Art & Culture · Topic 5 of 16
European colonial styles and post-Independence Indian architecture
The Basics
By the early 16th century the Mughal empire had not yet risen. Regional sultanates controlled much of the coast. European sailors reached India seeking trade in spices and textiles, not territory at first.
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The Portuguese reached Goa in 1510. Afonso de Albuquerque led this conquest. Goa became the capital of Portuguese possessions in the East. Along with trade, the Portuguese brought an intense missionary drive. This was led by the Jesuit order, a Catholic religious order. The Jesuits were founded in 1534 by Ignatius Loyola and companions, including Francis Xavier. This religious purpose shaped Goa's architecture. Churches were built not only as places of worship but also as statements of the Church's power.
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Pondicherry's French Quarter has a grid street plan from French colonial times.
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Indo-Gothic style blended European Gothic Revival features with Indian decorative elements.
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Indo-Saracenic style blended British colonial and Indian architectural features.
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New Delhi's imperial buildings mixed western designs with oriental decorative motifs.
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Jama Masjid, Srinagar, was built in the 15th century by Sultan Hassan Shah.
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Chandigarh was built as a planned new capital for Punjab after Partition.
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Charles Correa is called the Gandhi of Indian architecture.
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Statue of Unity depicts Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and is the tallest statue in the world.
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