Islamic Architecture

Provincial Style
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – PUNJAB
TOMB OF SHAH RUKNI ALAM
• Then building is constructed on a elevated terrace,
this was done to dominate the surrounding country
and introduce a focal point of interest into the
monotonous dead level of the landscape.
•The tomb of Rukn-i-Alam at Multan is an octagonal
building and its octagonal base measures 90 feet in
diameter externally and, 51 feet 9 inches in diameter
internally and its total height including its finial is 115
feet, the height of the first storey being 50 feet and
the second 25 feet, while the dome is 50 ft. wide
inside. The walls are 13 feet 3 inches thick.
• At each corner of the octagon is a circular buttress
that slopes towards the top, crowned by a small
domed pinnacle. The second level is set in from the
first, leaving a narrow balcony. Its corners are
crowned with miniature turrets surrounding the base
of the dome.
• Although of brick foundation, its appearance is
considerably enhanced by bands of carved timbering
sunk into the walls at appropriate intervals, and to rich
texture and colouring. The brickwork is elaborately
chiselled, and inlaid with brilliantly coloured tiles.
Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – PUNJAB

TOMB OF SHAH RUKNI ALAM

• The intention of the designers was obviously

that of stability and permanence.
• The tiles were an effort to bring a note of bright
colour into the dull dust tint of its desert setting,
while its walls of thirteen feet of solid brickwork
through which the subdued light passed along the
tunnels of the clerestory grilles were a means of
shutting out the blistering heat and searing
sunlight of Multan.
• In style this mausoleum represents three
patterns of culture, Arabian, Iranian, and Indian,
something of the best has been taken from the
building traditions of each, to produce a
monument of marked architectural character and
possessing a solemn grandeur suitable to its
purpose.

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – PUNJAB

TOMB OF SHAH RUKNI ALAM

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – PUNJAB

TOMB OF SHAH RUKNI ALAM

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – BENGAL
CHOTA SONA MASJID AT GAUR

• The mosque was built during the reign of Sultan

Hussain Shah, between 1493 and 1519.
• The fifteen domes of the mosque were once gilded,
giving the mosque the name of Chota Shona Masjid
(Small Golden Mosque). The gilding that gave the
building its name does not exist anymore.
• The mosque premise, which covers an area of 149ft
from east to west by 145ft m from north to south, was
originally surrounded by an outer wall with a gateway in
the middle of
the east side.
• The main structure is built of brick and stone. It forms
a rectangle having outside dimensions of 82 ft from
north to south and 52 ft from east to west.
• All the four walls are veneered externally with granite
stone blocks.
• The four exterior angles of the building are
strengthened with polygonal towers, of which nine
facets are visible.
• There are five arched doorways in the eastern facade
and three each on the north and south walls.
Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – BENGAL
CHOTA SONA MASJID AT GAUR

• Corresponding to the five archways in the

east wall there are five semi-circular mihrabs
inside the west wall. The stones of most of
these miharbs have disappeared.
• The interior of the mosque, measuring 70ft
X 40ft, is divided into three aisles by two
rows of stone pillars, four in each row Indian
•In the interior a wide central nave has cut the
aisles into halves, each half showing six
equal square units with a side of 3.5 m. The
nave has three rectangular units, each
measuring 3.5m by 4.5 m.
• The interior of the mosque has therefore a
total of fifteen units, of which the three
rectangular units are covered with chauchala
vaults, and the remaining twelve square units
each by an inverted tumbler-shaped dome.

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – BENGAL
CHOTA SONA MASJID AT GAUR
• The domes and vaults are all carried on
radiating arches springing from the
free-standing stone pillars and the engaged
pilasters.
• The upper corners in between the arches of
the square units are filled with corbelled brick
pendentives to make up the phase of transition
for the domes. At the northwest corner of the
mosque there is a royal gallery forming an
upper floor, which is still standing in a
dilapidated condition. It was approached from
the northwest corner of the mosque through a
stepped platform connected with a doorway.
The gallery has a mihrab in front.
• Stone carving, brick-setting, terracotta, gilding
and glazed tiles were used in decorating the
building.
• The interior of the domes and vaults are
decorated with terracotta, those of the vaults
being copies of the bamboo frames of local
huts.
• All the frontal archways and those of the
mihrabs are cusped. Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – BENGAL
CHOTA SONA MASJID AT GAUR

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – GUJARAT
JAMI MASJID AT AHEMADABAD

• The Jami Masjid of Ahmedabad is generally considered one of the best of mosque design in
western India.
• The architectural effect of this mosque is concentrated on its façade. There is a flagged
courtyard in front measuring 255 feet by 220 feet. It is broad and simple and its spaciousness
emphasizes the richness of its structural formation.
• In the conception of the front elevation of the sanctuary two different façade conventions have
been combined. One is the screen of arches on the centre and the pillared portico on the sides.
• This combination creates a subtle contrast between the volume and strength of arcade and the
depth and airy lightness of the colonnade on the side.
• As a composition of solids and voids this facade is superb with its three main openings well
balanced and in excellent proportion.
• The large central archway is accentuated and supported by the richly moulded buttresses of
the minarets. The upper parts of these minarets have now disappeared.
Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – GUJARAT
JAMI MASJID AT AHMADABAD

