nd july who
succumbed to his injuries on 4th
july,1857.

A residence typically built under

british standards to accommodate the
british only.

Excavated only upto two levels only,

originally this residence had a
basement and an upper ground floor at
the time it was used.

A 3-arched entrance leads to the

entrance porch which was in turn
followed by the drawing cum living
room.
As can be seen the roof of the structure
is completely dismantled.
The drawing room has been fitted with an
ethnic British fire hearth place that shows the
influence of the colonial upbringing in at that
time.

Also the capital that all the four supporting

pillars bears is a particularly greek influence
that britishers had imported from europe with
them.

The ground floor illuminated the

basement by proper ventilators as can be
seen in the picture on the left.

This maintained a symphony between the

happenings and the air exchange between
the basement and the ground floor area.
Again neatly crafted
buttresses supported
the heavy and large
walls of the
residence from the
exteriors.

The western façade

of the residence had
a screen of 10 arches
decorated in a
similar fashion as the
arch on the guard
room at the bailley
gate maintaining a
continuation of the
the ornamentation
pattern that could be
seen on each and
every structure.
EUROPEAN INFLUENCE
The mode of ornamentation as done on p.o.p. on the typical
Greek capital.
THE PROPERLY SCHEMATIZED
DRAINAGE SYSTEM
The
BANQUETTING
HALL
13-Dec-15
This hall is said to have been
constructed by Nawab Saadat
Ali Khan. It was probably the
most imposing structure in the
whole area with its state
apartments and spacious
saloons, furnished with costly
chandeliers, mirrors and silk
diwans.

It was used for banquets.

The fine furniture in the hall

was complemented by high
quality of workmanship.
The banqueting hall is entered through
the west end, but later on its entrance
marked through the north end which had
a screen of 5 circular arches.

The structure made upto two storeys ,

had a common hall immediately after the
entrance followed by the common dining
space which inturn was followed by the
leisure space.

The noticeable feature about this

particular building is the style in which
the arches have been ornamented by
plaster in a typically english pattern.

Also noticeable about the structure is the

height of each floor and the beautiful
Greek influence columns rising to an
height of 20’.
The above picture shows the
traditional fire hearth.

The picture adjacent shows the

typically casted imitation of the
monolithic Greek pillars.
13-Dec-15
13-Dec-15
 THE TRABEATED SYSTEM MERGED
THE GRAND ENTRANCE OPENING WITH THE ARCUATED SYSTEM
13-Dec-15
The
FOUNTAIN
This marvelous piece of
ornamentation in black and
white marble in the main
entrance hall exhibits a fine
example of workmanship and
the grandeur that was
observed for the britishers.

The ornamentation upon the arches

with plaster in typical English
characteristic.
VIEW OF THE HALL FROM THE CENTRAL LAWN
The
1857 MEMORIAL
MUSEUM
13-Dec-15
The
MAIN
BUILDING,
RESIDENCY
13-Dec-15
Originally, it was an imposing building of 3
storeys which gave its name to the area.

The principal entrance to the main building was

on the east side, under a handsome portico.

Along the west front it extended to a wide and

lofty colonaded verandah.

spiral stairs inside two turrets on the north and

south sides led to the roof.

There were numerous lofty windows; under the

south side of the building were the deep tykhanas
which provided an effective shed against hot
winds of lucknow summer.

During the siege in 1857, the ladies and the

children of deceased european families had taken
shelter in the tykhana.
THE TURRET CONTAINING THE STAIRCASE
INTERIORS OF THE MAIN BUILDING
13-Dec-15
 TUNNELS AND PASSAGES

13-Dec-15
13-Dec-15
13-Dec-15
OTHER
ESTABLISHMENTS
The CEMETRY
Behind the main building, on its west
lies the crematory of the british and
indian soldiers who were killed in the
mutiny of 1857.

There are altogether two sections which

contains graves of the officers
according to their ranks and nationality.

The KITCHEN
WING
The
BEGUM KOTHI
It originally belonged to Nawab
Asaf-ud-daula and subsequently
was sold to some europeans who
ran a business in european goods.

Later on, it was occupied by

Vilayati Mahal Makhdarah Aliya,
the begum of Nasir-ud-din-haider.

After her death her step –sister

Sharfunnisa had built an imambara
and a mosque at this place in a
traditional architectural style of
awadh unlike other buildings of
residency, remains of whicha are
available.
THE IMAMBARA
THE MOSQUE
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