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Deccan and Bijapur
Deccan and Bijapur
Deccan and Bijapur
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
PRESENTATION ON
BY
EKTA KAPOOR
NITISH GOEL
INTRODUCTION
The first to establish Islamic rule in Deccan plateau was the Bahamani dynasty. Gulbarga was its capital in 1347 but later shifted to Bidar in 1424 which was then ruled by the barid shahi kings. The architects of Gulbarga belong to the earliest phase of Muslim rule in southern part of India.
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE
It was influenced by tughlaq dynasty as Gulbarga was initially the part of tughlaq dynasty. The Brahmins and master architects did not encourage the Muslim rulers to depend on the skills of Hindu architects to build mosques and tombs for them . The Muslim rulers of the south were not so keen to perpetuate another Gujarat's style architecture in their domination
INTRODUCTION
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BAHMAN SHAHS FORTRESS AT GULBARGA
Ala-ud-din bahman shah built a strong fort at gulbarga nearly 3km in circumference with semi circular bastions and gigantic battlements punctuated at regular intervals. It was protected by a 30 m wide moat . He surrounded his city of gulbarga with 15.2 m thick fortress wall . The fort is an excellent example of defence architecture much inspired by similar works in syria.
JAMI MASJID
Jami masjid built( 1367) within the fort , has the rare distinction of being the only fully covered mosque in the country . Inspired by the form of muslim religious edifices in eastern Europe - a domed and vaulted hall of the basilica type.
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JAMI MASJID
unlike other mosques this one does not have a courtyard . rectangular plan of 66mt by 52mt , interior contains rows of isles forming 68 bays , each roofed by a cupola . bays differ in size . plain domes supported on plain piers central dome rises over clerestorey letting in light and air distinctive feature unusually wide archways raised over unusually low in posts .
ELEVATION AND FLOOR PLAN
JAMI MISJID
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in front of central mihrab , a large dome and medium sized dome in the four corners exist exterior of mosque consists of arched openings the concept of a structure with fully covered interior remained unabsorbed in the indo-islamic architectural tradition it has a distinctly Persian design using a row of pillars it was designed by RAFI a Persian architect. the minbar is usually of the plain pattern of 3 modest stone steps.
MAP OF GULBARGA
JAMI MISJID
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JAMI MASJID
around three sides of the central rectangle are wide cloister and on the western side is the sanctuary the external building was finished in plaster.
The earliest group of tombs consisting of battered walls, sunken archways, heavy battlement parapet, fluted corner finial and a low dome is derived from the tughlaq prototype of Delhi.
JAMI MISJID
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HAFT GUMBAZ
contains memorials of four kings of the bahamani dynasty it is a group of seven tombs in the east of the city designed on the lines of south indian tomb style of early ages. entrance is small , thick walls surround the interior semi circular dome. The arches of the outer arcade are specially noteworthy : of obtuse angle at the apex, of wide span, and springing from very low imposts. the 40 ft high outer faces are divided into two apparent storeys with blind arches in each.
HAFT GUMBAZ
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CHOR GUMBAZ
It is a majestic tomb remaining in the north side of the old fort city, and is said to have been built in 1420 for a famous Sufi saint of this area named Bandeh Nawaz Gesu Daraz. The four walls are divided into two tiers, and on each wall there are arch-shaped entrances and windows at the centre and two arch-shaped niches with circular patterns at the upper part in right and left: it is a grand exterior. Small kiosk-like architecture at the four corners of the roof surrounding dome has an interesting structure, possessing an entrance with a stair. What is more remarkable is the squinch seen inside and the double lines of lotus petals under the ceiling, and small arch-shaped niches forming a small line above the lotus petals. This unique decoration is not seen in any other buildings.
CHOR GUMBAZ
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BIDAR
The capital was shifted from Gulbarga to bidar by ahmed shah, the ninth rular of the dynasty. The cheif building productions are: Fortress, palaces Two mosque within fort Madarassa Royal tombs
BIDAR
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FORTRESS OF BIDAR
Larger in area than that of Gulbarga but is built on much of the same system and principles.
