H I S T O R Y O F B U I L T E N V I R O N M E N T
JAMA MASJID, DELHI
Jama Masjid, Delhi
BRIEF HISTORY
• In 1638, Shah Jahan decided to make Delhi the capital of
his empire and thus relocated from Agra to Delhi
• He constructed the Red Fort on the northeastern side of the
city and placed this Mughal mosque about 500 meters to its
west.
• Jama Masjid has two main parts which resemble the earlier
congregational mosques in Delhi
• The main prayer hall
• A large courtyard towards the east
• The exterior of the Jama Masjid was inspired by the Akbar’s
mosque at Fatehpur Sikri
• The interior was molded after the Friday Mosque at Agra
ARCHITECTURE OF JAMA MASJID
PLAN OF Minaret
JAMA MASJID
Qibla
Mihrab
Aisles
Tank
Courtyard
Main Entrance
Colisters
MAIN STRUCTURES AT THE MOSQUE
Arched Marble Towering Corner
Gates Domes Minarets Towers
Arched Gates
• The three archways are built using red sandstone and provide access to the corridor and the prayer hall on
the western side of the corridor.
• They are situated on the north, south, and east sides.
• The eastern gate has 35 steps leading to it. It is the largest gate at Jama Masjid, Delhi and was used by the
royal family.
• The north and south gates are the ones open for use by visitors and have 39 and 33 steps, respectively.
• The steps have white markings which point towards the direction in which the prayers are offered.
Eastern Gate
• The Eastern Gate is Octagonal in plan
• Soffit of the roof is decorated with honeycomb
carving
• Parapet has 19 kanguaras and above it 19 cupolas
• At each of it front angle there is a octagonal
pinnacle bearing a marble pavilion with a marble
dome
• Its inner dimensions are 18.29 x 15.24 m height is
15.4 m
• It has one large opening with three arch way. On
adjacent sides
• Projected balcony on the other side of the gate is
of Bengali influence
Northern & Southern Gate
• The Northern and Southern gate are smaller in size and are octagonal in plan but irregular
• Each side of the gate has seventeen arched openings
• The back façade of these gates are smaller than its front facades
Courtyard
• An open courtyard measuring 109.75 x 109.75 m
is there
• In the centre of this there is an ablution tank, made
up of marble (30.71 x 10.96 m)
• In the centre of the tank there is a fountain
• In the four of its corners marbles kiosks are there
• Two sun dials are there in the courtyard to indicate
time of prayer
• At the four corners of cloisters there are cupolas
• Both sides of the cloisters consisted of chajja
projected outside
• The basement wall 9.4 m high and adorned with
false arches to give it stately appearance
Towering Minarets
• Minars contribute significantly to its grandeur and
beauty
• The minar consists of three storey and 130 feet
high
• Each storey is bisected by a projected gallery.
With a balustrade railing around it
• Octagonal plan
• Winding steps leads to the top of the minar
• A cupola is there on the top of the minar
• Small openings are the source of light in the minar
Winding steps leads to the top of the minar From the top of the minar the views are seen
of the whole Old Delhi
Marble Domes
• The roof of the mosque is capped with three marble domes with alternating striping in black and white
marble
• Dome is an intrinsic feature of Muslim architecture. A bulbous was introduced in this mosque
• The inner and outer shell has sufficient space between them and serves a dual purpose
• Cool the interior
• Give dome a voluminous and elegant look
• An important property of the dome is that it is fluted
• Above every dome there is a copper gilt spike
The dome is supported by squinches. They are The Square shape of the compartment below
also working as decorative element is united with the circular base of the dome
above
Masjid-I-Jahanuma
• To enter into the mosque eight stepped high maqsura screen is constructed
• Five Arched openings on either side of the main sanctuary or mosque hall
• Area of the main mosque is comparatively i.e. 79.5 x 27.4 m
• Main entrance to this shrine is through an archway. The main arch is flanked by minarets surmounted by
octagonal cupolas
• Above five arched opening on either side of the main sanctuary tables or panels of white marble inlaid in
black slate with inscription documenting history of the building and glorify virtue of reign of Shahjahan
• The main shrine is divided into two halls one adjoining its main entrance hall and the other its interior portion
• These are divided into seven bays of ornamental pillars
• There is a pulpit near central mihrab can be reached by four steps. The steps have been made up of one
piece of marble
The rear wall is sunk in the centre with a mihrab. It is also
flanked by mihrabs smaller in size three on each side
On the spandrel of the central arch word ‘YAHADI’ which translates to “one who shows the right path” is inscribed
Praying Hall
• The prayer hall, measuring 61 by 27 meters, is
raised approximately 1.2 meters from the ground
and projects into the courtyard
• Its eastern, entry elevation is dominated by a
central projecting pishtaq with slender minarets at
its corners
• Above the arch, the half-dome of the pishtaq iwan
is clad in red sandstone with white marble strips
and flanked on either side by five smaller cusped
arches
• Above the line of arches is a white marble blank
frieze with Arabic inscriptions framed in red
sandstone
• At the outer edge of each wing is a 40-meter-tall
red sandstone minaret with inlaid white marble
strips
Praying Hall
• Three accessible projecting galleries occur at regular intervals along the 130 spiral steps leading to the top of
each minaret. The highest gallery is topped by a domed white marble chhatri
• The prayer hall is accessed via stairs located at the centre of the pishtaq and at the centre of each adjacent
wing. Within, the hall is divided into two aisles running parallel to the western qibla wall and leading to side
courtyards. The inner aisle (facing the mihrab) is divided into seven bays
• The western wall is described by niches corresponding to the seven bays. The central mihrab niche, formed of
cusped arches set in a rectangular frame, is completely clad in white marble with intricate embossed tracery
• The three-step minbar, carved from a single block of marble, is located to its right. The outer aisle of the hall is
divided into two parts by the central pishtaq portal, with five arches occurring on either side of it, connecting
the mosque to the courtyard
• The interior surfaces of the prayer hall are decorated with fine inlay work and Arabic inscriptions, as is the east
elevation of the mosque
MATERIAL USED AT JAMA MASJID
Jama Masjid is built in stone masonry. The cladding is being done by mostly red stone. White marble,
black marble has been used for ornamentation
Marble is used in bulk for
ornamenting the mosque
Lotus flower is a prime source of
inspiration
The Floor
• The Jama Masjid of Delhi is built by taking
the design of Agra’s Jama Masjid as
inspiration. Because of this, the floor plans
of both mosques are quite similar.
• There are 899 boxes designed on the floor
in white and black marble to resemble a
Muslim praying mat.
• The mosque complex comprises a square
corridor (approximately 115 meters
square). The main shrine (approximately 70
meters north-south by 25 meters east-
west) is located along the western edge of
the corridor.
Ornamentation
• All the ornamentation has been done
through floral motifs or inscriptions
• Mosque has ornamented every where
abutment of arch, under arch, wall, under
dome, on the columns, floor, mihrab
• Multifoil arch has used somewhere
Inscription & Preserved
Relicsc
• Calligraphic inscription used in the mosque is
kufic it is used for conveying massages as well as a
decorative element
• The mosque also houses several relics a closet of
northeast corner, including a copy of the Quran
written on deer skin of those times
