Department of Architecture

Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, Gazipur

Year: 2nd, Semester: 2nd

Sher Shah Sur, AD 1540-55

Course Description: Course Teacher:

ARCH-2521 Dilruba Yasmin
History of Architecture-III Assistant Professor
Part: B Dept. of Architecture
Lecture 01: Introduction DUET, Gazipur
 Sher Shah Sur
AD 1540-55

at Sasaram: inspired by LODY style at Dilhi:: inspired by MUGHAL style

A Group of tomb Public Structures

3 tombs belong to SUR family Delhi Sher Shahi

 Tomb of Sher Khan, Sher Mandal
 own tomb Tomb of Hasan Khan, patron’s father Qila Kunha Masjid
 Tomb of Salim Khan, son of Sher khan The great North Eastern Highway
memorial to architect Aliwal Khan
For Bakhtiar Khan, a noble person.
 Sher Shah Sur

Lodi style Mughal style

Jami masjid Shah sayyed’s tomb Lody tomb Humayun’s tomb, Khan Khanan’s tomb, Taj mahal
Gulbarga Delhi Delhi Dilhi Delhi Agra

Ghiyas ud din tomb, Jami masjid Mughal- 4 cetered Mughal- Shahjahani

Delhi Ahmedabad arch arch.
 Sher Shah Sur

Lodi style Mughal style

Plan: Basically octagonal and square plan of main Plan: Nine – Fold Plan introduced in Tomb
chamber of tomb. architecture.

Plan of tomb of Sikandar Lodi Plan of Humayun’s Tomb

 Sher Shah Sur

Lodi style Mughal style

Moth ki mosjid, Delhi Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi

 Sher Shah Sur
At SASARAM

Sher Shah’s Own Tomb

A Lody type tomb

‘Built like giants and finished like goldsmiths’

Sher Shah’s Tomb
Sasaram, Bihar, India (1540-1545)

The tomb was built in memory of Emperor Sher Shah

Suri, a Pathan from Bihar who defeated the Mughal
Empire and founded the Suri Empire in northern India.

His tomb is an example of Indo-Islamic architecture, it

was designed by the architect Aliwal Khan.

The tomb was built during the reign of his son Islam
Shah.

An inscription dates its completion to August 16, 1545,

three months after the death of Sher Shah.
Sher Shah’s Tomb
Sasaram, Bihar, India (1540-1545)

This red sandstone mausoleum stands in the middle of an artificial

lake, which is nearly square (1400ft side), is known as the second
Taj Mahal of India.

There are stone banks and stepped moorings on all sides of the
plinth, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway on its
northern side.

The tomb rising to a considerable height of 150ft and having a

square base of 250ft side.

The main tomb is built on octagonal plan, topped by a dome.

surrounded ornamental domed kiosks and chhatris at each of its
corners which were once covered in coloured glazed tile work.
Sher Shah’s Tomb
Sasaram, Bihar, India (1540-1545)

It had to be erected over an even more spread out low stylobate with steps gracefully leading down to the level. An error in
orienting the tomb along the cardinal axis was corrected after this lower platform had been built. Resulting in the curious diagonal
relationship between the lower and upper plans. Domed canopies planted at each corner of the square platform and the familiar
kiosks over the base. The dome raising up from over a tall octagonal drum that create the silhouette of a ‘five storey pyramidical
mass rising out of the waters’
Sher Shah Sur
At SASARAM

Sher Shah’s Own Tomb

 Sher Shah Sur
At SASARAM

Tomb of Hasan Khan

Prototype of Sher Shah’s Tomb: main Sturcture

Influenced by LODY style

Three distinct Layers in vertically

Sher Shah Sur
At DELHI

Dilhi Sher Shahi

 Sher Shah Sur
At DELHI
Dilhi Sher Shahi

Taking over the fortress of Humayun at Dilhi

The city laid out east and north of the existing fortress by 9 miles of surrounding wall

Two gateways have been found in

existing city.
 Lal Darwaza
 Khuni Darwaza

Inside of citadel is now merely empty

except a mosque and Sher mondal
 Sher Shah Sur
At DELHI

Lal Darwaza

Located directly opposite of eastern gate of Humayun’s

purana Qila.

Appearance like Mughal Fort.

_ arch within geometric frame (rec.)
_ parapet detail
 Sher Shah Sur
At DELHI

Khuni Darwaza

Located on east of the Tughlaqabad gate .

 Sher Shah Sur
At DELHI

Sher Mondal

Obscure function

3-storied octagonal pavilion

‘Chhatri’ with projected eaves a over the

top floor.

Arch: tudor (4 centered arch)

 Sher Shah Sur
At DELHI
Qila Khunha Masjid

Considered as watermarked of pre-mughal mosque architecture in

terms of Craftsmanship.

Tughlaqian Style Mughal Style

 Narrow corner terrets  Parapet Detail &

 flute molding straight drop
 4-center arch.

Oblong santuary of 158’ x 45’ with total height of 66’

Five archways and a single dome composition

Central bay of the mosque

 Sher Shah Sur
At DELHI
Qila Khunha Masjid

Influences

Qila Khunha Masjid, 1545 AD Jamala Masjid, Dilhi, 1536 AD

 Sher Shah Sur
Qila Khunha Masjid At DELHI

Repetition of 4-centered firmly contoured tudor arches.

There is a certain vibrancy in the play of light and shadow in liwan facade.
 Sher Shah Sur
At DELHI

North eastern highway

For Sher shah Dilhi became as ‘head’ and his ‘heart’

remained in his hometown, Sasaram.

Connected head and heart with a living artery : North

eastern highway.

Present Grand tank road connecting Dilhi with Kolkata

follows almost same allignment
 Sher Shah Sur
North eastern highway (Grand Tank Road) At DELHI
Lecture 07: The Mughals ( Humayun’s Period)