Information on Gol Gumbaz (Bijapur, Karnataka) - History & Architecture

Gol Gumbaz is the most popular memorial of Bijapur in Karnataka. It is basically a vault which is regarded as the second biggest dome in the world after St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. Gol Gumbaz houses the catacomb of King Adil Shah. Legend states that this memorial was established by the orders of Adil Shah before his demise. It was the wish of Adil Shah to create a catacomb as a memorial which is comparable with his father Ibrahim Rauza. Gol Gumbaz is situated at a distance of about 530 kilometre from Bangalore. It stands at the core of the city.

Gol Gumbaz Architecture

Gol Gumbaz is a fine specimen of Islamic architecture and appositely acknowledged for its astonishing dimensions and exclusive acoustic features. The ground area of the monument is about 1700 square meter with an altitude of about 51 meter and length of about 37 meter. It also have 3 meter dense wall. It was sated that the construction of Gol Gumbaz has taken approximately 20 years to complete. One significant architectural feature of Gol Gumbaz is its central vault which stands without the support of columns. Furthermore, the most attractive aspect of Gol Gumbaz is that any sound of this monument reverberates for 11 times. Travellers can also hear the echo of finest whisper such as the sound of clock within distance of about 37 centimetre in the massive vault.

Another striking feature of Gol Gumbaz is its seven storied octagonal points and weighty bracketed cornice underneath the walls. In Gol Gumbaz, the catacomb of the king is built on plain rectangular block with towers on every angle, designed with plaster. Three blind curves were demonstrated on the external side of the memorial, where the central arch is wider than other arches. There is also a beautiful garden which surrounds Gol Gumbaz.

Gol Gumbaz History

Gol Gumbaz was established in the year 1659. As stated above, it is the tomb of king Adil Shah, the seventh ruler of Adil Shahi family. He ruled during the period of 1626 to 1656. Soon after his concurrence to the sovereignty in 1626, he started this construction in order to bury his mortal remnants. He was buried in the massive dome underneath Gol Gumbaz along with his other family members. The exact location of the actual catacomb of Adil Shah is specified by a wooden cover which is kept in the high stage at the center of the floor of the hall. Apart from Adil Shah, his two wives, his lover, his daughter and his grandson also housed in Gol Gumbaz. In Gol Gumbaz, there is also a museum where stuffs associated with Adil Shah are retained such as his armaments, dresses, pottery, letters and portraits.

Gol Gumbaz Tourism Importance

Gol Gumbaz happens to be one of the key attractions of Karnataka. Considerable number of tourists come to Bijapur in order to visit this memorial. Its structure ranks among the most impressive architectures in India. Gol Gumbaz also demonstrates the royal history associated with Adil Shah Family. Due to its exclusive design it is termed as 'spiritual gallery' where laxest level of sound can be sensed, making it worthwhile to visit. At present, the government of Karnataka is planning to develop this historical place in order to assert it as world heritage site and a popular tourism place.