Knowledge about historical monuments of India Part – 21 THE HUMAYUN’S TOMB

 Knowledge about historical monuments of India

Part – 21

THE HUMAYUN'S TOMB

Humayun’s Tomb is a garden-tomb in Delhi, India, that was built to honor the second Mughal emperor, Humayun. It was commissioned by Humayun’s widow, Empress Bega Begum, in 1569-70. The tomb was designed by Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas.

● Description:

The tomb is a large ceremonial site in the center of a garden laid out in a char bagh style.

The garden has pools connected by channels, and is inspired by the Paradise Gardens described in the Quran.

The tomb is made of red sandstone from Dholpur, Rajasthan, and white marble from Aravalli Hills.

The tomb is on a high, wide terraced platform with arched cells along the sides.

The tomb has an irregular octagon plan with four long sides and chamfered edges.

● Significance:

Humayun’s Tomb was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent.

It was the first structure to use red sandstone on such a scale.

It set the standard for Mughal projects that followed, including the Taj Mahal.

In 1993, Humayun’s Tomb was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.