FORTRESS OF BIDAR
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JAMI MASJID
This mosque was built by a governor dispatched to this area, called Muhammad. This is the oldest mosque in Bidar district that seems to have been built as Jama Masjid in the fort. It has a similar form and structure to old mosque remaining in Gulbarga. This mosque was also known as Zanani Masjid. This name came from the fact that it was originally situated within the Zanana area at the south-east of the old fort. This mosque are 5 spans in depth. There are total 19 entrances, including 15 large arches in the east front. The mosques has a large roof. In the central part of the roof, there is a dome supported by a drum. The south and north part of the domed roof are decorated by many small domes in 5 lines, corresponding to the spans. However, these domes cannot be observed very well from the front yard, as openwork battlements of cross arch patterns obstruct the view. The large dome is situated in the central part covering 3 spans in depth and width. Inside of the transitional part of the dome, cross-arches dating from the Timur architecture are employed. In the prayer room of 5 spans in depth, arches are supported by thick and round pillars. It is one of the distinctive features of the mosque. There are simple foil decorations at the top of the pillars. These decorations are rarely seen in mosques in the Medieval South Asian architecture. The name of the mosque, "Solah Khamb" means "16 pillars". This probably came from the 16 pillars used in 15 arch-shaped entrances on the east front. The central main prayer room has a large mihrab with simple minbar in the centre. The room shapes octagonal with squinch-shaped arches. In the upper part of the room, cross arches are employed and 24 apices are made. As the entire room is painted in white, the decorations look simple.
JAMI MASJID
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SOLA KHUMBA
Built in 1327 during the rule of Muhammad Tughlaq. Plain and sombre almost to austerity and simple solemnity of the creed. Dome is raised on a fairly tall sixteen-sided drum pierced with arched openings. Long prayer hall divided into 19 x 5 domed bays. Columns are circular and massive. Mihrab is framed by multi lobed arch. Solah Khamba Mosque in the fort was built in 1327. Its long prayer hall has nineteen passageways; each passage is five compartments deep. In plan, the mosque measures 295 feet (90 m) x 77 feet (23 m). The main prayer hall is supported by 18 piers; the other areas of the mosque are supported by 60 round piers. All the piers support a roof which has 84 domes. The domes are flat with features of pendentives. Massive circular columns supporting the structure are fashioned with leafy motifs at the top. The Mihrab (prayer niche) located on the rear wall is enclosed by a cusped arch. The bays form a large chamber in the entrance. Squinches support the dome with braces designed as elephant trunks. The outer arcade lacks any original features, the parapet of pierced interlocking battlements were a later addition. The main dome has flattish shape and is supported on a circular drum, which is embellished with relief of trefoil crenellations
SOLA KHUMBA
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GOLCONDA
Golconda is situated about 5 km to the west of Hyderabad old city. The Qutub Shah Dynasty, which became independent from Baihmani Dynasty in Bidar, made this city its capital after reconstructing the Hindu fort. Under the same dynasty, the palace complex was added to the fort and the city walls surrounding were arranged. The fort is situated in the southwest area within the city walls that extend about 1.5 km from east to west and north to south. The city walls have 8 gates. Outside of the east gate leading to Hyderabad, there is a large reservoir outstretching and to the northeast of the reservoir. Graveyard of the royal family of Qutb Shah extend to the north-west outside of the city walls .In addition, there are some mosques from the Qutb Shah period remaining inside and outside of the city walls. 1.FORT (12th C. rebuilt , in the last half of 14th C.) 2.IBRAHIM'S MOSQUE (155080) 3.TOMB OF QULI QUTB SHAH (c. 1543) 4.TOMB OF SUBHAN QULI QUTB SHAH (c. 1550) 5.BAOLI (The last half of 16th C. to 17th C.) 6.TOMB OF JAMSHID QULI QUTB SHAH (c. 1550)
GOLCONDA
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FORT
1.The area where Golconda fort and its city walls exist was originally a territory of power of Kakatiya based in Walangal in the 12th century. 2.It was then the original form of the current fort was built on a hill. However, at that time, the fort was not like the current solid fort using stone and it is said to have been a simple "kacchha" structure using clay. 3. Later on this hillside fort built was obtained by Muhammad Shah I of the Baihmani Dynasty in the late 14th century and the Golconda region was called "Muhammadnagar" for a while. 4. From the beginning to the end of the 16th century, the current stone-made solid fort was built. Also the fort of "pakka" structure, remains of which can be still seen, was built after the period. 5. The main fort of Golconda is constructed the northeastern area of the 8 km periphery of the fortress. Currently it is mostly in ruin, but one can still observe the features of the fort/palace that utilizes the natural bedrock. 6. To the northeast of the large outside fort, there is an area, which was added in 1720. Its size is one fifth of the main fortress. It is sometimes called "new fortress". 7. To the east of the Golconda fortress, there is a main fort built on a small hill. To the southeast, there is an area surrounded by a double fort, which still can be seen today. 8. To the main fort of Golconda, named Barah Hisar or a large hill, one can go through Fateh Darwazah (meaning "the gate of victory") and continue straight on to the northeast. 9. From the front gate(named Barah Hisar Darwazah), one can go inside the fort. This solid arch-shaped darwazah has battlements as well as a watch tower. 10. Entering from a curved passage, one can go inside the fort only by passing through a large wooden door. It is very secure and well-designed.
