FATEHPUR SIKRI

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

ASSIGNMENT ON
FATEHPUR SIKRI
B.ARCH SFS 3RD YEAR

MOHD.AKBAR
4/10/2015

FATEHPUR SIKRI

FATEHPUR SIKRI

FatehpurSikri is a fortified city in Agra district in the state of Uttar

Pradesh, India.

The city was founded in 1569 by the Mughal emperor Akbar, and
served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1571 to 1585.

The city came into being after Akbar decided to construct it in

1571 on the same place where the birth of his son Jahangir was
predicted by the wise sheikh Salim Chisti.

He named the city, Fatehabad, with Fateh, a word of Arabic origin

in Persian, meaning "victorious." it was later called FatehpurSikri.

FATEHPUR SIKRI

PLANNING
FatehpurSikri sits on rocky ridge, 3 kilometres in length and 1 km wide,
and palace city is surrounded by a 6 km wall on three side with the
fourth being a lake at the time.
Its architect was Tuhir Das and was constructed using Indian principles.
The whole complex is spread in three plateaus on receding levels with
respect to the topography of the ridge.
The mosque complex is located on the uppermost level of the ridge,
and consists of the Great Mosque (Jami Masjid, with the tomb of
Shaykh Salim Chisti) and a small palatial complex called the Nayabad
quarter (including the Rang Mahal).
The Middle Plateau
Housing the residential
buildings: the northern
palace (Birbals Palace),
the Shaqh-iIsbal (Jodh
Bais Palace), the
SonahraMakan (Miriams
Palace), the guest house
(hospitalia) and the
stables (Shahi Bazar and
Mina Bazar).
The lowest plateau is occupied by the public and semi-public areas of
the palace complex.
Diwan-I Am, hall Diwan-iKhass, the AnkMichauli and Astrologers Seat,
the PanjMahal, the imperial apartments (Khwabgah), DaulatKhana ,
including the library (Kutubkhana), the state archives (DaftarKhana), the
AnupTalao pavilion.Most of the buildings of the public and semi-public
area face east, while the Khwabgah faces north.

FATEHPUR SIKRI

ARCHITECTURE
FatehpurSikri is said to be the lookalike of the mosque in Mecca and
has designs, taken from the Persian & Hindu architecture.
It was planned as the cultural, commercial and administrative centre of
mughal empire.
The buildings of FatehpurSikri show a synthesis of various regional
schools of architectural craftsmanship such as Gujarat and Bengal.
Influences from Hindu and Jain architecture can be seen with Islamic
elements.
Buildings materials used is red sandstone.
The buildings were skillfully planned keeping in mind the climatic
conditions, the geology of the terrain, the need of its occupants, its
usage keeping, proper ventilation, and sanitation needs.
Buildings meant for women ensured privacy in accordance with the
'purdah' system.

Entrance (Diwan-i-Amm)
The place where the ruler meets the general public.
Diwan-i-Am is a typical feature of all the Mughal palaces. At one end of
the court is an elevated pavilion. The pierced stone screens are most
noteworthy. Now the open court is converted into a garden with lawn.

FATEHPUR SIKRI

DaulatKhana

The DaulatKhana was Akbars private quarters. It overlooked the

palace of his Turkish Queen.

The DaulatKhana housed the imperial library and sleeping

quarters. It encompasses a series of buildings decorated with intricately
carved stone screens, elaborate brackets, broad attic and beautifully
carved columns.

The library room on the ground floor had a rich collection of

50,000 manuscripts.

The emperor also had a resting area on the same floor. The
sleeping quarters, Khwabgah, was on the second floor, decorated with
Persian insciptions.

Astrologer's Seat

The emperor would sit here

and watch the distribution of the
copper coins which contemporary
European travellers say usually
heaped in the courtyard to pay
subordinate officers.

At each corner is a column, square at the base, with a carved

floral motif on all sides.

Diwan-iKhass
This is where Akbar met his ministers,
scholars and generals to discuss
religious and courtly matters.

