Mogul or Moorish architecture?
Are most Colonial Malaysian buildings of Mogul or Moorish architecture? Well the short answer would be Mogul. The reason is that many of the British architects who were here during the colonial days were influenced by the Mogul architecture.
Architects like AC Norman, RAJ Bidwell and AB Hubback, were greatly influenced by the Mogul architecture. This is evidenced by many such colonial buildings in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Malaysia. It is sad that many travel writers, including many brochures produced by Tourism Malaysia, mistakenly label these buildings as Moorish.
So how do you tell the difference?
Mogul (Moghul or Mughal) architecture is the distinctive style of Islamic Indian and Persian architecture during the reign of the Mogul Empire which ruled India until 1857. The most famous of all Mogul architecture is of course The Taj Mahal (built 1630-1653) in Agra, India.
The main characteristic elements of a Mogul Architecture are its
- Jharokha (a type of overhanging enclosed balcony)
- Chhatri (elevated, dome-shaped pavilions)
- Chhajja (projecting eaves or cover usually supported on large carved brackets)
- Jali (perforated stone or latticed screen) and
- Charbagh (a Persian-style garden layout).
Moorish architecture
Moorish architecture on the other hand refers to Islamic architecture developed in North Africa and south- western Europe, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula. It was the style of architecture there during the 8th to the 15th century. The most distinct moorish building is the Mezquita in Cordoba, Spain.
See Kuala Lumpur Architecture for more information.
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