FORT
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FROM SOUTH
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1.This mosque is situated at the upper part of the fort, south-southeast of Baradari at the top of Golconda fort. 2. It was built by the 3rd sultan of the Qutub Shahi named Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah (1550-80). Thus it is called by the same name. 3. It is a small mosque with three entrances and one span in depth. The entire roof is surrounded by a parapet with battlements. Two towers are located on the south and north sides, with its bulbous-shaped dome and two balconies so that, this mosque is in a unique style of the medieval Deccan architecture. The central mihrab and bays of its either sides are also unique.
IBRAHIMS MOSQUE
EAST
SOUTH EAST
IBRAHIMS MOSQUE
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1.It is the tomb of the first sultan of the Qutb Shahi kingdom of Golconda named Quli Qutb Shah (1512-43). 2. It is built on a basement and has a dome surrounded by lotus petals. However, compared to tombs of other sultans and royal families, its decoration is simpler as it is a building of an earlier period. The inside of the tomb chamber is currently painted in white. The square chamber with corner alcoves transformed to octagonal crossing double or triple arches and was surrounded by a cornice with crossed arches, transformed to a 16-gon in the second transition. These decorations produce a unique atmosphere of domed room. The black marble tomb stone in the centre of the basement is the tomb of the sultan.
SOUTH EAST
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1. Subhan Quli Qutb Shah became the 3rd sultan when he was 7 years old after the death of his father Jamshid in 1550 but he died in the same year. 2. His tomb was built to the north of his father's tomb and it is situated to the west of the tomb of the first sultan Quli Qutb Shah on the same basement. 3. The exterior of this tomb built on a square plan has multiple arches and splendid decorations that are unique in Deccan architecture. Parapets on the roof and the base of the dome are also decorated with rich patterns. 4. Unlike other tombs, the bulbous dome is uniquely decorated by sculptured ribs. Despite the fact that this is a tomb for a young sultan, its structure is splendid.
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1.What is amazing in the great fort of Golconda is its strategy for obtaining and storing water, especially in pumping facilities and water storage. 2. It seems that obtaining water was one of the most important issues for the rulers of Golconda, itself in an important position in Deccan, being main fort built on a hill introduce a well for water storage, or baoli built within a cemetery of Qutb Shah royal family . 3. It seems that a well for water storage, called baoli in north India was also called "wav" which includes wells furnished with stairs. 4. This baoli built outside the city wall has corridors with single and double arches on its two sides and it is a majestic well equipped with a square tank. 5. It provides a proper pumping facility, one side of which has a ditch through which water is taken. The historical background of its foundation is unknown. However, judging from its style of arch, it can be seen as a building from the Qutb Shah period. It is still in use today.
BAOLI
FROM NORTH
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1.The tomb of the 2nd sultan Jamshid Shah (reign 1543-50) is situated at the south-west end of the tombs of Qutb Shahi sultans. 2. Unlike the other square tombs, only this tomb is octagonal with two tiered articulation of the faade. 3. Each tier is surrounded by parapets with unique decorations of this period, and each of the eight sides is decorated by a double arch. On the top tier, there is a small tower in the corner. 4. However, the dome is not different from that of other tombs. Tombs built on an octangular plan are rare within Deccan architecture. Inside the tomb chamber, surrounded by noble niches with triple arch, there are three tomb stones, the biggest of which belongs to this sultan.
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HYDERABAD
1. In 1589, the 5th ruler of the Qutb Shah Dynasty, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah constructed a new capital, moving the capital from Golconda to Hyderabad. After the Mugalid emperor Aurangzeb conquered Golconda in 1687, Mecca Masjid were repaired and the city wall was built. After the 18th century it lived on as the stronghold of Deccan control of the Nizam family that was established by Asaf Jah . 2. The town is constructed on the south shore of the Musi river. The city walls form an inverted triangle. 3. Their construction was begun by the last Mugalid ruler Mubaliz Khan and completed by Nizam ul-Mulk. 4. 4. Buildings dating back to the Qutb Shah period include Chahar Minar at the crossing of the centre of Hyderabad, Jama Masjid at its north-east built in 1597, a hospitalDar al-Shifais situated to the northeast of Jama Masjid and Mecca Masjid, whose construction started in 1614 and was completed by the Mugalid emperor Aurangzeb, located to the south-east of Chahar Minar. 5. In the Qutb Shah period, there were no city walls in Hyderabad. A bridge called Purana Pula was built where a road from Golconda in the west area meets the Musi river, and if one follows the road to the east, one can reach Chahar Minar. The northwest area of Chahar Minar became a palace complex where many palace buildings and gardens could be seen, but currently there is no trace of them.