This is a square two-storey building

with a balcony supported corbels

FATEHPUR SIKRI

above which is a chajja also supported on heavy corbels

On the roof there are domed chatris at each corner
The pillar is richly carved in the Hindu tradition with a mass of
heavy corbels supporting the circular balcony above.
The arrangement of a square building with a central pillar may
reflect some Hindu mandala whereby the central column represents the
axis of the world

PanchMahal
PanchMahal is an extraordinary structure, entirely columnar, consisting
of four storeys of decreasing size with a kiosk, disposed asymmetrically
upon a ground floor that contains 84 columns.

Double columns appear in the outer row along the east elevation

The total height of the structure equals the total length of its
ground floor

The ground-floor columns are octagonal in section, with the

exception of four circular ones Interior view of detail of double-column
capital

FATEHPUR SIKRI

AnupTalao ("peerless pool,")

AnupTalao has a central island linked by four bridges to its sides.
The AnupTalao is a red sandstone masonry tank, square in plan
and bilaterally symmetrical. A square island platform stands in its
centre.
The AnupTalao is a red sandstone masonry tank, square in plan
and bilaterally symmetrical. A square island platform stands in its
centre.

Palace of Jodh Bai

A double-storied structure composed of rooms arranged around a
big open-air courtyard.
Rectangular in plan
The jharokha balcony is supported on four brackets with a jaali
balustrade
The exterior enclosing walls - constructed of red and yellow
sandstone blocks
Around the inner court are double-storied residential quarters at
the corners and formal "suites" in the centers of each side, excepting
the east, which contains the entrance gateway

Courtyard

FATEHPUR SIKRI

House of Miriam

West of the AnupTalao court and placed in the center of its own
courtyard is a red sandstone building known as the SonahraMakan
(Golden House), on account of its rich interior murals.

Its built in Hindu style with many themes taken from the Hindu
mythology painted on the walls.

The Turkish Sultanas House

The most elaborately carved

building in FatehpurSikri. Its often
attributed to the Turkish wife of
Akbar.

Intricately carved like wood,

this building isalso known as
'superb jewel casket'and each of its stone slab has a different design.

Birbal's House

It is sited at the northern end

of the zenana area at the very
edge of the complex, north and

FATEHPUR SIKRI

west of the principal palace of the haram sara.

From the construction, it would appear that Hindus were the

architects; but the decoration, from which it is easy to discover the taste
of the occupants, is nearly all Arabian or Persian in style.

JAMI MOSQUE

The first major structure built at the site was Jami Masjid
(congregational mosque) which was completed in 1571.

At the time of its construction it was the biggest mosque in India

measuring 160 m east- west by 130 m north-south.

It also houses a big and beautiful courtyard with the splendid

architectural masterpiece known as the Tomb of Salim Chishti.

The main imperial entrance to the mosque complex, called the

BadshahiDarwaza ("Emperors Gate") is located along its eastern edge,
opposite the prayer hall, and was likely used by royal palace residents.

On the southern side of the courtyard, known as the

BulandDarwaza ("Lofty Gate").

Rectangular in plan, the gateway is roofed by a semi-dome and

contains three arched openings that lead into the prayer hall

FATEHPUR SIKRI

The dalans are organized in two continuous bays. The inner bay is
composed of small hujras (cells), likely used as sleeping chambers for
pilgrims and practitioners. The outer bay is a continuous arcade with
broad, pointed arches supported on square pillars.

The interior of the prayer hall is divided into three bays; the central
bay is square and is topped by a single dome supported on squinches

The two side bays each is composed of a colonnaded hall with a

square domed room located centrally within this hall along the western
(qibla) wall.

ACTUAL EAST WEST ORIENTATION IS A FEW DEGREES NORTH TO

THE AXIS OF THE MOSQUE.AS A RESULT OF THIS AT SUNRISE AND
DURING SPECIFIC PERIOD OF THE YEAR, THE SUN MOVES INTO A
PARTICULAR POSITION OVER THE AXIS OF THE MOSQUE. IT
REACHES THE REQUIRED ALTITUDE AND STRIKES THE CENTRAL
MEHRAB.

FATEHPUR SIKRI

BulandDarwaza
The highest and grandest gateway in India and ranks
among the biggest in the world. It canbe approached by a 13-metre
flight of steps from outside.
The BulandDarwaza is clad in red and yellow sandstone.

FATEHPUR SIKRI

Tomb of Salim Chishi

The mausoleum
was built by Akbar
as a mark of his
respect and
reverence for the
saint
It is made up of
white marble