MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE:

• The imperial rule of sultans at Delhi had declined and moguls captured Delhi and began to
assume control over Northern India.
• Zahir ud din Mohammad Babur was the founder of Mughal dynasty.
• He was the descendant of Chengis Khan and Timur from Mongolia
• The word Mughal is changed form of Magolia to Mughal Or Mogul.
• Mughals were Sunni Muslims. They entered into India through Khyber Pass.
• Mughals were passionate towards buildings, which resulted in construction of great
buildings.
• The building art in North India has attained its supreme form under the patronage of
Mughals. Excellent buildings were built during this period and the factors responsible for
this are :
 Wealth and power of the empire.
 Settled conditions prevailing in the country and surroundings.
 Aesthetic nature of Mughal rulers themselves.
• During the early years of Mughal rule, the country was in unsetteled condition. Babur’s
ruling is a short period of 5 years and hence remarkable buildings were built.
• The following are the mosques built in 1526 C.E during Babur’s period.
 Mosque in Kabuli Bagh at Panipat
 Jami masjid at Sambhal in Moradabad district in Uttar Pradesh, which was Sikandar
Lodi’s provincial capital.
• Mughal architecture may be divided into two phases:
 Red Sandstone phase : First phase under Humayun & Akbar.
 Marble Phase : Second phase, under Shah Jahan.
 INTRODUCTION

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.
Its plan, based on the description of
Islamic paradise gardens, is known to
have inspired the Taj Mahal
LOCATION
 SELECTION OF SITE
Hazrat nizammudin auliya residence
was in the precinct, Humayun himself
found close to this soil.

The premises was already within the

city of sher shah suri and perhaps the
south gate of the purana qila and
barapullah.

Easily available materials, artesian

and skilled laborers

Its close proximity to Yamuna river

were other factors for the selection of
this site.
 AIDUKA

It was a quadrangular structure which

enshrined bone relics.

It was a three tiered quadrangular structure

which assume a circular form above the third
plinth and having steps on all the four sides.

Humayun’s tomb is also a three tiered

quadrangular structure having steps on all
sides and circular dome above the third
plinth.
THE TOMB
 PLAN
It is a square ninefold plan.

Eight two-storyed vaulted

chambers radiate from the central,
double-height domed chamber.

The chambers of each level are

interconnected by straight 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.
 PLAN
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
i. The outer layer
supports the white
marble exterior
facing.
ii. The inner one
defines the
cavernous interior
volume.

The top of its central dome

reaches 140 feet from the
ground.
 THE SARCOPHAGUS
The sarcophagus of Humayun is found
in the central domed chamber.

The head pointing north,and facing

west according to Islamic practice.

Black marble has been used for

geometrical patterns to relive the
monotony.

S E chamber – 3 daughters of
humayun
N E chamber – 2 wives of humayun
S W chamber – bahadur shah and his
wife
 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.
 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.
 ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
A large iwan, a high arch, punctuates the center of each
facade, and is set back slightly. Together with the other
arches and openings, giving the façade a depth.

Pink and white stone is used in the construction of the tomb.

The dome of the tomb is made of . white stone, which gives it a
beautiful look.

The architects of the tomb, Sayyed Mohammad and his

.
father were persian.But they were influenced with the Hindu
architecture and other buildings in the Delhi.
It has hexagonal chattries (domed pavilions) like those found
in the Rajput forts
STRUCTURES NEAR HUMAYUN’S
TOMB
 BARBER’S TOMB

Barber's tomb lies south east of Humayun's

tomb in the same complex.

It is said that Humayun built this impressive

square tomb with a double dome to honor his
favorite barber, as the barber played a
prominent part in the lives of Mughal rulers.

There are two graves with inscriptions from

the Holy Quran within this tomb.
 AFSARWALA MOSQUE AND TOMB
The Afsarwala mosque is located
in the eastern enclosure of the Arab
Sarai on a raised platform.

Its prayer hall has three arched

openings surmounted by a dome.

To its north is a long hall in time-

worn condition.

The tomb lies in the southeastern

corner of the mosque on the same
platform.

It has an octagonal structure

surmounted by a double dome.
 ARAB SARAI GATE
This 14 m high gateway led to the
walled enclosure which housed the
Persian craftsman who came here
for the building of humayun’s
tomb.

Red sandstone and white marble

inlay work add a striking touch to
the gateway mostly built of Delhi
quartzite stone.

The projecting jharokhas still

display remnants of the glazed tiles.
 ISA KHAN’S TOMB AND MOSQUE
Built by Isa Khan in 1547-48, the tomb is located
in the center of an octagonal garden enclosure.

Ornamented with glazed tiles, the red

sandstone tomb has a roof surmounted by a
domed chhatri.

Good example of the Lodi style of architecture.

Each side of the central octagonal chamber has

three arches and each arch has a chhajja or lintel.

The tomb rises from a low pedestal surrounded by

a small wall with the sides of the main chamber
closed by penetrated stone slabs except on the west
and south.
The central dome of the tomb rises from a 32-sided
drum.
The mosque next to the tomb is situated to the
western side of the octagonal enclosure. Built of
sandstone and lime, the mosque has three domes.