(1370–1526)

Presented byAiman Naseem

Sundus Hussain

Bilal Khan

Mohd.Raghib

Hamzah

TIMURID ARCHITECTURE

CONTENTS

Introduction

General characteristic

I. Domes

II. Arches & Vaults

III. Minarets

Case Studies

I. BIBI KHANUM MOSQUE

II. ULUGH-BEGH MADARSA

III. MAUSOLEUM of KHWAJA AHMAD YASAWI

References

INTRODUCTION• This architecture is

named after a builder Timur.

• Timurid architecture was the pinnacle of Islamic art in central Asia(Samarqand, Bukhara, Herat).

• Timurid architecture started with the 

Sanctuary of Ahmed Yasawi in present-day Kazakhstan 

& Culminated in Timur's

mausoleum Gur-e Amir in Samarkand.

• It drew on I. Centrally planned &II. Highly symmetrical plans

• The style is largely derived from Persian architecture. 

• Axial symmetry is a characteristic of all major Timurid structures, notably the Shah-e Zendah in Samarkand and the mosque of Gowhar Shad in Mashhad.

Shah-e-Zendah, south-eastern Uzbekistan, 13th–15th century

Mosque of Gowhar Shad in Mashhad, Iran

GENERAL CHARECTISTICS

Timurid architecture combines

I. Centrally planned

II. Symmetrical Persian structures with Central Asian decorative elements.

Baked brick (270x270x70mm) was used to construct most Timurid buildings.

Exteriors of the buildings were decorated with

I. Polychrome tile mosaics

II. Under glaze painted tiles.

Timurid buildings are known for their

I. Monumental scale,

II. Multiple minarets,

III. Polychromic tile work,

IV. Bulbous double domes.

V. Axial symmetry

Used gilded papier-mache extensively in the interior of their buildings.

DOMES

Most Timurid buildings have double-shell domes with a thick outer dome and a thin inner dome.

The outer dome is

I. Tall

II. Melon-shaped

III. Ribbed

IV. Decorated with colourful tiles.

Vaults supporting the domes were not only structurally complex but dazzlingly decorated with traditional Islamic muqarnas.

SMOOTH DOME

RIBBED DOME

38m high from ground

MINARETS• Most of the minarets in Tiumrid Architecture are found with a

round capping at the top, decorated with turquoise & Blue colours.

BIBI KHANUM MOSQUE

TYPES OF MINARETS USED IN TIMRUID ARCHITECTURE

Friday Mosque in Herat, Afghanistan

Masjid-i Gawhar Shad, Mashhad, Iran

Variety of arch forms were used -round, two-, three-, and center arches.

ARCHES

CASE STUDIES

1. BIBI KHANUM MOSQUE

2. ULUGH-BEGH MADARSA

3. MASUOLEUM of Khwaja Ahmad Yasawi

1 0F 3 BIBI KHANUM MOSQUE

• Named after Timur's favorite wife, Saray Mulk Khanum.

• Construction begun in 1398-1399.

• The basic structure was rectangular in shape, measuring 109 by 167 meters.

• It featured four units :-I. A large entrance portalII. The main sanctuaryIII. Two smaller side mosques.

• These four units were linked by hypostyle arcades.

BASIC PLAN

Main sanctuary

Large entrance portal

Two iwans

NSymmetrical

View of BIBI KHANUM MOSQUE

MAIN DOMERIBBED

SMALLER DOMES

MAIN ENTRANCE

COURTYARD

INTERIOR OF MOSQUE

Kufic designs Mosaic tiles

Tiles inset in brick and stone. Incised marble and terracotta.

The domes were covered in inscription, the smaller ones in naskhi, the larger one in kufic.

All three domes were originally finished in light blue tile on top of a zone of muqarnas.

Restoration of the monument. Comparison of the overall view in 1969, 1991, 1996, and 1999.Restoration work was carried by Govt.

1969 1991

1996 1999

2 of 3 ULUGH BEG MADARSASamarkand, Uzbekistan

•Located on the registan square, Samarkand Uzbekistan.

•Rectangular in shape 56x81m, and encloses a courtyard.

•There are minaret & Dome at each of its four corners.

•34.7 m tall entrance portal on the façade with lancet arch.

•Trademarks of the Timruid style were I. Monumental scaleII. Multiple minaretsIII. Polychromic tile work IV. Large bulbous double

domes.PISHTAQ

Smaller Entrances

Rectangular in shape 56x81m Two other nearby Madrasa

Courtyard

The Entrance Arch(with Lancet Arch)

Registan Square

OVERVIEW OF ULUGH BEG MADARSA

COURTYARD

MINARET

PLAN OF ULUGH BEG MADARSA

SIDE ENTRANCE

MAIN ENTRANCE

(with Lancet Arch)

DOME

Deep galleries Containing Lecture rooms & dormitory Cells

Decoration of the madarsah, emphasizes the colour BLUE, with light and dark blue tiles.

Mosaic panel over the iwan’s entrance arch is decorated by Geometrical stylized ornaments.

The square courtyard includes

I. Mosque

II. 02 Lecture rooms

III. 50 Dormitory cells

There are deep galleries along the axis.

3 OF 3 MAUSOLEUM OF

KHWAJA AHMAD YASAWI

Located in southern

Kazakh city of Turkestan. Built during the reign of

Mongolian conqueror (Timur-i Lang) (1370-1405)

Construction spanned almost 16 years.

The structure is rectangular in plan, measuring 45.8 × 60m

The primary material used for the building is 

I. Fired brick mixed with mortar

II. Gypsum

III. Clay

DOME

Main Entrance

Meeting rooms & Refectory

Mausoleum of Khwaja Ahmad Yasawi

Main entrance to the complex is from the southeast into the large square assembly hall (18sqm), which is covered with a conical dome, the largest in Central Asia.

The dome is

I. 18.2 m in dia & is 38.7 m high.

II. Clad with a mosaic of light blue tiles with gold patterns

III. Raised on a square and octagonal drum to the height of the portal.

The decoration of the shrine

complex is concentrated on the exterior.

The interior decoration is limited to

I. Plaster Muqarnas

II. Carvings in the dome surface

III. Pendentives of the assembly hall, the mausoleum and the mosque.

Layers of clay reaching a depth of 1.5 m, to prevent the water penetration, were used for the original foundation.

REFERENCES

http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=3167 http://www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/themes/saylor/

curriculum http://www.worldarchitecture.org/islamic-architecture-

influence-on-iranian-architecture.html

E-BOOKs Golombek, L. and Wilber, D. eds. 1988. The Timurid

Architecture of Iran and Turan. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 228-230.

B. O'Kane, Timurid Architecture in Khurassan, Costa Mesa, CA 1987.

THANK YOU