University of Lahore

Architectural Prespective of a buildind

Badshahi Masjid

Adeel Rafiq Roll no. 01103167 10/16/2011

Badshahi Mosque:

The Badshahi Masjid ( ,) literally the 'King's Mosque', was built in 1673 by Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan. It is one of the city's best known landmarks, and a major tourist attraction epitomising the beauty and grandeur of the Mughal era. mosque in Pakistan, after the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. The architecture and design of the Badshahi Masjid is closely related to the Jamia Masjid in Delhi, India, which was built in 1648 by Aurangzeb's father and predecessor, emperor Shah Jahan. The mosque was built under the patronage of the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir, who was one of the most religious Muslim emperors to rule India. It was completed in 1673 under the supervision of Aurangzeb's foster brother Muzaffar Hussain (also known as Fidaie Khan Koka) who was appointed governor of Lahore in May of 1671 and held this post until 1675. He was also Master of Ordnance to the emperor. The construction of the mosque took about two years from May, 1671 to April 1673. The mosque was built opposite the Lahore Fort, illustrating its stature in the Mughal Empire, and in conjunction to the building of the mosque, a new gate was built at the fort, named Alamgiri Gate after Aurangzeb.

Style:
It is an Ancient Architecture of Mughal style. He mosque is built on a large area of 287284 sq ft. It is designed in such a way that the four minars from one direction come in one line. Badshahi mosque is one of the few significant architectural monuments built during Emperor Aurangzeb's long rule from 1658 to 1707. It is presently the fifth largest mosque in the world. Its walls have beatific designed flowers and other architecture textures on them which show the mughal architecture of that time.

Need and Importance03126190783

As it is a mosque it is needed for prayers and for importance point of view it is one of the ancient architecture of the country. Capable of accommodating 5,000 worshippers in its main
prayer hall and a further 95,000 in its courtyard and porticoes, it remained the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 (a period of 313 years), when overtaken in size by the completion of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Today, it remains the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world after the Masjid al-Haram(Grand Mosque) of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

Aesthetic Qualities and Significant factors:

Dimensions
Courtyard: 528 ft 8 in (161.14 m) x 528 ft 4 in (161.04 m) (area: 278,784 sq ft (25,899.9 m )) (the world's largest mosque courtyard) (compared to 186 186 ft (57 57 m) for the main platform of the Taj Mahal), divided into two levels: the upper and the lower. In the latter, funeral prayers can also be offered. Prayer Chamber: 275 ft 8 in (84.02 m) x 83 ft 7 in (25.48 m) x 50 ft 6 in (15.39 m) high, with its main vault 37 ft 3 in (11.35 m) x 59 ft 4 in (18.08 m) high but with the merlons 74 ft (22.555200 m). (area: 22,825 sq ft (2,120.5 m )) 4 Corner Minarets: 176 ft 4 in (53.75 m) high and 67 ft (20 m) in circumference, are in four stages and have a contained staircase with 204 steps (compared with 162.5 ft (49.5 m) for the minarats of the Taj Mahal). Central Dome: Diameter 65 ft (20 m) at bottom (at bulging 70 ft 6 in (21.49 m)); height 49 ft (15 m); pinnacle 24 ft (7.3 m) and neck 15 ft (4.6 m) high. 2 Side Domes: Diameter 51 ft 6 in (15.70 m) (at bulging 54 ft (16.46 m)); height 32 ft (9.8 m); pinnacle 19 ft (5.8 m); neck 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) high. Gateway: 66 ft 7 in (20.29 m) x 62 ft 10 in (19.15 m) x 65 ft (20 m) high including domelets; vault 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m) x 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m) high. Its three-sided approach steps are 22 in number. Side Aisles (Dalans): 80 in number. Height above floor 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m); plinth 2 ft 7 in (0.79 m). Central Tank: 50 ft (15 m) x 50 ft (15 m) x 3 ft (0.91 m) deep (area: 2,500 sq ft (230 m ))
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Pictorial Views:

Plan view: