About Gol Gumbaz

 Gol Gumbaz

The erstwhile capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty, Bijapur or Vijaypur remains as quaint with Gol Gumbaz gazing at the sky as the echoes of its timelessness reverberate through the air. The resting place of Mohammed Adil Shah and his wives, mistress, daughter and grandson, Gol Gumbaz is among the greatest examples of the Adil Shahi architecture with one of the biggest domes in the world.

Built in 1656 it took 30 years to complete the construction of Gol Gumbaz. The mausoleum was designed by Yaqut of Dabul. Situated in the northern Karnataka, Gol Gumbaz marks the splendour of Adil Shahi rule in the Southern India. The seventh ruler of the Adil Shahi empire, Mohammed Adil Shah started the construction of the tomb right after he became the Sultan in 1626. He wanted the mausoleum to be bigger and grander compared to the memorial of his father, Ibrahim Adil Shah. Although the construction of Gol Gumbaz started during the reign of Mohammed Adil, it got disrupted due to the sudden demise of the Sultan

*Gol Gumbaz Information

Gol Gumbaz Architecture

Styled on the Dravidian architecture amalgamating the Islamic influences, the very name Gol Gumbaz stems from ‘Gola Gombadh’ or Gol Gomata’ translating to a circular dome. Made of dark grey basalt stone, its chamber is among the biggest in the world measuring 18,000 sq ft and the whispering gallery allowing people to hear their most hushed tones courtesy the acoustics of the space. It is said that you can hear a word echo for about 12 times across the other end of the dome. The 144 ft high roof with a 156 ft cube on either side beneath has eight arches traversing the two squares interlocking together that work as the base for the dome. There are four octagonal towers placed at each corner comprising a staircase. And each tower has a gallery on the top floor. The podium sits pretty in the centre hall with steps on the two sides.

The precinct of Gol Gumbaz comprises a mosque, garden, tavern and a museum. A cenotaph graces the podium in the middle separating the main grave underneath. The entrance to the mausoleum will greet you with a piece of meteorite which is said to have been fallen during the rule of Sultan and is believed to safeguard the tomb from lightning.

Quick Trivia
The dome of Gol Gumbaz is said to be the second biggest in the world after the St Basilica in Rome.
The dome does not have any pillars or towers to support it.
The museum near the monument has interesting items on display like Chinese parchments, paintings, carpets and more.
One can get a sweeping view of Bijapur from the four seven-storeyed minars here.

Gol Gumbaz Timings

The Gol Gumbaz opening hours are similar to most monuments. You can visit the site between 10 am to 5 pm which are the Gol Gumbaz timings