What to see
The
Following are the tourist places in and around the
city:
1) Bijapur offers the tourist a variety of medieval monuments,
2) which occupy a unique niche in the pantheon of Islamic architecture
in India
3) The chief reason for that they were built with largely Indian
craftsmen
4) In addition to the Gol Gumbaz, the architecture buff can take in the
beautifully maintained Ibrahim
Roza,
5) Jumma Masjid and an assortment of buildings of historical interest
and round it off with a visit to
the architectural museum.
How
to Reach
Gol Gumbaz
The tomb
of Mohammed Adil Shah (1627-56), the 7th ruler of the
Adil Shahi dynasty, took 20 years to complete and dominates the
landscape of Bijapur for miles around. The central dome is the
second largest in the world (the largest being the dome of St
Peter's Basilica in Rome) and stands unsupported by pillars
measuring at 38 meters in diameter. The monument itself is an
impressive structure with a floor area of 1700 sqm and a height of
51 meters. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the structure is
acoustics - in the 'Whispering Gallery', the tick of a watch or the
rustle of paper can be heard across a distance of 37 meters. The
massive structure is rounded off by four octagonal turrets in each
corner which project at an angle. From the gallery around the dome,
one can have a fabulous view of the entire town. The complex also
includes a mosque, a Naqar Khana, a gateway and a dharmasala. The
edifice in front of the tomb has been converted into a museum.
Ibrahim Roza
-
Rauza
literally means a garden. the square enclosure consists of 2
buildings, one housing the tombs of Ibrahim Adil Shah II & his
family & the other a mosque. The tomb, evidently executed under
the orders of Ibrahim Adil Shah (1580-1627) is noted for its
striking symmetry of proportion, exquisite minarets cupolas,
parapets & cornices & is supposed to have been an inspiration
for the Taj Mahal at Agra.
This monument shows the creativity
of its Iranian born architect. Built on a single slab of
bed-rock, the architect has attained a perfect balance on the
site, with the mausoleum on the left and the prayer hall to the
right.
The gardens are beautifully sculpted and are enclosed within an
imposing wall and have some superb gateways.
- Two stone chains
(each carved from a single rock) hang from the sides of the
prayer hall. Each door (made in teak wood and re-enforced in
metal) in this complex is unique, with some excellent features.
The arches in the hallway surrounding the inner perimeter of the
mausoleum are superbly crafted. The facades of the building
provide for some stunning art-work in stone, including a map to
the basement, which lies under the mausoleum.
Malik-e-Maidan

Malik-e-Maidan (Monarch of the
Plan) is one of the largest bell metal guns in the world, it
measures 4.45 m in length, 1.5 m in diameter & weighs 55 tons.
Placed on the walls of the city on the one of the bastions of the
fort (called the Buruz or Lion Tower), this was built on the orders
of Burham Nizam Shah I for his son-in-law Adil Shah. A unique
feature of this legendary cannon is that it is always cool to touch
even under the blazing sun & when tapped gently it tinkles softly
like a bell. The
muzzle of the gun is shaped like the head of a lion with open jaws &
between the carved fangs is depicted an elephant being crushed to
death.
Jumma
Masjid
Called
Jumma Masjid because the Khutba is recited here on Jumma ie. Friday,
it is the largest & first constructed mosque in Bijapur. It was
built between 1557 -1686, most of it during Ali Adil Shah reign, who
acquired the land after defeating the rich Ramaraja of Vijayanagar.
The total area of the mosque is 10,810 sq m. The main part of the
mosque stands to the west & has nine huge arches on their facade
that deepen into five arches & form 45 compartments. The majestic
tomb rises above the roof in a semicircle resembling the bud of a
flower. This imposing mosque (the rectangle is 170m x 70 m) is
incomplete, lacking in 2 minarets. Aurangzeb extended the mosque in
the east, the south & the north verandah & built the eastern gate.
The original gateway is on the northern side. The interior of the
mosque shows restraint, except for some decorative motifs on the
apexes of the arches. The heavy curtain hangs over the "Mehrab",
which has domes, minarets, niches
Gol-Gumbaz Archaeological Museum
Located in the building in front of the Gol-Gumbaz, the
museum houses art from the Chalukyan as well as Adil Shahi
periods.
Bara-kaman
This is on of the Famous place
in bijapur.here 12 arch building. the
bara-kaman houses art from the chalukyan as well as Adil
shahi Periods
