Tomb of Safdarjung, New Delhi, Delhi India

Safdarjung's tomb was built by Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah, the son of Safdarjung. Safdarjung was the governor of Awadh and later became the Prime Minister of Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor. Built in 1753-1754, the Safdarjung tomb lies at the Lodi road, New Delhi. Safdarjung's tomb is set in the middle of a garden, which spreads over an area of 300 sq m. The garden of Safdarjung's tomb is laid down on the pattern of the Mughal Charbagh style. The Safdarjung tomb was erected roughly on the pattern of Humayun's tomb.

Safdarjung's tomb represents the last phase of the Mughal style of architecture. The tomb of Safdarjung was built in red sandstone and buff stone. There are two graves here, one of Safdarjung and the other apparently his wife's. The square central chamber of the mausoleum is surrounded by eight rooms all around. All the apartments, except the corner ones are rectangular in shape, the corner ones being octagonal. The dome of the tomb rises from a sixteen-sided base. On either side of the Safdarjung tomb are beautiful pavilions, known as "Moti Mahal" or the pearl palace, "Jangli Mahal" or the sylvan palace and "Badshah Pasand" or the emperor's favorite.

After the death of Aurangzeb, the only significant structures raised were the Tomb of Safdarjung, who was the prime minister of Delhi under Muhammad Shah. Built in 1753-1754, the tomb lies at the head of Lodi road. Described as the "last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture" it is clearly decadent in style. Mehrauli village also has the Zafar Mahal, a summer place of the last Mughal.

The memorial was built by Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah who was the son of Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan popularly known as Safdarjung (1739-54) who was the governor of the province of Awadh under Muhammad Shah (1719-48) and later became his prime minister. The tomb is roughly on the plans of Humayun's tomb, though much scaled down. It is set in the middle of an extensive garden, which spreads over an area of over 300-sq-metre.

The garden itself is on the pattern of the Mughal 'Chaharbagh' style. In the center piling up with effortless arrogance is the massive gateway to the enclosure which rises to two levels. Inside there is the tomb, the courtyard and a mosque. On either side are beautiful pavilions known as "Moti Mahal" or the pearl palace, "Jangli Mahal" or the sylvan palace and "Badshah Pasand" or the emperor's favorite.

The mausoleum built with red sandstone and buff stone is faced with marble and stands squarely in the middle of a garden. There are two graves here, one of Safdarjung and the other presumably his wife's. The square central chamber of the mausoleum is surrounded by eight rooms all around. All the apartments, except the corner ones are rectangular in shape, the corner ones being octagonal. The dome of the tomb rises from a sixteen-sided base. The tomb has been criticized for its weakness in proportions hence a lack of balance in its make-up.

One of the last monuments to be built in the Mughal style of garden tombs, the Safdarjung tomb is among the popular historical memorials in Delhi. Though highly underrated, the mausoleum is often described by historians as the “last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture”.

The monument located on Lodhi Road was built by Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah for his father Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan, who served as the Subadar Nawab of Oudh and was also the Wazir ul-Mamalik-i-Hindustan or Chief Minister during the reign of Emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur in 1748. "Safdarjung" was the title given to Mirza Muqim Khan by the Emperor Muhammad Shah.

Born Muhammad Muqim in Persia, Mirza migrated to India in 1722. He succeeded his father-in-law and paternal uncle, the Burhan ul Mulk Saadat Ali Khan I to the throne of Oudh in 1739.

An able administrator, Safdarjung also served as governor of Kashmir and governor of Ajmer. However, court politics led to his dismissal from service. He returned to Oudh and died in October 1755 at the age of 46 years.

Safdarjung’s tomb is built in the style of Humayun’s tomb; however, it cost less than the mausoleum of the Mughal emperor.

The tomb is built in red sandstone and buff stone. The tomb stands on a high terrace which is surrounded by a plush green Mughal garden which spreads over 300 sq. meters. The garden in front of the tomb is called Charbagh. The tomb has a gate on the East and pavilions on the other sides, namely, “Moti mahal” or the pearl palace, “Jangli mahal” or the sylvan palace and the “Badshah Pasand” or the emperor’s favourite.

One can see great designs and carvings on the marble and buff sandstones at the entrance of the main mausoleum while the main entrance of the tomb is huge and exhibits fine ornamental paintings.

The mausoleum houses two graves  one of Safdurjung and that of his wife. The mausoleum also had a mosque and a courtyard within its premises. The central square chamber of the tomb is surrounded by eight rooms. The rooms are rectangular in shape except the corner ones which are octagonal.

The mausoleum has also lent its name to the Safdurjung Airport, Safdarjung Road, Safdarjung Hospital and localities like Safdurjung Enclave and Safdarjung Development Area (SDA), all in the Delhi.

The tomb of Mirza Muqim Abul-Mansur Khan, entitled Safdar-Jang, who was the viceroy of Oudh under Muhammad Shah (1719-48) and later on prime minister under Ahmad Shah (1748-54). The tomb was built in about 1754 by Shuja'u'd-Daula, Safdar Jang's son. The tomb is the last example of the pattern which began with Humayun's tomb. Enclosed within a large garden, divided into squares on the charbagh pattern, with tanks and fountains along the central pathway, with a gate on the east and pavilions on the other three sides, the tomb proper stands out in the centre of the enclosure. It is a square double-storeyed structure built on a raised terrace and surmounted by a bulbous dome of marble. Red and buff sandstone has been used in its facing, a large proportion of which was stripped off from' Abdu'r-Ral,lim Khan-i-Khanan's tomb. The marble panels on its corner-towers are pleasing but rather florid. In fact, its exaggerated ornamentation and lack of proportions, evidenced particularly by its vertical elevation, rob it of the character of a great building, although it has been rightly described as 'the last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture at Delhi'.