Features and Developments of

Architecture during Mughal

Period
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Golden Period of Architecture:

Although all the Mughal rulers except Aurangzeb took great interest
in architecture, yet Shah Jahan surpasses all in the field of
architecture.

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There is no doubt that architecture reached the pinnacle of its glory

during the period of Shah Jahan.

The period of Shah Jahan (1627-1658) witnessed a glorious outburst

of activity in the development of architecture.
 image source: archhistdaily.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/humayun.jpg

At the same time it must also be accepted that a period of 100 years
(1556-1658) covered by the reign of Akbar, Jahangir and Shah
Jahan has a special significance for the promotion of architecture.
Likewise there was some activity in this area in the period of Babur
and Humayun. Therefore, it is said that the Mughal period was the
golden period of Indian architecture.

Main features of Mughal Architecture:

1. Variety of buildings:
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The Mughal rulers built magnificent gates, forts, mausoleums,

mosques, palaces, public buildings and tombs etc.

2. 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.

3. Specific characteristic:
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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.

4. 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.

5. Building material:
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During the Mughal period, buildings were constructed mostly of red

sandstone and white marble.

Development of architecture under different Mughal

rulers:
Babur and architecture:
Babur was not impressed by Indian architecture. At the same time
he was busy in waging wars. Nevertheless he sent for the pupils of
Sinan the noted Albanian architect to work with Indian craftsmen
whose skills he had appreciated. But this did not materialise. As
Babur recorded in his Memories, he employed 680 workmen and
1491 stone cutters daily on his various buildings in India. He
constructed several buildings but only two mosquesone at Panipat
and the other at Sambhal have survived.

Humayun and architecture:

Humayuns troubled reign did not allow him enough opportunity to
give full play to his artistic temperament. Even then he constructed
the palace of Din-i-Panah in Delhi which was probably destroyed
by Sher Shah. Humayun constructed some mosques at Agra and
Hissar.

Akbar and architecture:

The history of Mughal architecture really starts with Akbar. Just as
Akbar built up an extensive empire on the goodwill of the Hindus,
in the same way he utilised local talent and took inspiration from
Indian architecture. One of the earliest buildings built is the Tomb
of Humayun, in Delhi. It was built after Humayuns death by his
first wife Hamida Banu Begam. This splendid tomb, designed by a
Persian Architect Malik Mirza Ghiyas and executed by Indian
craftsmen and masons, is a fine example of the synthesis of Indian-
Persian traditions.

Important buildings built during Akbars time include the

following:
(1) Red Fort at Agra.

(2) City of Fatehpur Sikri

(3) Lahore fort,

(4) Tomb at Sikandra.

During Akbars time, it is said that about 500 beautiful buildings

were constructed in the Red Fort at Agra but only a few of them now
survive.

Main features of Akbars buildings are:

(i) Synthesis of Hindu- Muslim art tradition

(ii) Extensive use of red stone

(iii) Construction of buildings for civilian purposes.

Jahangir and architecture:

Jahangir had fine artistic sense but he was more fond of painting
than architecture. Two important buildings were raised. One was
the completion of the Tomb of Akbar at Sikandra and the other was
the Tomb of Itmad-ul-Daula built by Nur Jahan over the grave of
her father. The most important feature of this tomb is that it is
decorated with pietra dura i.e. in-laid with semi-precious stones of
different colours.

Shah Jahan and architecture:

Shah Jahans period is usually called the Golden Age of Mughal
Architecture and he is given the titles of Prince among the
Builders and Engineer King. His most important and impressive
buildings are the Taj Mahal, Red Fort and Jama Masjid. These
buildings are extremely beautiful and soft.

Shah Jahan mostly made use of marble in place of red stone. With a
view to enhance the beauty and effect of the ceilings, he made full
use of gold, silver, precious and coloured stones. At several places,
the pictures of trees, animal scenes and other flora and fauna have
been depicted. (See next question).

