ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
MODULE I- IMPERIAL STYLE
EH 301 HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE – IV SEMESTER V
TOPICS
MODULE I
ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE – IMPERIAL STYLE
Evolution of Islamic religious architecture in India
Influences on Islamic Architecture
Salient features of a mosque
Example – Qutb Minar, Delhi
Qu-at ul islam mosque complex
Varieties of squinch
Architectural Development under the kings
Khalji - Example - Alai Darwaza
Tughlaq dynasty - Tomb of Ghiasuddin Tughlaq
Khirki Masjid
Shish gumbad & Purana Quila, Delhi
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INTRODUCTION
DATE : 622 AD
PLACE :MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA
FOUNDER :PROPHET MOHAMMED (BORN C.570)
Islamic architecture can be define as a building traditions of Muslim
populations of the Middle East and any countries where Islam has been
dominant from the 7th century onwards.
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and
religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day.
Principal Islamic architectural types are
• Mosque
• Tomb
• Palace
• Fort
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INTRODUCTION
Indo-Islamic architecture is the architecture of the Indian subcontinent
produced by and for Islamic patrons and purposes. Despite an initial Arab
presence in Sindh, the development of Indo-Islamic architecture began with
the establishment of Delhi as the capital of the Ghurid dynasty in 1193.
In 1192 CE, the Ghurids defeated Prithviraj at the battle of Tarain, and is seen
as a landmark event in the Islamic conquest of India
Succeeding the Ghurids was the Delhi Sultanate, a series of Central Asian
dynasties that consolidated much of North India, and later the Mughal Empire
by the 15th century.
Both of these dynasties introduced Persian, Turkish and Islamic architecture
and art styles from Western Eurasia into the Indian subcontinent.
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SULTANATE PERIOD – 1206 AD -1557 AD
The Delhi or The Imperial Style of Indo Islamic Architecture
flourished between 1191 AD – 1557 AD
Muslim Dynasties
Slave ( 1191 -1290)
Khalji (1290 – 1320)
Tughlaq (1320 -1413)
Sayyid (1414 – 1444)
Lodi (1451 -1557)
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SULTANATE PERIOD – 1206 AD -1557 AD
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SLAVE DYNASTY (1191 - 1290)
First Muslim Dynasty to rule India
Muhammed Ghori
Qutub –ud- din Aibak (1206 -1210)
Iltumish (1211 -1236)
Ghiyasuddin Balban (1266 -1286)
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QUTB MINAR (1199AD)
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QUTB MINAR (1199 AD)
240 ft Tall (73m)
Red and grey sandstone and
Marble
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QUTB MINAR (1199 AD)
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QUTB MINAR (1199 AD)
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QUTB MINAR (1199 AD)
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QUWWAT –UL – ISLAM MOSQUE (1198 AD)
Quwwat-ul-Islam means The Power of Islam Founded by
Qutb-ud-din Aibak
Founded within the fortified city of the Qila Rai Pithora built
by Prithviraj.
Construction Started in1192& Completed in 1198.
Due to the ignorance of the structural techniques of the true
arch and dome, Indian masons imitated shapes only
superficially, and most of them collapsed later.
EH 301 HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE – IV SEMESTER V
QUWWAT –UL – ISLAM MOSQUE (1198 AD)
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QUWWAT –UL – ISLAM MOSQUE (1198 AD)
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QUWWAT –UL – ISLAM MOSQUE (1198 AD)
Joint venture between
Hindu builders and
Islamic overseers.
An identifiable
structural vocabulary
Pointed arch for
spanning openings in
the wall
Hemispherical dome
for roofs.
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QUWWAT –UL – ISLAM MOSQUE (1198 AD)
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QUTB COMPLEX
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TOMB OF ILTUMISH (1235AD)
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TOMB OF ILTUMISH (1235AD)
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TOMB OF ILTUMISH (1235AD)
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TOMB OF ILTUMISH (1235AD)
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TOMB OF NASIR-UD-DIN MOHAMMED
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TOMB OF BALBAN ( 1286)
First true arch ever built in India
Multi chambered tomb
Key stone was used for
construction of arches
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KHALJI DYNASTY (1290 -1320)
Death of Shams-ud-din Iltutmish of the Slave Dynasty in 1234
Short rule of the House of Balban, with the true arch
No buildings of were undertaken until the rise of the Khaljis in the
last years of the thirteenth century
Dynasty of Afghanized Turks from the village of Khalji, near Ghazni
Firoz Jalla –ud-din Khalji ascended the throne of Delhi in 1290
Ala-ud-din Khalji murdered Jalla –ud-din Khalji and crowned
himself as the King of Delhi in 1296
Marks the evolution of innovative features in the Indo- Islamic
architecture
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KHALJI DYNASTY (1290 -1320)
Alai Darwaza at Qutb Complex
(Darwasa near the Qutb Minar which served as entrance gateway to
the mosque at the Qutb Complex)
Alai Hauz at Hauz Khas (reservoir at Hauz Khaz around 1311AD)
New city of Siri fort (Second city of Delhi)
Alai Minar
Jamat Khana Masjid near Nizamuddin in Delhi
Ukha Masjid in Bharatpur in Rajasthan were also built during this
period
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ALAI DARWAZA (1305)
Inscriptional bands from Quran
Horse shoe shaped arch
Slender pilaster works
Intrados of the arch - spear and head
fringe (garland of buds)
Treatment of outer façade as two
storeyed building with blind windows in
its non existent upper storey – enticing
technique
Star and hexagon jaali work
Create intricate and complex pattern
Jaali – architectural feature for
illumination and ventilation – contrast to
dark interiors of Hindu temples
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ALAI DARWAZA (1305)
Blend of red
sandstone and white
marble as facing
materials
56 feet (17m) square
base
34 feet (10.3m)
Dome
Squinches
constructed of true
arches
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ALAI DARWAZA (1305)
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ALAI DARWAZA (1305)
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ALAI DARWAZA (1305)
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ALAI DARWAZA (1305)
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Qutb Complex with extensions carried out by Ala-ud-din Khalji
Quwat-ul-islam mosque
Iltumish enlarged the size by three
times
Ala-ud-din Khalji by six times by
adding another cloister around the
existing one
Northern side added Alai Minar
21.3 m high rubble stump exists today
– he envisaged the minar to be higher
than Qutb Minar
Alai Minar was to be constructed
Double the height and volume than
Qutb Minar
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ALAI MINAR
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Qutb Complex with extensions carried out by Ala-ud-din Khalji
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QUTB COMPLEX
Ala al-Din commenced constructing the Alai Minar on a twofold scale
of the former Minaret in the largest courtyard in the course of the second
expansion, but it was not completed, only leaving its basal part. At the
new gate erected on this occasion, Alai Darwaza, Indian masons
succeeded in erecting a true dome for the first time.
