PRESENTATION TOPIC:
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MUGHAL
ARCHITECTURE
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MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE IN LAHORE
Introduction:
Mughal architecture is the type of Indo-Islamic architecture developed by the
Mughals in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries in the Indian subcontinent. It is
characterized by its symmetry, geometrical shapes, and detailed ornamentation.
Typical elements include the use of pointed arches, bulbous domes, magnificent
minarets with cupolas at the four corners, large halls, and enormous gateways.
Lahore is the city of Mughal heritage in the true sense of the word. Grand
buildings with a delicate touch of landscaping express the story of a splendid
era of building construction. Some chapters of this monumental architecture
have been torn or distorted by subsequent rulers and others are fading away
due to the aggressiveness of the environment but still stand as a witness of
Mughal grandeur.
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Grave of Emperor Jahangir II (3 November 1605 – 28 October 1627)
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EARLY MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE
Lahore touched the zenith of its glory during the Mughal rule from 1524 to 1752. The Mughals, who
were famous as builders, gave Lahore some of its finest architectural monuments, many of which are
extant today.
From 1524 to 1752, Lahore was part of the Mughal Empire. Lahore grew under emperor Babur; from
1584 to 1598, under the emperors Akbar the Great and Jahangir, the city served as the empire's
capital. Lahore reached the peak of its architectural glory during the rule of the Mughals, many of
whose buildings and gardens have survived the ravages of time. Lahore's reputation for beauty
fascinated the English poet John Milton, who wrote "Agra and Lahore, the Seat of the Great Mughal"
in 1670. During this time, the massive Lahore Fort was built. A few buildings within the fort were added
by Akbar's son, Mughal emperor Jahangir, who is buried in the city. Jahangir's son, Shahjahan Burki,
was born in Lahore. He, like his father, extended the Lahore Fort and built many other structures in the
city, including the Shalimar Gardens. The last of the great Mughals, Aurangzeb, who ruled from 1658
to 1707, built the city's most famous monuments, the Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri Gate next to
the Lahore Fort.
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The Alamgiri Gate is the main entrance to the Lahore Fort built during the reign of Aurangzeb.
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SHAH JAHAN (1628–58) REIGN: THE
‘GOLDEN AGE OF MUGHAL
ARCHITECTURE
“As it was the proud statement of Augustus that
he found Rome built of bricks and left it of
marble, similarly Shah Jahan had found the
Mughal cities of stones, he left them of marble”.
Percy Brown
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RECENTLY RESTORED ROOF OF SHAHI HAMAM
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Masjid Wazir Khan Lahore
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Jahangir Tomb built by ShahJahan (1637,)
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Shalamar Gardens Lahore
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Shah Jahan’s 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, Jama Masjid, Shalamar Gardens and Jahangir Tomb Lahore. Shah
Jahan mostly made use of marble in place of red stone. The Shalamar Gardens World Heritage
Site was built in the form of a rectangle aligned along a north–south axis. The square shaped
terraces were both divided into four equivalent smaller squares by long fountains (140) flanked by
brick khayaban walkways designed to be elevated in order to provide better views of the garden.
Shah Jahan also renovated buildings such as the Moti Masjid, Sheesh Mahal and Naulakha
pavilion, which are all enclosed in the Lahore Fort. He also built a mosque in Lahore called Wazir
Khan Mosque, by Shaikh Ilm-ud-din Ansari who was the physician to the emperor. It is famous for
its rich embellishment which covers almost every interior surface. Nearby Shahi Hammam was
constructed. Shah Jahan also built the mausoleum 10 years after his father’s death. The tomb has
state of the art architecture and is the finest ornament of historical Lahore. Red sand stone and
marble is extensively used with its facade adorned in fine-looking marble motifs and floral
patterns. The interior is embellished with floral frescos. The ninety nine attributes of Allah are also
engraved here.
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The central chamber of the Shahi Hammam is decorated with frescoes.
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Other Mughals Monuments:
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Badshahi Mosque, in Lahore, Pakistan was the largest mosque in the world for
313 years, and is the last of the imperial mosques built by the
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Begum Shahi Mosque is Lahore's earliest dated Mughal period mosque
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The Tomb of Jahangir at Lahore does not have a dome as Jahangir forbade construction of a
dome over his tomb.
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The Shalimar Gardens, Lahore are among the most famous Mughal gardens.
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Features:
Mughal architecture incorporates Hindu elements with Persian
and Islamic elements. Some features common to many buildings
are: Large bulbous onion domes, sometimes surrounded by four
smaller domes.
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HINDU ELEMENT :
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Kailash Temple, Example of Indian rock-cut architecture.
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• PERSIAN ELEMENT
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Azadi Tower, by architect Hossein Amanat. His ideas were based upon classical and
post-classical Iranian architecture
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MUSLIM ELEMENT:
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Arches of the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba (Spain)
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REFERENCES;
● Use of white marble and red sandstone.
● Use of delicate ornamentation work, including pachin kari decorative work and jali-
latticed screens.
● Monumental buildings surrounded by gardens on all four sides.
● Mosques with large courtyards.
● Persian and Arabic calligraphic inscriptions, including verses from the Quran.
● Large gateways leading up to the main building.
● Iwans on two or four sides.
● Use of decorative chhatris.
● Use of jalis and jharokhas.
Mughal architecture has also influenced later Indian architectural styles, including the
Indo-Saracenic style of the British Raj, the Rajput style and the Sikh style.
