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Bijapur was the capital of the Adil Shahi Kings (1489-1686, one of the five
splinter states formed when the Bahmani Muslim Kingdom broke up in 1482. The
others, formed at roughly the same time, were Bidar, Golconda, Ahmednagar and
Gublarga.)
Places of Interest
GOLGUMBAZ - Bijapur's largest and most famous monument is the Golgumbaz. Built
in 1659, it's an enormous, bulky, ill-proportioned building, containing an
immense hall, buttressed by octagonal seven-storey towers at each of its
corners. It is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah (1626-56), his two wives,
his mistress (Rambha), one of his daughters and a grandson.
MALIK-I-MAIDAN CANNON Monarch of the Plains - is a huge cannon measuring over
four metres long, almost 1 1Ž2 meter's in diameter, and estimated to weigh 55
tones. It was cast in 1549 and brought to Bijapur as a war trophy thanks to
the effort of 10 elephants, 400 oxen and hundreds of men,
IBRAHIM ROZA The beautiful Ibrahim Roza was constructed at the height of
Bijapur's prosperity by Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1580-1626) for his queen. Unlike
the Golgumbaz, which is impressive only for its immensity, the emphasis here
is on elegance and delicacy. Its 24m high minarets are said to have inspired
those of the Taj Mahal. It's also one of the few monuments in Bijapur with
substantial stone filigree and other sculpturally decorative work.
MEHTAR MAHAL The stained but richly decorated Mehtar Mahal to the south serves
as an ornamental gateway to a small mosque.
JAMA MASJID - The finely proportioned Jama Masjid has graceful arches, a fine
dome and a large inner courtyard with room for 2250 worshippers. Spaces for
them are marked out in black on the polished floor of the mosque. The flat
roof is accessible by several flights of stairs. It was constructed by Ali
Adil Shah I (1557-80), who was also responsible for erecting the fortified
city walls and Gagan Mahal, and for installing a public water system,
WHISPERING GALLERY
NAGAR KHANA
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