Set in the 30 acre Persian style Char Bagh garden, a first in India, the tomb of the second Mughal Emperor of India Humayun was commissioned by his spouse Hamida Banu Begum in 1569 CE several years after his death. Designed by a Persian architect it was the first construction to use sandstone on a large scale. The architectural principles of this first garden tomb were followed in royal mausoleum construction in India for the next several centuries.
The square double storey 47 m high 91 m wide structure built on a high wide platform stands in a square garden divided into four parts by walkways with a water channel and ponds down the middle. Each of the four sections is divided again into smaller squares creating 36 squares in all, which is a typical layout for Mughal gardens.
The tomb itself was inspired by Persian architecture and Islamic building guidelines. Its most striking feature is the Persian style double layered dome covered in white marble that contrasts with the red sandstone structure. Yellow sandstone and black marble inlays relieve the severity of the red faade. Although seemingly simple in design, the internal structure is based on a complicated plan of eight two storied vaulted rooms radiating from the double height domed octagonal room in the middle.
This room in the centre of the building contains the cenotaph while the actual coffin lies underneath it. The public is rarely allowed there. There is only one entrance to the Mausoleum. The other openings are covered with lattices. Chatris or small kiosks on the roof are the most striking Indian feature of the mausoleum. Indian influences are also found in the decorative carvings. Thus Indian architectural elements were used to enhance Mughal royal tombs down the ages. The mausoleum complex contains 150 tombs of members of ruling families who were buried there later.
A high rubble wall covers three sides of the tomb and gardens. The fourth side has been the Yamuna River which has silted up and moved further away over the centuries. The main entrance to the complex features an imposing two storey structure. The original entrance is now closed and the entrance from the west is in use today.
Several other monuments are found along the path leading to the tomb. The tomb complex did much to set the architectural style for similar Mughal structures in India. Although restoration work was carried out several times the tomb retains much of its original form. It was declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1993.
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