HYDERABAD
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CHAHAR MINAR
This building is situated at the crossing of a main road running from the north to the south in the old city of Hyderabad. It is a building representing the Qutb Shahi period. Especially after the French tourist Thevenot visited Hyderabad and appreciated its excellency, it came to be widely known in the West. As evidenced in the fact that this building is still used in a design of notes and stamps, it is one of the most famous buildings representing the historical remains of not only Hyderabad and Deccan region but the whole India. it is said that this building was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1590-91. The minars referred to in the name have balconies with small five- tiered openings, and crown a dome in the four corners of this building. The balcony in the second tier (with 7 arches) and the third tier (with 15 small arches) connecting the tower gives a splendid atmosphere to this building. The first tier of the minar has a basement with stairs leading in all four directions. It also has large arch-shaped entrances in all directions. Either side of the entrance is decorated by 4 arch-shaped niches, creating a majestic atmosphere for the minar. These arch-shaped entrances are at the junction of the main streets of Hyderabad, showing this minar is the symbol of this city. Currently, there is a small Hindu shrine built at the bottom of this great minar, which itself symbolizes Indian Islamic culture. This seems to suggest the tensions in the Hindu-Muslim relationship in India. For those well- informed about history, it is a building, which reminds one of the social and political turmoil in the Hyderabad region around the time of Indian independence. (Matsuo Ara)
CHAHAR MINAR
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FROM SOUTH
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TOWN PLANNING
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PLAN OF BIJAPUR
BIJAPUR
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CHAND BAURI
One of the deepest and largest step wells in India. It was built in the 9th century 3500 narrow steps in 13 stories and is 100 feet deep
CHAND BAURI
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ARQ-QILA CITADEL
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JAMI MASJID
OF BIJAPUR
The influence of the Gulbarga moSque is most apparent in Adil Shahi's Jami Masjid of Bijapur, erected in AD 1570. This building marks the true take off point for the construction of the more significant architectural masterpieces of Bijapur. With the building of the Jami Masjid, Bijapur architecture had come a long way from the days of the early mosques of Karim-ud-din ( AD 1320) and Khwaja Jahan ( AD 1480), both constructed with despoiled Hindu temple material, and the coarse rubble, masoned and plastered three-arched and bulbous domed small mosques of Maliq Jahan, the Mecaa Masjid. All these earlier mosques varied only in minor architectural detail, and without exception consisted of three conjoined square chambers fronted by wide Gulbarga type arches with minarets planted in varying positions in the front facade. In the great Jami Masjid of Adil Shahi, though undoubtedly the idea of covered central court was duly discarded and the slightly more fanciful ogee arch of the Gulbarga cloisters was transformed into a more stately and dignified arch of the four center variety, the classic spirit of the prototype, nevertheless, pervades this mosque. The friday mosque was never fully completed, its eastern wall and entrance gateway and minarets at the corners being left unfinished.
JAMI MASJID
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JAMI MASJID
OF BIJAPUR
The liwan, measuring 208ft x 107ft ( 63m x 33m), a central dome rising up over the mehrab bay, and the unfinished northern and southern wings speak volumes of the architectural style. A single dome of the hemispherical variety covering the nice central bays rise up over a richly ornamented square clerestory platform, and at its apex is planted the familiar crescent finial symbolic of the Turkish origin of the Adil Shahi dynasty. The rest of the liwan is roofed over by shallow circular domes over square bays formed by masonry piers. These shallow domes seem intentionally concealed with the thickness of the roof. The seven stately arches of the facade of the liwan are shaded by a deep horizontal chajja supported over a row of closely spaced brackets. The routine exterior in most mosques would be formed of the large blank masonry surfaces of the walls surrounding the liwan and the side wings. In this mosque these surfaces are cleverly contrived as a double row of deep arched niches, the lower one being blind, and the other admitting light and air into the liwan. This restrained but interesting treatment of the facade is reminiscent of the elevations of the madrassa of Mohammed Gawan at Bidar. It is however the interior of the liwan with its white plastered surfaces judiciously ornamented with deep grooved bands supplementing the robustness of masonry piers spanned by low imposed arches, that creates an impression of solemnity in this places of worship.
