Sheesh Mahal

Sheesh Mahal

·        Sheesh Mahal (Lahore Fort)

The Sheesh Mahal (Urdu: شیش محل‎; “The Palace of Mirrors”) is found at intervals the Shah Burj block in northern-western corner of Lahore Fort. It was made underneath the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631-32. The ornate white marble collapsible shelter is decorated with pieta meninges and sophisticated mirror-work of the best quality. The hall was reserved for private use by the imperial family and shut aides. It is among the twenty-one monuments that were designed by serial Mughal emperors within Lahore Fort, and forms the "jewel within the Fort’s crown." As part of the larger Lahore Fort Complex, it has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.

·        Etymology

Sheesh Mahal, or "Palace of Mirrors," takes its name from the reflective glass tiles which embellish the interior.

Sheesh Mahal, in Urdu language, literally means 'Crystal Palace'. However, with its pieta meninges decorations and complex mirror-work decorated into the white marble walls and ceilings making gleaming result, the lavish room has come to be known as 'Palace of Mirrors', and typically the 'Hall of Mirrors'. Similar halls are also found in the contemporary palace of the Agra Fort, and show influence on the later additions to Amber Fort.

·        History

Close up view of the building's mirror-work

The solid brick foundations of Lahore Fort were arranged in 1566 below the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar the nice on the placement of associate earlier mud-fort. To build the new fort, the Emperor brought experienced artisans after the completion of Fatehpur Sikri. Later, Shah Jahan converted the fort into a pleasure resort and added Diwan-I-Khas, Moti place of worship, Naupaka collapsible shelter, sleeping chambers, and Sheesh Mahal in to the complex. Sheesh Mahal is found at intervals the Shah Burj (King's Pavilion) block that was really designed by his forerunner Jahangir. The chamber was solely used for personal council conferences as a part of the daily routine of the emperor, whereas the whole block was only accessible to the imperial princes, the vizier, and elite courtiers. The extension works of private quarters by Shah Jahan continued between 1628 and 1634. The distinctive Shah Juhani architecture is reflected in the extensive use of white marble and hierarchical accents of the construction. During the Sikh Empire, Shah Burj became Ranjit Singh's favorite place. He designed a living quarter over the highest of Sheesh Mahal. This was additionally the place wherever he accustomed show his prized possession, the Koh-I-Noor.

·        Design

The Sheesh Mahal is in an elaborate way adorned with a myriad of reflective glass tiles.

The building’s ceiling is also adorned with mirror-work.

The Sheesh Mahal was designed by Emperor Shah Jahan. It was in-built the center of Jahangir's rule. The façade, consisting of 5 cuspidate marble arches supported by coupled columns, opens into the grounds. The engrailed spandrels and bases are decorated with precious stones. The collapsible shelter is within the style of a semi-octagon, and consists of apartments roofed with gilded cupolas and intricately decorated with pieta dura and convex glass and mirror mosaic (Ayana Kari) with thousands of tiny mirrors. The decorative features also include stucco tracery (minibar Kari) and carved marble screens in geometrical and tendril designs. The roof of the central hall rises up to two stores. The hall was originally decorated with fresco paintings that were later replaced with glass mosaic in different colors.

·        Conservation

Colored glass was also used throughout the interior.

The additional constructions carried out during the subsequent Sikh and British rules of Punjab on the top of Sheesh Mahal added to the dead load that made the structure vulnerable to collapse. In 1904-05, the plaster from the ceiling of main gallery fell apart, exposing the decay of internal wooden beams and the corroding roof. At this stage, the building was listed by the department of archaeology of British India in 1927 and the repair work was carried out. Similar problems arose in Nineteen Sixties and were resolved through minor repairs. In 1975, Sheesh Mahal was listed as a protected monument under the Antiquities Act by Pakistan's Department of anthropology whereas in 1981, as a part of the larger Lahore Fort complicated, it became inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage website. It was not till 2006 that the issues of the ceiling were comprehensively resolved and therefore the structure was remodeled.

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