JAUNPUR (1376-1479 AD) –

(2main buildings- Atala Masjid, Jami masjid)

Some important architectural achievements

• Tapering minarets
• Battered sides
• Stucco decoration work
• Arch & beam openings
• Low four centred arches
• Decorative fringes
• Tall propylons
• Space for ladies in mosque / screened with jali without being exposed to male
worshippers

ATALA MASJID
 Built by Shams-ud-Din Ibrahim in
A.D. 1408 on the foundation built by
Firuz Shah Tughlaq 30 years before.
 Built on the site of the Atala Devi
temple whose materials along with
those of other temples were used in its
construction.
 Provided the model on which all
future mosques of the style would be
based.
 The façade has beautiful and
noticeable interplay of solids and
voids
 Entry through 3 domes gates, North
south and east
 The gate way has two propylons
enclosing arch
 They are appox 75’ high battered.
 The propylon are 55’ wide at the base and 47’ wide at the top
 There 2 rows of 5 tiers of 5 small arched openings apertures at the upper level, above the main
entrance opening.
 The towers on either side are battered and have projecting string courses. Each of 4 storeys of

the tower has small sunken arches, one over the other. The first level or the ground level is plain
without any ornamentation.
 There are 2 pylons of smaller size on either side of the main entrance.
 The entrance opening is supported on brackets
 Jharokhas and jali work can be witnessed on the façade.
 The internal courtyard is 258’
 There is a hypostyle hall surrounding the courtyard.
 There is a dome of diameter55’, which is hidden behind the huge propylon.
 The sanctuary has nave and oblong rooms
 There are two small rooms in the interiors, made in double storeys for the ladies.
 There are 3 miharabs on the western wall and the pulpit approached by a flight of steps. Out of
these, central miharab is beautifully ornamented
 The oblong shape of the nave has been converted into square with the help of massive corbels,
which is projecting from the side walls.
 Out of this square, there are resting eight arches, out of which four arches are acting as
squinches to convert the square into octagonal base, for receiving hemispherical dome on it
 Courtyard is enclosed with cloisers around.
 cloisters rise up to 2 storeys.
 Two aisles of the lower storey are formed into a series of cells with a pillared verandah facing
the street to provide accommodation to visitors and merchants.
 There are 3 entrance gateways, one in the centre of each cloister, with the northern and southern
ones surmounted by domes