Aurangzeb and architecture:

Aurangzebs accession to the throne marks the end of rich harvest in
building art. His puritanism gave little encouragement to the
development of art. He is usually discredited with the destruction of
two most important Hindu temples at Banaras and Mathura and
raising mosques upon them. He built the Shahi Masjid at Lahore.
Features and Developments of Architecture during Mughal Period

http://www.historydiscussion.net/history-of-india/features-and-developments-of-
architecture-during-mughal-period/2854
Features of Mughal Architecture
The great Mughals had left an indelible mark on architecture of Indo-Persian school
of art. The use of pure white marble, inlay work of gold, silver and precious metals,
cut and polished stones, gardens around tombs, minarets in the mosques and
palace halls were some of the chief features of the art.

Babur built buildings at Dholpur, Gwalior, Sikri etc and mosques at Kabuli
Bazar of Panipat, Sambhal and Agra.

Humayun built mosques at Fatehabad in Hissar. Sher Shah built monuments,

inns, miners and educational centers. His Purana Quila is a unique blend or
Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Muslim School of art.

Akbars time saw a further improvement. A fusion of Indo-Persian style was

seen in the Humayuns Tomb.

In Agra Fort importance was given to Gujarat and Bengal architectural school.

Fatehpur Sikri, the greatest creation of Akbar houses Diwani-Khas, Diwan-i-

Am, Panch Mahal, Jodhabai Place, Birbals Place, Buland Darwaja and the
tomb of Salim Chisti outside the enclosure.

Jahangir devoted more time to miniature painting and his architectural

contributions are poorer than that of Akbar. Itimad-ud-Daulas tomb at Agra and
Akbars mausoleum at Sikandra are the two buildings made by him.

The Mughal architecture in Shah Jahans time reached its final glory. Shah
Jahan replaced Akbars red stone structures in Agra and Lahore and rebuilt
them in white marble. His additions were seen in Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Am,
Sish Mahal, Musamman Burj and Moti Masjid.

The Red fort built of red sandstone and marble has exquisite and vast
gateways, Di wan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas. In the Diwan-i-Khas, where the
emperor gave audience to the royal princess, nobles and other dignitaries had
the gem studded Peacock Throne placed.
 Jama Masjid at Delhi was one of the most elegant buildings of his time. Shah
Jahan has immortalized his name by buildings the Taj Mahal in the memory of
his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. Aurangzeb, a staunch Sunni Muslim was
averse to art and culture. His period was marked by decline in art and
architecture.

Features of Mughal Architecture - Important India

http://www.importantindia.com/12318/features-of-mughal-architecture/

Overview: Mughal Architecture

Mughal architecture is the distinctive Indo-Islamic architectural style that developed in northern and
central India under the patronage of Mughal emperors from the 16th to the 18th century. It is a
remarkably symmetrical and decorative amalgam of Persian, Turkish, and Indian architecture. The
Mughals were also renowned for creating exquisite gardens in the Persian charbagh layout, in
which the quadrilateral gardens were divided by walkways or flowing water into four smaller parts.

Architecture Under Akbar

Early Mughal architecture first developed during the reign of Akbar the Great (15561605), who
commissioned palaces, mosques, gardens, and mausoleums. The architecture was a synthesis of
Persian, Turkic, Timurid Iranian, Central Asian, and Indian Hindu and Muslim styles. Akbari
architecture is also remarkable for its large scale use of sandstone, evident both in the construction of
Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's royal city, and Akbar's own tomb in Sikandra. The mosque at Fatehpur Sikri
boasts the Buland Darwaza, the largest gateway of its kind in India. Early Mughal mosques had
massive enclosed courtyards and domed shallow prayer halls.

