Indo-Saracenic Architecture

About Indo-Saracenic Architecture

This groups aims to celebrate and share the beautiful examples of "Indo-Saracenic" architecture from across the world. The name is somewhat archaic and it was coined by British architects during the heyday of the British Raj. 'Indo-Saracenic' (from Saracen, an archaic name for Muslims used by the British) was also known as 'Indo-Gothic'; it was a style of architecture developed by British architects in the late 19th century in British India which combined elements from native Indian, Indo-Islamic and Mughal architecture with the respective Gothic Revival and Neo-Classical styles favoured in Victorian Britain.

The fusion gave rise to a distinctive style of architecture which was well adapted for use as grand public buildings, palaces, schools, mosques (masjids), courts and residences.

From British India (and today's Pakistan and Bangladesh), it spread to other parts of the Empire especially those with sizeable or majority Islamic populations, including Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and Zanzibar. The style also found its way back to Britain.

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