Gol Gumbaz

Gol Gumbaz is the tomb of king Muhammad Adil Shah, Adil Shah Dynasty. Construction of the tomb, located in Bijapur , Karnataka, India, was started in 1626 and completed in 1656. The name is based on Gola gummata derived from Gol Gombadh meaning "circular dome". It follows the style of Indo-Islamic architecture. Even a slight whisper by someone standing in its gallery can be heard everywhere else in the gallery, and if somebody claps, the sound of it echoes several times

Gol Gumbaz
Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur (Karnataka)
Location of Gol Gumbaz in Karnataka
Location of Gol Gumbaz in India
Coordinates16°49′48.11″N 75°44′9.95″E
LocationBijapur, Karnataka, India
DesignerYaqut of Dabul
TypeMausoleum
MaterialDark grey basalt
Height51 m (167 ft 4 in)
Beginning date1626
Completion date1648
Dedicated toMuhammad Adil Shah
Variant Names Gol Gumbad

Architecture
Plan of Gol gumbaz
Circular dome from inside

The structure is composed of a cube, 47.5 m (156 ft) on each side, capped by a roof 44 m (144 ft) in external diameter. Eight intersecting arches created by two rotated squares that create interlocking pendentives support the dome. At each of the four corners of the cube, is a dome-capped octagonal tower seven stories high with a staircase inside. The upper floor of each tower opens on to a round gallery which surrounds the dome. The dome is one of the largest domes constructed before the modern era.

Inside the mausoleum, hall is a polygonal podium, with steps on each side. In the middle of the podium, a cenotaph slab on the ground marks the actual grave below, "the only instance of this practice" in the architecture of the Deccan sultanates. In the middle of the north side, "a large semi-octagonal bay" protrudes out. With an area of 1,700 m2 (18,000 sq ft), the mausoleum has one of the biggest single chamber spaces in the world. Running around the inside of the dome is the whispering gallery where even the softest sound can be heard on the other side of the mausoleum due to the acoustics of the space.

There is a museum within the complex. The museum was established during the British rule in 1892.

  • Overview of interior
  • Dome with intersecting arches from the outside
  • Whispering gallery
  • Carvings on the wall
  • Gol Gumbaz c. 1860
  • Gol Gumbaz view from the entrance.
  • Tomb viewed from the gardens
  • Western facade of the Gol Gumbaz
  • One of the minars as viewed from the terrace.
  • A nearby building.
  • Crenellations of the west facade
  • Historical cannon displayed in front of Gol Gumbaz
  • Ruins near the entrance
  • Corner view
  • Tomb

References
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.