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Moti Masjid, Agra: Detail, partial facade of prayer hall, facing arcaded courtyard

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posted on 2017-07-03, 00:00 authored by G. Massiot & cie
One of the most impressive buildings within the fort is the Moti Masjid ('Pearl Mosque'), situated north of the Divan-i \u201BAm. It is entered through a red sandstone gateway, but the interior is of pure white marble. The courtyard (48.16 x 48.16 m) has arcades on three sides and the prayer-hall on the west. The prayer-hall is three aisles deep and seven bays wide, with seven cusped arches forming the fa\u00E7ade. The superstructure consists of three bulbous domes; there are octagonal chatris at the corners of the prayer-hall and seven square chatris above the parapet (one over each arch), creating a varied and pleasing composition. A Persian inscription inlaid in black marble running along the eastern arcade praises Shah Jahan and the building, comparing it to the heavenly tabernacle.

History

Alt Title

Pearl Mosque|Agra Fort complex

Date Created

1910-01-01

Date Modified

2017-07-03

Temporal Coverage

before or circa 1910

Rights Statement

To view the physical lantern slide, please contact the Architecture Library.

Cultural Context

Mughal

Spatial Coverage

+27.180367+78.021555|Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India|Agra

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