Ashrafi Mahal

Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh


The Ashrafi Mahal was built as a madrasa (Islamic college) by Hoshang Shah between 1405 and 1422. It was a quadrangle with rows of cells and arcaded corridors on the outside, and four corner towers. Mahmud Khilji of the following dynasty converted the northwest tower into a seven-storey victory tower, and roofed the courtyard as a platform for his own grand marble tomb. Tomb and tower have vanished but you can climb a grand staircase and walk around the roof.


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