Tomb of Humayun

One of the most stellar accomplishments of Mughal architecture under Akbar is the tomb of his father
Humayun, situated in Delhi. Commissioned in 1562 by Humayun's wife, Hamida Banu Begum, and
designed by a Persian architect, Humayun's Tomb was the first garden tomb on the Indian
subcontinent and the first structure to use red sandstone on such a large scale. It is also the first
Indian building to use the Persian double dome, with an outer layer supporting a white marble exterior
a material not seen in earlier Mughal architectureand the inner layer giving shape to the
cavernous interior volume. The use of indigenous Rajasthani decorative elements is particularly
striking, including the small canopies or chhatris (elevated, dome shaped pavilions) surrounding the
central dome. It boasts the use of the pietra dura technique, with marble and even
stone inlay ornamentation in geometrical and arabesque patterns on the facade of the mausoleum,
and jali or latticed stone carving decoration. This style of decorative facade was an important addition
to Mughal architecture and flourished in later Mughal mausolea, including the Taj Mahal.
Humayun's Tomb

Humayun's Tomb, seen from the main gateway.

Architecture Under Jahangir

Under the rule of Jahangir (16051627), Mughal architecture became more Persian than Indian.
Jahangir's great mosque at Lahore is a good example of the Persian style and is covered with
enameled tiles. At Agra, the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daula, completed in 1628, was built entirely of white
marble and decorated in elaborate pietra dura mosaic, an inlay technique of using cut and fitted,
highly polished colored stones to create images.

Architecture Under Shah Jahan

The vision of Shah Jahan (16281658) introduced a delicate elegance and detail to Mughal
architecture, illustrated in the Jama Masjid in Delhi, the Moti Masjid situated within the Agra Fort, and
the Sheesh Mahal in the Lahore Fort, which makes spectacular use of pietra dura and complex
mirror work. Shah Jahan's most famous achievement, however, is indisputably the Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal

Located in Agra, the Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum built between 1632 and 1648 by Shah
Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Constructed by 20,000 men, it represents the
Islamic garden of paradise and is widely regarded as the greatest achievement in Mughal architecture.

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Majal, built under Shah Jahan, represents the Islamic garden of paradise and
is widely regarded as the greatest achievement in Mughal architecture.

The mausoleum rests in the middle of a large square plinth and has four almost identical facades,
each with a large arch-shaped doorway. It is topped by a large double dome and a finial, combining
both the traditional Islamic motif of the crescent moon and the Hindu symbol of the trident,
associated with the god Shiva. The central dome is adorned with a lotus design and is surrounded by
four smaller chhatris, each of which also has the same lotus motif. Four tall minarets extend from
the corners of the plinth.
The exterior decorations of the Taj Mahal include calligraphy, abstract forms, verses from the
Koran, and vegetable motifs, executed in paint, stucco, carvings, and pietra dura work. The interior
decorations also feature inlay work of precious and semi-precious gemstones. Muslim tradition forbids
elaborate decoration of graves, and the bodies of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal are interred in a
plain crypt underneath the mausoleum. However, the inner tomb features two cenotaphs, or false
tombs, that are richly decorated with inlays of semi-precious stones forming vines and flowers and
surrounded by jali screens, or latticed screens with ornamental patterns constructed through the use
of calligraphy and geometry.

Inside the inner tomb

This is an example of pietra dura inlay work and lattice carvings from the interior of
the Taj Mahal.

Aurangzeb and Later Mughal Architecture

During Aurangzeb's reign (16581707), brick and rubble with stucco ornamentation replaced squared
stone and marble as the building materials of choice. Aurangzeb was responsible for additions to the
Lahore Fort: building one of the 13 gates, which was named for him, and building the Badshahi
mosque, a structure constructed from brick with red sandstone facades. In general, however, Mughal
architecture had begun to decline during Aurangzeb's reign, a process that would accelerate after his
death.

Source: Boundless. Architecture of the Mughal Period. Boundless Art History Boundless, 14 Oct.
2016. Retrieved 14 Jan. 2017 from https://www.boundless.com/art-history/textbooks/boundless-art-
history-textbook/south-and-southeast-asia-after-1200-ce-28/the-mughal-period-178/architecture-of-
the-mughal-period-662-11018/