• The graceful curves of these arches are outlined

against the darker interior causing the alternation
and interplay of light and shade among its frontal
columns.
• The interior of this mosque sanctuary takes the
form of a hall 210 feet long and 95 feet deep, and
consists of some 300 tall slender pillars.
• These pillars are so closely set, that the
average distance between them is less than five
feet.
• The arrangements of these pillars has been
carefully planned, as they are symmetrically
disposed into a series of fifteen square bays.
Each bay is covered by a dome.
• The central compartment of nave rises up into
three stories. The side aisles are two storied. The
remainder of the interior is one story only in
height.
• The nave is composed of two pillared galleries
one above the other. The whole structure is
supported on the tall columns of the hall below.
Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – GUJARAT
JAMI MASJID AT AHMADABAD
• These galleries enclose a wide central shaft similar like an atrium. The lower gallery of this
atrium is square and the upper gallery is octagonal.
• This atrium is carried up through both stories and is covered by a dome. At each stage is a
platform with a balcony overlooking the atrium and is provided with a sloping backed seat.
• Around the exterior of these galleries are pillared verandahs. There are perforated stone
screens in the arcades between the pillars. It is through these screens that the galleries are
illuminated. as they are so arranged that no direct light can penetrate.

Islamic Architecture
PROVINCIAL STYLE – GUJARAT

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – GUJARAT
JAMI MASJID AT AHMADABAD

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – GUJARAT
JAMI MASJID AT AHMADABAD

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – GUJARAT
JAMI MASJID AT AHMADABAD

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – GUJARAT
JAMI MASJID AT AHMADABAD

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – DECCAN STYLE
GOLGUMBAZ AT BIJAPUR
• Gol Gumbaz meaning "circular dome“, is the
mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah, Sultan of
Bijapur, built in 1656AD. With an area of
16,000sqft, the mausoleum has one of the
biggest single chamber spaces in the world.
• Taking its exterior dimensions, the total width of
one of its square sides is equal to the entire
height of the building which is a little over 156
feet, and the outside diameter of the dome is
144 feet.
• Eight intersecting arches created by two
rotated squares that create interlocking
pendentives support the dome.
• At each of the four corners of the cube, is a
dome-capped octagonal tower seven stories
high with a staircase inside. The upper floor of
each opens on to a round gallery which
surrounds the dome.
• A "Whispering Gallery“ runs around the inner
edge of the dome, where even the softest sound
can be heard on the other side of the
mausoleum due to the acoustics of the space. Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – DECCAN STYLE
GOLGUMBAZ AT BIJAPUR
• The main decorative element on the façade is the
fine projecting cornice, its deep shadow.
enriched by closely set brackets . Above this is an
arcade of small arches. Over this are massive
merlons with finials at intervals that add interest to
the skyline with their graceful shapes.
• There are the bold foliations at the base of the
dome. concealing the point of juncture with the
drum in a most appropriate manner. On the main
wall-space three are shallow arches sunk in each
face. The larger archway in the centre is panelled
out so as to reduce it to the scale of a normal
doorway.
• The noticeable architectural feature in this grand
domed hall are the tall pointed arches
forming the sides, which support a circular
platform, which receives the base of the dome.
• The system of construction employed in this
interior was simple. Beginning with a square
plan, as the walls gained in height this square was
made to change its shape, so that at its summit it
should form an octagon and, ultimately a circle.
Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – DECCAN STYLE
GOLGUMBAZ AT BIJAPUR

• The conversion of the square below into a circle

above was achieved by ingeniously arranging each
arch so that its feet stood within the sides of the
square plan, but with its plane of surface at an
angle, the intersection above producing the eight
sided figure on which the circular cornice was
projected.
• The interior surface of the dome is set back 12ft
from the inner edge of this circle, so that a part of
its weight is transmitted directly downwards on to
the four walls, the remainder being carried on the
intersecting arches.
• The dome itself is plain plastered with six small
openings through the drum. The dome has an
average thickness of ten feet.
• The interior of the hall measures 135 feet across,
and it is 178 feet high, while the gallery from which
the dome springs is 110 feet above the pavement

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – DECCAN STYLE
CHARMINAR AT HYDERABAD
• Of the building of the Qutb Shahi period at the
existing capital of the Nizam's dominions which
presents the most real architectural value is neither
a mosque nor a tomb. but a monumental structure
erected in I591, as a form of triumphal archway. and
now called the Char Minar. or Four Minars.
• The Char Minar is a composition of considerable
size as its square plan measures 100 feet side. and
the four minars. one at each corner are each 186
feet in height.
• Its ground story consists of four spreading
archways, one In each side and each of 36 feet
span. over which rise a series of diminishing stories
beginning with a substantial arcaded triforium, and
having a smaller arcade and a perforated
balustrade above.
• There is a certain aesthetic excellence in the
conception of this grand archway. it has strength
without being aggressive, is dignified yet spirited.
while its upper structure displays a graceful
inventiveness.
• Especially noteworthy are the minar, which in
lightly leaping stages provide that soaring effect so Islamic Architecture
essential in a building of such a nature.
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – DECCAN STYLE
CHARMINAR AT HYDERABAD

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – DECCAN STYLE
CHARMINAR AT HYDERABAD

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – DECCAN STYLE
CHARMINAR AT HYDERABAD

Islamic Architecture
 PROVINCIAL STYLE – DECCAN STYLE
CHARMINAR AT HYDERABAD

Islamic Architecture