HUMAYUN’S TOMB

Introduction Completed in 1571 in Delhi, the tomb of the deceased Mughal emperor, Humayun, is the earliest of the grand

dynastic mausolea instrumental in impacting subsequent developments in Mughal architecture, especially the
Mughal funerary structures through the eighteenth century. The mausoleum’s construction had been attributed to
and Historical Humayun’s widow, Hajji Begum, but recent scholarship has proposed that Humayun’s son and successor Akbar’s
direct patronage was, in all likelihood, at work in the erection of this monument for his father. According to Abū
alFaḍl, the primary chronicler of Akbar’s reign, Hajji Begum’s involvement did not go beyond taking charge of the
Background upkeep of the mausoleum during the last two years of her life. Be that as it may, in the chronological unfolding of
Mughal architecture, Humayun’s tomb remains the earliest major architectural undertaking of Akbar’s reign. It is one
of the very few buildings of the period for which the names of its architects, namely, Mīrak Mirzā Ghiyā and Mīrak
Sayyid Ghiyā , have come down to us. Both were architects (and poets) of high stature, trained in Timurid building
practices, had worked for Sultan Husayn Bayqara in the late-Timurid capital of Herat, executed building and
landscape architecture projects in Bukhara, and worked for the founder of the Mughal ruling house, Babur. Around
1562, Mīrak Mirzā Ghiyā seems to have returned to India on a commission to design Humayun’s tomb. He, however,
did not live to see its completion, and it was his son who brought this majestic project to its culmination in 1571. It
is evidently due to these Iranian architects’ contribution that Humayun’s tomb manifestly incorporates Timurid
architectural elements, most expressly evinced in its vaulted masonry, in the structural articulations of its
monumental scale, and in the arcuate system forming the transition zone to support the raised drum of the central
dome above. In its architectural constitution, thus, Humayun’s tomb upholds a confluence of Timurid, Persian, and
local Indic sensibilities . the dissonances occurring from the integration of such heterogeneous sensibilities are
effectively subdued in the employment of the favorite building material of the time, red sandstone, which imparted a
homogeneity of hue strongly reminiscent of the color reserved for imperial Mughal tents
About:

This tomb, built in 1571, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first
garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent .
 It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction
of the Taj Mahal.
It was built under the patronage of Humayun’s son, the great Emperor Akbar.
It
is also called the ‘dormitory of the Mughals’ as in the cells are buried over 150
Mughal family members.
Itis an example of the char bagh (a four quadrant garden with the four rivers of
Quranic paradise represented), with pools joined by channels.
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
recognized it as a World Heritage Site in 1993.
Humayun’s Tomb: View of the Mausoleum on the Raised
Platform
THE DOME
- the top of its central dome reaches 140 feet from the ground.
- The dome is double-layered
- The outer layer supports the white marble exterior facing.
- the inner one defines the cavernous interior volume.
ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
 Line The use of horizontal and vertical lines in the elevation

 Shape The shape of the dome is bulbous. The arches are pointed.

 Color Because of the use of red sand stone and white marble the
color often entire structure is red and white.

 Texture The combination of rough texture of the sandstone and

the soft texture of the white marble.
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
 PATTERN: Geometrical patterns at the interior of the central dome. The various
jaali patterns because of which the interiors are well lit. They act as latice screens
from which the sunshine enters the interiors.

 CONTRAST: Humayun's Tomb was built from red sandstone and white marble
and thus exudes a stark contrast against the blue sky.
 EMPHASIS: The dome of the Humayun's tomb acts as a marker in the structure
The emphasis is because of the white color and also because of the bulbous shape
of the dome.

