Architectural Styles

Bengali

Alt names / subperiods 

Timeline

Distinguishing Features

Geographic Presence

Indo-Islamic Sultanate, Indo-Saracenic

Wikipedia

 

1200-1576

  • Terracotta work
  • domes (chhatris)
  • elongated arches
  • curvilinear rooflines
  • tall multi-level structures
  • raised platforms (paka)
  • wide verandahs & balconies
  • local materials in rural areas (bamboo, mud, thatch)
  • central courtyards
  • Hindu temples with elaborate sculptures
  • mosques with minarets & intricate calligraphy,
  • British colonial influence (large porticos & columns)
  • Indo-Saracenic style
  • cultural symbolism in bright colours
  • elevated riverside buildings
  • ventilation & shade protection
  • Bangladesh
  • West Bengal
  • Kolkata
  • Dhaka
  • Chittagong

Common Building Types

Landmark buildings

Historic Accommodation Types

Accommodation Examples

  • Terracotta temples
  • large anceatral homes (zamindar/chowdhury)
  • Dhakka mosques
  • palaces
  • Victoria Memorial in Kolkata
  • riverside homes with steps (ghats)
  • riverside pavilions (baithaks)
  • Adina Mosque, Chandraketugar
  • Kushumba Mosque
  • Bara Sona Mosque, Firoz Minar
  • Gulbarga Mosque, Khan Jaha
  • Ali’s Mosques
  • Sixty Dome Mosque (Shat Gombuj Masjid)
  • Mosque of Shah Jahan
  • Bagerhat’s Tomb of Khan Jahan Ali
  • Sarais / katras (caravanserais)
  • Dharmashalas
  • Zamindar Estates
  • Heritage Homes
  • Rajmahal / Gaur–Pandua region sarais
  • Bara Katra Caravanserai, Dhaka (1644)
  • Choto Katra Caravanserai, Dhaka (mid 17th C)

 

Adaptive Reuse

  • Bari Kothi (Murshidabad, West Bengal)
  • Rajbari Bawali (Near Kolkata, West Bengal)
  • Itachuna Rajbari (Hooghly district, West Bengal)
  • Balakhana Heritage Home (Bandel, West Bengal)
  • Chhatimtara (Shantiniketan, West Bengal)

Landmarks

Adapted Visitor Accommodation