Top 12 Greatest Mughal Monuments in the World

History has always been fascinating, we all have grown up listening to the stories of battles fought and of the Kings and the Queens. The Mughal Empire, based in the Indian Subcontinent came to power in the year 1526 after the first battle of Panipat was won by Babur. From then, the Mughals have made a major contribution to Indian history and some of the most famous and beautiful monuments were constructed around their reign. Below is a list of Top 12 greatest Mughal Monuments in the world! Get ready for a peep into history through these amazing creations!

1. Agra Fort

Everyone knows the famous Taj Mahal, however there is another finely built Mughal fort in Agra, The Agra Fort. Emperor Akbar, in the year 1565 ordered the construction of this huge fort made of red sandstone. Shah Jahan, his grandson made further additions in which he used his favourite building material which is white marble. Initially the fort was used as a military base, later it was transformed into a palace by Shah Jahan and finally, during the rule of Aurangzeb, the fort served as a prison for Shah Jahan.

2. Great Humayun’s Tomb

Hamida Banu Begum ordered the construction of Humayun’s tomb in 1569 A.D. in Delhi. The monument was built fourteen years after the death of Mughal Ruler Humayun. The tomb is located in the centre of a square which is surrounded by an emblematic Mughal garden in Fatehpur Sikri. Furthermore, it is said to be the first established example of Mughal architecture.

3. Buland Darwaza

In remembrance of Akbar’s victory over Gujarat and the Deccan in Southern India, the Gate of Magnificence, Buland Darwaza was built in 1576 A.D. It takes 1,000,000 steps to approach the magnificent Buland Darwaza and it is made of red and fawn sandstone. Akbar’s broad mindedness in terms of religion is showcased by this monument as there is an inscription on the central face of the Buland Darwaza which is based on a Christian belief.

4. Haramsara

The Haramsara located in Fatehpur Sikri and was home to the royal women. The opening to this epic royal residence is from the Khwabgah side which is separated by a row of covered passages. According to Abul Fazl, the inside of Harem was guarded by women who were senior and active whereas Eunuchs were placed on the outside of the structure. Faithful Rajput guards were placed at a proper distance from the enclosure.

5. Jodha Bai’s Palace

In the Fatehpur Sikri seraglio, this palace is the largest. It is connected to the minor Haramsara quarters which served as home to less important harem ladies and maids. The palace has a double storied main entrance which projects out of the façade and creates a kind of porch. This porch leads to a lower-level entrance with a balcony. Once you enter the palace, you will come across a quadrangle surrounded by rooms. The columns of these rooms are decorated with a variety of Hindu sculptural motifs (Since Jodha Bai was a Hindu woman). Jodha Bai’s Mughal name was Mariyam Zamani Begum and she was Akbar’s Wife and Jahangir’s mother.

6. Sheikh Salim Chishti Tomb

Built during the years 1580 and 1581, this Tomb is considered to be one of the finest examples of Mughal Architectures in India. It has an imperial complex situated near Zenana Rauza and faces south, towards the Buland Darwaza. This tomb was constructed by Akbar as a mark of reverence for the  Sufi saint who had foretold the birth of Akbar’s son, Prince Salim. Salim later ascended the throne of the Mughal Empire after Akbar. It was Prince Salim who was called Jahangir once he took control over the Mughal Empire.

7. Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah

Located in Agra and considered to be a draft of the ostentatious Taj Mahal, the Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah was built between the years 1622- 1628. The construction of this tomb was ordered by Jahangir’s wife, Nur Jahan for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg. The tomb is primarily built from red sandstone with marble decorations and its second phase is based on eye catching white marble.

8. Taj Mahal

A part of Seven Wonders of the World, this monument is bound to leave its visitors awestruck by the beautifully shining white marble, a peaceful serene atmosphere and the most exotic method of decoration with jewels, the Pietra Dura. The monument was built in memory of Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Between the years 1630- 48, the Taj Mahal was constructed by 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants. The structure is made completely of white marble and the approximate cost of the construction was about 32 million rupees.

9. Shalimar Gardens, Lahore

It is a Mughal Garden complex positioned in Lahore, Pakistan and is a part of the UNESCO world heritage list. The construction of this heritage site began in 1637 A.D. and by 1641 A.D. the monument was completed. Built on the orders of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Khalillullah Khan, a noble of the emperor’s court, in cooperation with Ali Mardan Khan and Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni supervised the construction. The site draws inspiration from Kashmir, Punjab, Central Asia, the Delhi Sultanate and Persia.

10. Bibi Ka Maqbara

This is the largest structure that Azam Shah, son of Aurangzeb has to his credit. The Maqbara is located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India in the year 1678. He ordered construction of this monument in memory of his mother, Dilras Banu Begum and the shrine bears a striking resemblance to the legendary Taj Mahal which is the burial chamber of his grandmother, Mumtaz Mahal. The shrina I alo called Dakkhani Taj which means Taj of the Deccan. An inscription can be found on the main entrance which mentions that this memorial was designed and put up by Ata- Ullah and Hanspat Rai, an architect and engineer respectively. Ata- Ullah was the son of Ustab Ahmad Lahauri who was the principal designer of the Taj Mahal.

11. Red Fort

Serving as the residence of Mughal Emperors for nearly 200 years, the Red Fort became a UNESCO world heritage site in the year 2007. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, as the palace of his forfeited capital Shahjahanabad, constructed this wondrous monument in the year 1648.

It accommodated emperors and their households and also served as the ceremonial and political centre of the Mughal government. It has huge enclosing walls made of red sandstone and is adjacent to the older Salimgarh Fort.

12. Qutub Minar

Qutub-ud- din Aibak started the construction of Qutub Minar in 1192 and his successor Iltutmish carried forward the construction. The monument made of red sandstone and marble and is located in the capital city of India, Delhi. In the year 1368, the fifth and last storey of the minar was constructed by was contructed by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. This tall tapering tower is a striking example of Indo- Islamic and Afghan architecture. Versus from the holy Quran are carved on the sandstone walls of the memorial.

Explicit royalty and splendor is depicted from the above Mughal monuments. The true way of enjoying such beauty is by paying a visit; take a chance to experience history in its most beautiful way!

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