Badshahi Mosque
Badshahi Mosque | |
---|---|
بادشاہی مسجد | |
Aurangzeb Alamgir | |
Completed | 1673 (Mughal Empire) |
Specifications | |
Capacity | 100,000 |
Dome(s) | 3 |
Minaret(s) | 8 (4 major, 4 minor) |
Minaret height | 226 ft 4.5 in (68.999 m) |
Materials | Red sandstone, marble |
The Badshahi Mosque (Punjabi, Urdu: بادشاہی مسجد) is an iconic Mughal-era congregational mosque in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.[1][2] The mosque is located opposite of Lahore Fort in the outskirts of the Walled City and is widely considered to be one of Lahore's most iconic landmarks.[3]
The Badshahi Mosque was built between 1671 and 1673 by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The mosque is an important example of Mughal architecture, with an exterior that is decorated with carved red sandstone with marble inlay. It remains the largest mosque of the Mughal-era, and is the third-largest mosque in Pakistan.[4] In 1799, during the rule of Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire, the mosque's courtyard was used as a stable and its hujras (cells) as soldiers quarters. When the British Empire took control of Lahore in 1846 it was used as a garrison until 1852. Subsequently, the Badshahi Mosque Authority was established to oversee its restoration as a place of worship. It is now one of Pakistan's most iconic sights.[1]
History
The sixth
The mosque was commissioned in 1671, with construction overseen by the Emperor's foster brother, and Governor of Lahore, Muzaffar Hussein - also known by the name Fidai Khan Koka.[7] After only two years of construction, the mosque was opened in 1673.[6]
Sikh era
On 7 July 1799, the
During the
British Rule
In 1849, the British seized control of Lahore from the Sikh Empire. During the British Raj, the mosque and the adjoining fort continued to be used as a military garrison. The 80 cells built into the walls surrounding its vast courtyard were demolished by the British after the Indian Rebellion of 1857, so as to prevent them from being used for anti-British activities. The cells were replaced by open arcades known as dalans.[15]
Because of increasing
In April 1919, after the
Extensive repairs commenced from 1939 onwards, when
Post-independence
Restoration works begun in 1939 continued after the
On the occasion of the 2nd
Architecture
As a gateway to the west, and Persia in particular, Lahore had a strong regional style which was heavily influenced by Persian architectural styles. Earlier mosques, such as the Wazir Khan Mosque, were adorned in intricate kashi kari, or Kashan style tile work,[4] from which the Badshahi Mosque would depart. Aurangzeb chose an architectural plan similar to that of Shah Jahan's choice for the Jama Masjid in Delhi, though he built the Badshahi mosque on a much larger scale.[citation needed] Both mosques feature red sandstone with white marble inlay, which is a departure from typical mosque design in Lahore, in which decoration is done by means of intricate tile work.[23]
Entryway of the complex
Entrance to the mosque complex is via a two-storey edifice built of red
The mosque's full name "Masjid Abul Zafar Muhy-ud-Din Mohammad Alamgir Badshah Ghazi" is written in inlaid marble above the vaulted entrance.
Courtyard
After passing through the massive gate, an expansive sandstone paved courtyard spreads over an area of 276,000 square feet, and which can accommodate 100,000 worshipers when functioning as an
Prayer hall
The main edifice at the site was also built from red sandstone, and is decorated with white marble inlay.[20] The prayer chamber has a central arched niche with five niches flanking it which are about one third the size of the central niche. The mosque has three marble domes, the largest of which is located in the centre of the mosque, and which is flanked by two smaller domes.[24]
Both the interior and exterior of the mosque are decorated with elaborate white marble carved with a floral design common to Mughal art. The carvings at Badshahi mosque are considered to be uniquely fine and unsurpassed works of Mughal architecture.[20] The chambers on each side of the main chamber contains rooms which were used for religious instruction. The mosque can accommodate 10,000 worshippers in the prayer hall.[26]
Minarets
At each of the four corners of the mosque, there are octagonal, three-storey minarets made of red sandstone that are 196 ft (60 m) tall, with an outer circumference of 67 feet and the inner circumference is eight and half feet. Each minaret is topped by a marble canopy. The main building of the mosque also features an additional four smaller minarets at each corner of the building.[20]
Location
The mosque is located adjacent to the
Near the entrance of the mosque lies the
References
- ^ a b c d "Badshahi Mosque (built 1672–74)". Asian Historical Architecture website. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ Haroon Khalid (26 August 2016). "Lahore's iconic mosque stood witness to two historic moments where tolerance gave way to brutality". Scroll.in website. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "Holiday tourism: Hundreds throng Lahore Fort, Badshahi Masjid". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 9 October 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ ISBN 9780415966917.
- ^ "Badshahi Mosque, Lahore (architectural details of the structure given)". Architecture Courses website. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Badshahi Mosque". Visit Lahore website. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ Meri, p.91
- ^ "Welcome to the Sikh Encyclopedia". Thesikhencyclopedia.com. 14 April 2012. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ISBN 978-1-78938-304-1.
In addition to the masjid's use as a site for military storage, stables for the cavalry horses, and barracks for soldiers, parts of it were also used as storage for powder magazines
- ^ Tikekar, p. 74
- ^ Khullar, K. K. (1980). Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Hem Publishers. p. 7.
- ^ Marshall, Sir John Hubert (1906). Archaeological Survey of India. Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing.
- ^ "De La Roche, Henri Francois Stanislaus". allaboutsikhs.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ISBN 978-81-206-0853-5.
- ^ Development of mosque Architecture in Pakistan by Ahmad Nabi Khan, p.114
- ^ Amin, Agha Humayun. "Political and Military Situation from 1839 to 1857". Defence Journal website. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ Lloyd, Nick (30 September 2011). The Amritsar Massacre: The Untold Story of One Fateful Day. I.B.Tauris.
- ^ Note: Reports on the Punjab Disturbances April 1919 gives a figure of 25,000
- Sir Sikandar Hyat Khanand the Renovation of the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore: An Historical Survey, in Pakistan Historical Digest Vol 2, No 4, Lahore, 1995, pp. 21-29
- ^ a b c d e UNESCO World Heritage Centre. "Badshahi Mosque, Lahore – UNESCO World Heritage Centre". UNESCO.org website. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "Badshahi Mosque Re-flooring". Archpresspk.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ "Badshahi Mosque". Atlas Obscura website. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ "Badshahi Masjid, Lahore, Pakistan". ArchNet website. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ a b Meri, p.92
- ^ a b Tikekar, p.73
- ^ a b Waheed Ud Din, p.15
- ^ Waheed ud Din, p.14
- ^ IH Malik Sikandar Hayat Khan: A Biography Islamabad: NIHCR, 1984. p 127
Notes
- Josef W. Meri (2006). Medieval Islamic Civilization. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0415966914.
- Maneesha Tikekar (2004). Across the Wagah. Bibliophile South Asia. ISBN 8185002347.
- Carolyn Black (2003). Pakistan: The culture. Crabtree Publishing Company. ISBN 0778793486.
- Waheed Ud Din (16 May 2011). The Marching Bells: A Journey of a Life Time. Author House. ISBN 9781456744144.
Further reading
- Chugtai, M.A., Badshahi Mosque, Lahore: Lahore, 1972.
- Gascoigne, Bamber, The Great Mughals, New York: Harper & Row, 1971.
- Koch, Ebba, Mughal Architecture, Munich: Prestel-Verlag, 1992.
See also
- Tourism in Punjab, Pakistan
- Architecture of Lahore
- Wazir Khan Mosque
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, whose design was partly inspired by the Badshahi Mosque
- Faisal Mosque