Pakistan's Historic and Rich Architecture.

[Flintlock]

I think the Mughal emperors were Persians.

No. They were central asians.

 

[Omar1984]

The minaret of Syed Nizam-ud-Din Mir Muhammad Masum Shah is the most conspicuous structure of Sukkur town. Syed Masum Shah was the governor of Mughal Emperor Akbar who appointed him as the Nawab of Sukkur. The minaret was built in about 1607 A.D. the monument, built of red brick, is more or less conical in shape, slightly off the perpendicular and surmounted by a dome to which an internal stone staircase gives an access. It is about 26 metres in circumference and has 84 steps to the top. It is about 31 metres feet in height and can be seen from miles away. This minaret is believed to have been used as a watch tower.

Makli is one of the largest necropolis' in the world. Its a few kilometers from the town of thatta, and about 100 km from Pakistan's largest city Karachi.
This is one of the most visually stunning archaelogical sites in Pakistan. Covering 15-1/2 sqaure kilometers, and said to contain over one million tombs, it is considered to be the world's largest necropolis. The tombs and mausoleums are seen as the most substantial remains of Sind's greatness between the 14th and 18th centuries, with many belonging to kings, queens, saints, governors, military commanders, philophers and poets.
It is belived to be the burial grounds for over 125,000 sufi saints from between the 14th and 16th centuries.

 

[DarkStar]

Great Work, Omar. Pleasure to view.

 

[Omar1984]

Takht-i-Bahi (or Takhtbai or Takht-i-Bahi or Takht Bahai) is a Buddhist monastic complex dating back to 1st century BC. It is located about 15 kilometers from Mardan in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.
Takht means "throne" and bahi, "water" or "spring" in Persian/Urdu. The monastic complex was called Takht-i-Bahi because it was built atop a hill and also adjacent to a stream.

 

[Omar1984]

No. They were central asians.

Some parts of Central Asia used to be part of the Persian empire so there was a Persian influence in Mughal architecture.

 

[Flintlock]

Some parts of Central Asia used to be part of the Persian empire so there was a Persian influence in Mughal architecture.

Yes, you're right. Persian architecture (the Tiled domes for example) are everywhere in Central Asia.

 

[DarkStar]

The Mughal's were basically a nomadic people, and claimed ancestry from both Taimur the Lame and Chengiz Khan. The architecture that is seen in their era, is heavily influenced by Persian, Turkic (samarkand, bukhara) and Indian styles. But the beauty of it, that their style is not monolothic, with the Taj Mahal, you also have fateh pur sikri, which has heavy indigineous influences.

It must also be noted that many engineers used by the Mughals were Persians.

 

[Flintlock]

^Just one gripe Darkstar, Fatehpur Sikri would be Indo-Islamic, not Persian. Taj Mahal could be called both Indo-Islamic and Persian.

 

[DarkStar]

^Just one gripe Darkstar, Fatehpur Sikri would be Indo-Islamic, not Persian. Taj Mahal could be called both Indo-Islamic and Persian.

you're right about that. The very reason for my mentioning fatehpur was to say that Mughal style was not monolithic imitation of everything Persian.

I'd go one step further and call fateh pur sikri Hindu-Islamic architecture.

 

[Destructlord]

I know Timur like Persian things very much! he made persian official language and...

Great work brother Omar!

The Taj Mahal (pronounced /tɑdʒ mə'hɑl/ ---- Hindi: ताज महल; Persian/Urdu: تاج مح&#1604 is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Ottoman, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."

While the white domed marble mausoleum is its most familiar component, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. Building began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, and employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen.[1] The Persian[2] architect, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer of the Taj Mahal.[3]

I have read somewhere his wife was Persian but im not sure!

About the desinger:

Ustad Ahmad Lahauri was a Persian[1] architect and the most likely candidate as the chief architect of the Taj Mahal. The assertion is based on a claim made in writings by Lahauri's son Lutfullah Muhandis.[2][3][4]

Shah Jahan's court histories emphasise his personal involvement in the construction and it is true that, more than any other Mughal emperor, he showed the greatest interest in building, holding daily meetings with his architects and supervisors. The court chronicler Lahouri, writes that Jahan would make "appropriate alterations to whatever the skilful architects designed after many thoughts, and asked competent questions."[5] In writings by Lahauri's son Lutfullah Muhandis, two architects are mentioned by name; Ustad Ahmad Lahauri[2][4] and Mir Abd-ul Karim.[3] Ustad Ahmad Lahauri had laid the foundations of the Red Fort at Delhi. Mir Abd-ul Karim had been the favourite architect of the previous emperor Jahangir and is mentioned as a supervisor,[h] together with Makramat Khan,[3] of the construction of the Taj Mahal.[6]

 

[kenchabhai]

Hindu architecture of Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan for eg. are about as different styles of architecture as they come.

 

[Omar1984]

Rawalpindi Railway Station

The Clock Tower in Faisalabad


Hamdard University, Faisalabad Campus

Dabgir Mosque in Thatta is thought to be the oldest monument of Thatta. This mosque is also known as the Mosque of Amir Khusrao Khan Charkas, a descendent of Changez Khan who was made governor of Thatta in 1590, when the Mughals annexed Sindh.

 

[DarkStar]

I like all the above, except for the Greco Roman styled Hamdard univ. building . Such a building in South Asia seems....uncouth.

and Pindi station is no architectural beauty or wonder

 

[Omar1984]

I like all the above, except for the Greco Roman styled Hamdard univ. building . Such a building in South Asia seems....uncouth.

and Pindi station is no architectural beauty or wonder

Yea check out Quaid-e-Azam Library in Lahore in my previous posts. It resembles the White House but is located in Lahore, the Mughal Capital of South Asia.

If there needs to be new buildings built in Lahore, I say make it with the Mughal style...especially in Lahore.

 

[DarkStar]

Whats been happening to Lahore in the past 20 years is a tragedy. Especially inside the 13 gates.

So many historical places, old havelis have been torn down to erect plazas, and shops. It's heartwrenching, and nobody knows how to stop this.

Lahore along with Damascus, is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on earth, and parts of inner lahore resemble as they were 2000 years ago.

Lahore has been destroyed 13 times, which is why the only good architecture left is that of the late Mughals and the British.

But the destruction now is unbelievable.