BIJAPURKARNATAKA

The City with Gol Gumbaj"
Bijapur Karnataka

Bijapur, the 15th century bastion of the Adil Shahis, with fortified walls, 10-km in circumference. Visit the Malik-e-Maidan, (lord of the plains), reputedly the largest medieval cannon in the world. The Gol Gumbaz dominates the eastern skyline near the railway station. It was build in 1626 as a mausoleum. Its massive dome rests on intersecting pendentive arches over and enormous square hall, the largest floor space in the world covered by a single dome. Also visit Ibrahim Rouza another mausoleum built in 1580, with its enclosed garden containing a mosque. It is said that the architects of the Taj Mahal studied this monument before embarking upon their own illustrious task. Within the citadel lies the Anand Mahal (Hall of Pleasure). The Mehtar Mahal, with its fine relief work around the doorways, balconies and ceilings, is not a palace, as its name would suggest - it was built for the sweepers of the regal household. Other monuments include the Jami Masjid, a mosque whose magnificent proportions are balanced by its understated ornamentation; the Gagan Mahal (Palace of the Sky) and the Mecca Masjid, a miniature mosque for the women of the court. Overnight at Hotel Sanman.