History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v1.c19.s17.22

v1.c19.s17.22

105 ft. across, and is arranged very much on the plan of a great mosque with three domes—in fact, the whole structure, if not first erected as a splendid mosque, is marvellously like one. The large central dome is supported by twelve columns enclosing a square 64 ft. across. These columns are first linked together by massive Saracenic arches. Four similar arches are then thrown across the corners, and the octagonal drum rises from these, pierced by a clerestory. Above this, at the cornice, 45½ ft. up, the octagon is changed to a circle and the dome rises, in the centre, to 75 ft. from the floor. At the north-west corner of the main building is placed the splendid hall shown in the annexed woodcut (No. 241),¹ the two corresponding with the Dîwân-i-Khâss and Dîwân-i-’Âmm of Muhammadan palaces. This one, in its glory,