Case Study: 11.1. Humayun'S Tomb Garden Complex
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Ar Meena JadounCase Study: 11.1. Humayun'S Tomb Garden Complex
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Ar Meena JadounCHAPTER -11
CASE STUDY
11.1. HUMAYUN’S TOMB GARDEN COMPLEX:-
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi is the first of the grand dynastic mausoleums that were to
become synonyms of Mughal architecture with the architectural style reaching its zenith
80 years later at the later Taj Mahal.
The tomb construction was initially commissioned by haji begum AND THE Humanyu
‘s Senior widow but was majorly completed by Akbar.
The tomb was constructed on as site about 15 kilometers south of Parana Qila, only a
short distance from Nizamuddin.
The architect of the tomb was Sayyad Muhammad from Herat, which explains the
influence of Timurid styled double-skinned bulbous dome, and the layout of the
mausoleum at the center of the garden
Humanyun tomb stands in the middle of a spacious walled charbagh, around 365
square meters. The Garden is dominated by a grid of 3by 3 squares, the central square being
occupied by arcaded podium on which the tomb is raised
FIG.70. front view of humanyun tomb
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CASE STUDY
This nine-square grid is combined with
quadripartite arrangement dominated by
cross-axes to create a total 6 by 6 sub
divisions, the four central ones coinciding
with the podium.
Axial pathways leading from the tomb to
the gateways and secondary buildings at
the midpoints of the garden walls are
emphasized by broader walkways with
channel and square or octagonal pools
with fountains
The initial glance that a person gets when
entering the Tomb complex is that of a
vast green carpeted area divided with
FIG.71. 9 folded garden
water channels.
This amazes one with the shear
proportion and size of the entire
complex, this design aspect has
been explained by Charles W
Moore in his book poetics of
Gardens that the massive red
sandstone building surmounted
with a bulbous dome has been
planned at the center of a char
bagh laid to match the
FIG.72. Water channel divided 4 square gardens
monumental scale of the Tomb
structure.
the layout of the garden in a grid
of this 36 squares divided by a
narrow water channel with the
central 4 squares forming the
podium for the Tomb is a matter
of practical approach towards
planning.
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CASE STUDY
The entire tomb and the garden is enclosed within high rubble walls on three sides, the fourth side
was meant to be the river Yamuna, which has since shifted course away from the structure.
The central walkways, terminate at two gates: a main one in the southern wall, and a smaller one
in the western wall.
It has two double - storey entrances, the West gate which used now, while the South gate, which
was used during Mughal era, now remains closed. Aligned at the Centre on the eastern wall lies
a baradari, literally a pavilion with twelve doors, which is a building or room with twelve doors
designed to allow the free draught of air through it, finally on the northern wall lies a hammam, a
bath chamber.
FIG.73. Gardens of humanyun tomb
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