Delhi: Red Fort, Pearl Mosque, Façade

In general, it is possible to see the degree of Persian influence in the architectural elements of the Indo-Islamic mosques produced in the Mogul period more than in any other type of building executed during that time. This is particularly noticeable in the surroundings chosen for the mosques which, we remember, were not among the major areas of importance attached to architecture in the original Moslem state. Indian feelings on the matter demanded that a sacred building be well integrated into the natural landscapetherefore, the Pearl Mosque was set with a surrounding garden and a protective wall to make it as private a sanctuary as possible. It was strictly a Hindu innovation, however, that emphasized private worship at all. Important features of the facade include the slender needle-like minarets, which are adaptations of the spires topping the cupolas elsewhere on the mosquethe onion-bulb domes - beautifully engineeredand the decorative carving above the portal which resembles tile work