JAMI MASJID
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JAMI MASJID
built by Ali Adil Shah (1557-1580) In 1578 after the victory of Vijaya Nagara in Rakkasagi
JAMI MASJID
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JAMI MASJID
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TOMBS OF BIJAPUR
Most of the tombs were roofed by onerous and at times oppressive domes, the light from the skies was prevented from reaching anywhere near the graves of the kings. Interiors were so dark and gloomy that it was impossible for the eye to discern much without the aid of artificial light. On the contrary, Ali Adil Shah(the patron of the Jami Masjid) had love for open and airy structures. This was evident from the vast arched openings of the faced of the two-storeyed Gagan Mahal which was at one time his residence and council chamber. In his great humility, Ali Adil Shah had himself buried in an open, airy and almost veranda like modest structure in the south-west of the city.
G A G A N
M A H A L
TOMBS OF BIJAPUR
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RAUZA OF IBRAHIM
The shafts of the minarets ,with their rich horizontal mouldings, recall those of the mosque of Ahmedabad. That is until one notices the spherical cupola resting with the petal leaf at the apex, instead of the rather ungainly pyramid of the Gujarat style. The deep chajja with its multiple brackets and the richly battlemented parapet stretching from one minaret to the other is punctuated by short turrets that repeat the pulsating rhythm of the arches below. From behind and over this richly sculptured base and within the frame of the minarets, rises the square stylobate of the inner chamber, and also richly embellished and crowned by the familiar lotus dome set within a ring of large petal-shaped merlons
RAUZA OF IBRAHIM
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HANGING CEILING
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MEHTAR MAHAL
It is an entrance gateway to a small mosque. In this small but tall facade, the Bijapur builders truly went to town in decorating it not only with flat geometric patterns but fanciful brackets ,deep balconies and sloping chajjas all framed within the two slender minarets. With the construction of the Ibrahim Rauza and the Mehtar Mahal ,their seemingly thirst for enrichment of detail appears to have been finally quenched. Sultan Mohammed (AD 1626) astutely realized that in richness of embellishment the Ibrahim Rauza was not to be outclassed , and decided to built a tomb for himself that could not be outdone in sheer massiveness and size . It is to the great credit of his builders that his ambitions were more than fulfilled. They built for him a tomb that was roofed by a dome that came to be rated as the largest anywhere in the world- the famous GOL GUMBAZ of Bijapur.
MEHTAR MAHAL
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GOL GUMBAZ
This tomb of Sultan Mohammed commenced construction in AD 1656,and its rubble masonry walls were still being plastered when the ruler died. That immensity of size was the major criterion for erecting this tomb is apparent from the building plan which is simply a square hall enclosed by four lofty walls ,buttressed by octagonal towers at the corner, and the whole surmounted by a hemispherical dome For the simple square is almost of 136ft (41.5M) side inside and as much as 205ft (62.5m) outside ; the for lofty walls are over 10ft ( 3m) thick and 110ft (33.5m) high; the diameter of octagonal buttresses is 35ft (7.6m) rising to a height of 150ft (45.7m);the hemispherical dome is of 144ft (44m) diameter outside and 125ft (38m) diameter inside; its apex is over 200ft (60.9m) from ground level. The whole structure in height alone is thus the equivalent of a 20 storeyed structure of modern times.
GOL GUMBAZ
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GOL GUMBAZ
GOL GUMBAZ
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It would be apparent then from these statistics, a study of the plan and rather plain exterior of the monument, that the moving spirit behind this great building venture was not a conventionally trained architect but a daring structural engineer. It is indeed remarkable that without precedent to prove his skill, the master builder could persuade Sultan Mohammed that he would be able to successfully build for him a monument of such gigantic proportions. The crux of the whole design, as described earlier, became that of supporting the circular dome over the cube below and intelligibly managing the phase of transition from the cube to the dome above. Earlier this had been managed by a lintel, a series of pendentive or squinch arches across the corner of the cube below depending on the size of the Gol Gumbaz, none of these methods could be applied. The span across the corners of the square itself would be of the order of 75ft(24m), and by this conventional method the diameter and consequently the load of the dome would have been twice that of the present dome. Thus the problem was to somehow reduce the size of the dome while retaining the huge size of the square hall below. This was solved by the builders by employing what has come to be known as the METHOD OF INTERSECTING ARCHES .This procedure had been earlier adopted for erecting the dome over the Jami Masjid at Bijapur. But in the Jami Masjid, it seemed to have been used to produce a pleasing interior composition, while in the case of Gol Gumbaz, it was a sheer structural necessity.
INTERSECTING ARCHES
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INTERSECTING ARCHES
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LARGEST DOME
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LARGEST DOME
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