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 kmwide, and palace city is surrounded by a 6 kmwall 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 mughalempire. 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, properventilation, 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 Theemperorwouldsithere andwatchthedistributionofthe coppercoinswhichcontemporary Europeantravellerssayusually heapedinthecourtyardtopay subordinate officers. Ateachcornerisacolumn,squareatthebase,withacarved 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 corbelsFATEHPUR 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 capitalFATEHPUR 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. Themainimperialentrancetothemosquecomplex,calledthe BadshahiDarwaza ("Emperors Gate") is located along its eastern edge, opposite the prayer hall, and was likely used by royal palace residents. Onthesouthernsideofthecourtyard,knownasthe BulandDarwaza ("Lofty Gate").Rectangularinplan,thegatewayisroofedbyasemi-domeand contains three arched openings that lead into the prayer hall FATEHPUR SIKRI The dalans are organized in two continuous bays. The inner bay is composedofsmallhujras(cells),likelyusedassleepingchambersfor pilgrimsandpractitioners.Theouterbayisacontinuousarcadewith 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. ACTUALEASTWESTORIENTATIONISAFEWDEGREESNORTHTO THE AXIS OF THE MOSQUE.AS A RESULT OF THIS AT SUNRISE AND DURINGSPECIFICPERIODOFTHEYEAR,THESUNMOVESINTOA PARTICULARPOSITIONOVERTHEAXISOFTHEMOSQUE.IT REACHESTHEREQUIREDALTITUDEANDSTRIKESTHECENTRAL 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