Double dome
Topic: The Mughal Empire: Babur to Aurangzeb · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
A double dome is a dome made of two shells, one inside the other, with empty space between them. The lower inner shell gives a well-proportioned ceiling inside the building. The taller outer shell makes the building look grand from far away. This idea came from Persian and Central Asian architecture. In India it was first fully used in Mughal buildings.
Example
Humayun's tomb in Delhi, built in Akbar's reign, has a full double dome. The Taj Mahal at Agra, built by Shah Jahan, later used the same method.
Don't confuse with
- Bulbous dome: this describes a dome's onion-like shape. A double dome describes how it is built in two layers. The Taj Mahal's dome is both.
Related concepts
- Jahangir
- Nur Jahan
- Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri
- Chain of justice
- Itimad-ud-Daulah's tomb
- Akbar's tomb, Sikandra
- Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar
- Mughal miniature painting
- Ustad Mansur
- Muraqqa