 BALANCE: The structure in all perspectives is a balanced Structure having a

balanced plan elevations and a balanced view

 RHYTHM/ MOVEMENT: The use of continuous arches which direct the

movement of the eye in a straight line.
ABOUT HUMAYU TOMB

 REASON FOR THE SELECTION OF THIS SITE WAS ONCE EXISTED

RESIDENCE OF HAZRAT NIZAMMUDDIN AULIYA

 EASY AVAILABILITY OF MATERIALS ARTESIANS AND SKILLED

LABOURS ARE ALSO THE REASON FOR SELECTION OF THIS SITE

 IT IS CLOSE TO THE RIVER YAMUNA

 IT IS A THREE TIERED QUADRANGULAR STRUCTURE HAVING STEPS
ON ALL SIDES AND CIRCULAR DOME ABOVE THE THIRD PLINTH

 IT IS A SQUARE NINEFOLD PLAN

 EIGHT TWO STOREYED VAULTED CHAMBERSRADIATE FROM THE

CENTRAL, DOUBLEHEIGHT, DOMED CHAMBER

 THE SYMMETRICAL GROUND PLAN CONTAINS

124 VAULTED CHAMBERS
 THE CENTRAL OCTAGONAL SPACE HAS THECENOTAPH OF HUMAYUN

 ARCHED LOBBIES ON THEIR SIDES

 OPENINS ARE CLOSED WITH PERFORATED SCREENS

 CENTRAL HALL HAS EIGHT ALCOVES ONE ON EITHER SIDE

 DIVIDED INTO TWO STOREYED ELEVATION

 THE THIRD STOREY ABOVE THEM HAS JALI OPENINGGS

 THREE EMPHATIC ARCHES DOMINATE ON EACH SIDE

 ROOF SURMOUNTED BY A 42.5 M HIGH DOUBLE DOME WITH MARBLE

 PILLARED KIOSKS ARE PLACED AROUND IT

 DOUBLE LAYERED DOME

 OUTER LAYER SUPPORTS THE WHITE MARBLE EXTERIOR FACING

 THE TOP OF ITS DOME REACHES 140 FEET FROM THE GROUND

 THIS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN IS KNOWN AS HASHT BIHISHT(EIGHT

PARADISE) AND IS A TYPICAL OF IRANIAN BUILDINGS FROM THE
TIME OF TIMUR THE LAME
 SARCOPHAGUS OF HUMAYUN IS IN THE CENTRAL DOMED CHAMBER

 HEAD POINTING NORTH-WEST FACING ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC

PRACTISE

 BLACK MARBLE IS USED TO RELIEVE MONOTONY

 WESTERN GATEWAY IS 16M HIGH

 ROOMS ON EACH SIDE FLANK THE CENTRAL PASSAGE

 UPPER FLOOR HAS SMALL COURTYARD

 EACH SIDE IS CROWNED BY A SQUARE CHATRI COMPOSED OF

JALIED BALUSTRADE, SLENDER PILLAR, WHITE MARBLE CUPOLA
 SOUTHERN GATE IS DOUBLE STOREYED

 LOCAL QUARTZITE WITH RED SANDSTONE IS USED

 WHITE MARBLE IS USED ON ALL PROMINENT OUTLINE

 A SCREEN OF ARCHES ATTACHED THE GATEWAY ON EITHER SIDE AT

AN INCLINED ANGLE
 CHAHAR BAGH IS A RECTANGULAR OR SQUARE ENCLOUSURE

 DIVIDED IN FOUR QUARTERS BY WATER CHANNELS RUNNING IN

FOUR DIRECTIONS

 THE FOUR MAIN SECTIONS ARE SEPARATED BY TWO WATER

CHANNELS WHICH BISECT AT RIGHT ANGLES.

 THE WATER CHANNELS MEET AT A CENTRAL REFERENCE POINT

MOSTLY A TOMB
 Babur’s tomb lies south east of Humayun tomb in the same complex.

 It is said that Humayun built this impressive square tomb with a double dome to
honor his favorite barber, as the barber played a prominent part in the lives of
Mughal rulers.

 There are two graves with inscriptions from the Holy Quran within this tomb.
ROLL OF WATER
 Emphasizing architectural elements,

 Masking outdoor noise,

 Producing pleasing sounds,

 Irrigating plants,.

 Moisturizing and cooling the hot dry microclimate

 Soothing the dusty wind,

 Providing a source for ablutions before prayers.

  
THE CONCEPT
 These chahar bagh are not just gardens but more than that.

 The symbolism behind it very strong and relates to the life after death.

 Gardens had been built as earthly representations of the lush and splendid gardens
of paradise described in the holy book.
THANK YOU
MADE BY- ANJNEY DEWAN
PIYUSH
SHRESTHA DWIVEDI
VIKRAM