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Emperor Humayun's Garden Tomb

Tomb Entrance

Humayun's Tomb's Entrance

When passing through one of the gates at Humayun's Garden Tomb, Humayun's mausoleum appears like an insurmountable monument. While advancing on one of the four main pathways toward the tomb, a staircase reveals itself in the plinth's center niche. At the top of these stairs is a terrace on which Humayun's mausoleum sits. Humayun's cenotaph can only be accessed by a single entrance in the southern pishtaq of the mausoleum. The jali screens that cover all but one opening on the terrace level of the mausoleum receive much attention by new visitors who wander from one facade opening to another until arriving at the southern end of the terrace. The location of the entrance is only obvious from this side of the terrace. The entrance appears small in the center of an alcove that is as monumental as the iwans that fill the other pishtaqs. The entrance is decorated by six-pointed stellate symbols inlaid in a pair of white spandrels, which are joined by a small circle.


Illustrations

Tomb Entrance
The elevation of Humayun's Tomb disguises the plinth's stair niches, causing the tomb to appear insurmountable when viewed from afar.
Tomb Entrance
The stairs lead to the plinth terrace, and from there, the entrance to the mausoleum is in the southern pishtaq.
Tomb Entrance
Humayun's Tomb's mausoleum's only entrance is through the small door in the middle of the southern pishtaq's alcove.

Additional Information

A formal bibliography is posted on the outline page.
Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Spandrels Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern Grave Niche Grave Niche Grave Niche Grave Niche Grave Niche Grave Niche Marble Inlay Marble Inlay Marble Inlay Spandrels Plinth Muqarnas Spandrels Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern Marble Inlay Marble Inlay Marble Inlay Marble Inlay Marble Inlay Jali Railings Spandrels Marble Inlay Marble Inlay Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Marble Inlay Jali Railings Marble Inlay Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Grave Niche Engaged Colonette Grave Niche Engaged Colonette Grave Niche Grave Niche Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern This Way To the Tomb This Way To the Tomb Incised Plaster Stellate Pattern Spandrels Plinth Base Spandrels