In the oldest courtyard stands an iron pillar 7.5m long (6.8m above
ground), which is thought to have been produced by the king of Gupta
Dynasty, Chandragupta II, in the 4th century. It was a Stambha
(monumental pillar) dedicated to a Vishnu temple according to its
inscription, and it seems to have been brought here before the Islamic
conquest. This wrought iron pillar, with a Gupta-style capital on the top,
is so highly refined that it has not suffered rust at all in spite of its
exposure to the elements for 1,600 years.
EH 301 HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE – IV SEMESTER V
Qutb Complex with extensions carried out by Ala-ud-din Khalji
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SQUINCH
Squinch :- a typical Persian element
created by eliminating the upper
corners of a room for the transitional
phase of making dome on the terrace.
The erection of squinches serves two
purposes,
• firstly it converts the uppers
portion of a square room into an
octagonal
• secondly it gives a beautiful look
at the corners gradually reducing
downward from the spherical
soffit.
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VARIETIES OF SQUINCH
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VARIETIES OF SQUINCH
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SEVEN CITIES OF DELHI
1. LAL KOT
2. SIRI
3. TUGHLAQABAD
4. JAHAN-PANAH
5. PURANA KILA
6. FIROZ SHAH KOTLA
7. SHAJAHANABAD
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TUGHLAQ DYNASTY ( 1320 -1413)
Rulers of Tughlaq Dynasty
constructed three of the Seven
ancient cities of Delhi
Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq
(1320-1325)
Muhammad bin Tughlaq
(1325-1351)
Firuz Shah Tughlaq
(1351 – 1388)
Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq built
Tughlaqabad , the third city of
Delhi in 1321-23 AD
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TOMB OF GHIYAS-UD-DIN TUGHLAQ
Known as Fortress Tomb
Located within Fortress boundary
(southern or the main entrance of
Tughlaqabad Fort)
Built of red sandstone is an irregular
pentagon in its exterior plan and its
design is of the pointed shape and is
crowned by finial resembling the
kalasa and amla of a Hindu temple
Underground chambers
White marble panel and white marble
blind alcove at the upper part of the
structure.
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TOMB OF GHIYAS-UD-DIN TUGHLAQ
Walls are made at an angle 75 degree Irregular pentagon plan
with the ground Layout was dominated by
the topography
Plan is based on the contours of the
site
Tomb is connected to the fortress by a
250 yards (228.6m) causeway , built
over what at one time would have Elevated causeway
been a sheet of water (now dry land) connection
Square tomb 61 feet side
Height 80 feet White marble casing
White blind
alcove
Arch and lintel construction
True arch + reduntant lintel installed
just below the springing of the arch
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TOMB OF GHIYAS-UD-DIN TUGHLAQ
Intrados of the arches has
lotus bud/fringe design
Apex of the arch is slightly
ogee
Way to the tomb
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TUGHLAQ DYNASTY ( 1320 -1413)
LAL KOT
SIRI
TUGHLAQABAD
JAHAN-PANAH
PURANA KILA
FIROZ SHAH KOTLA
SHAJAHANABAD
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TUGHLAQ DYNASTY ( 1320 -1413)
Delhi’s fourth city Jahan-panah was
built by Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq in
mid 14th century
Feroz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388AD)
built the fifth city Ferozabad in
1354AD
Firoz Shah Kotla is the only remnant
of its past glory
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TUGHLAQ DYNASTY ( 1320 -1413)
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KHIRKI MOSQUE (1375 AD)
Khirki Mosque – named for the
perforated windows khirkis
Built by Khan-i-Jahan Junan Shah , the
Prime Minister of Feroz Shah Tughlaq
(1351-1388AD)
Built as a fortress with fusion of Islamic
and traditional Hindu architecture
The Sahn was partially covered by the
combination of a domed and flat roof
leaving four symmetrically arranged
open to sky courtyards for lighting and
ventilation
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KHIRKI MOSQUE (1375AD)
170.6 ftX170.6 ft
square plan
raised on a
plinth of 9.8 ft
height
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KHIRKI MOSQUE (1375 AD)
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KHIRKI MOSQUE (1375 AD)
Mosque walls are of rubble masonry
construction with plastered surface on
the outside
Arch and trabeated construction with
rectilinear frame
Four tapering corner towers
Three projected gateways one in the
middle of each face with tapering
turrets flanking each gate
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KHIRKI MOSQUE (1375 AD)
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KHIRKI MOSQUE (1375 AD)
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KHIRKI MOSQUE (1375 AD)
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KHIRKI MOSQUE (1375 AD)
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