Gol Gumbaz

Exterior View of Gol Gumbaz

The Gol Gumbaz ( German: " Round Dome "; Kannada: ಗೋಲ ಗುಮ್ಮಟ ) above building is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah (ruled 1627 to 1656 or 1657) of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Indian sultans, who the - by the rulers of North India (Lodi dynasty and Mughal Empire) independent Sultanate of Bijapur - 1490-1686 dominated.

Location

The tomb is located in the city of Bijapur in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is situated in a spacious park, which essentially consists, however, of lawns and - in contrast to the custom in the Persian style North Indian gardens (Char - Bagh ) - is not divided by a straight line running water channels.

History

At the tomb was probably built during the entire reign of Adil Shah. At his death it was largely completed; shortly after all the work was stopped.

Architecture

As an architect, Yaqut is called by Dabul, about whose origin and other activities is not known. Whether there were plans for a richer decorative design of the building and whether the Begleitbauten of the mausoleum of the original plan met or added at a later period, is unclear.

Naggarkhana

The path between the rather inconspicuous gate construction and the actual tomb is blocked by a two-storey and richly structured building of dark stone, the Naggarkhana or Naqqarkhana ( ' drum house '), who in his - almost modern - is architecture in stark contrast to the tomb; he now serves as a small museum and administration building, but was probably designed as a building for musicians here in religious feast days or by order of the successor Adil Shah played in his honor and to the delight of visitors - but not be visible to the public. However, the number of construction Jali windows also allow use of the premises as a retreat quarters for the women.

Dharamshala

Between the Naggarkhana and the Mausoleum still is another - storey - construction, which is regarded as a pilgrim or visitor hostel.

Mausoleum

The tomb stands on a six-foot- high platform, the dimensions of which - unlike the north Indian grave painting - are only slightly larger than the building itself, this reaches a total height above ground level of about 60 meters. The wall thickness of the construction is down by about 3 m, but tapers upwards to about 2.75 m. Unlike most of the tombs of northern India, the Gol Gumbaz is plastered in large parts.

Exterior

The monumental impact of the building with its - single wall - dome, which is only slightly increased by a jacketed with lotus leaves Tambour is, by four seven-storey pagoda similarly acting stair towers in the corners of the building - each with dome cap rates and a wrap around balcony with battlements - and four only slightly large entrance portals of darker stone material alleviated. Steininkrustationen, paintings or Jali window - as they were common in the tombs of northern India, especially at about the same time built the Taj Mahal - one searches in vain; only a few stucco with echoes of Hindu decorative elements adorn the spandrels above the entrance doors and the large lateral blind arches.

Interior

The - plastered almost completely white, but hardly exposed - interior of the building consists only of a huge domed room on a square plan with no side annex buildings. The side lengths of the space will be approximately 41 m, the lower dome diameter is 37.9 m and height of the room under the dome is nearly 51 m. In the middle of the room there - on a 1 meter high platform and covered by a wooden canopy - the stone cenotaph Adil Shah; the actual grave of here - together with one of his wives, a mistress ( ' dancer '), a son and a daughter - buried ruler is below the Bodennivaus.

The interior has - apart from large, overlapping stucco arches that lead over the room square in the dome round - hardly any Bauzier. Around the dome approach runs a deal ( " Whispering " ), from which alone gave out the monumentality spatial effect becomes clear again. Six small Türoffnungen that admit very little light, allowing the way out to the outer platform dealing with a beautiful view over the - loosened by many trees - city.

Mosque

Like the great mausoleums of North India, as has also the grave complex of the Gol Gumbaz over a mosque that - dominates with its five portals and a central dome and two small Eckminaretten - something is off. In it, the faithful were at the - often longer lasting - Visit the tomb meet their religious obligations prayer.

Importance

With its massive, block-like architecture, the Gol Gumbaz differs in essential features of which - despite its huge size - rather elegant Mughal architecture in northern India. With its massive dimensions of the building is one of the largest domes in the world and exceeds all Islamic buildings of this type by far. Its architecture has remained without a successor - the later grave times in the vicinity of Bijapur are not oriented or only slightly at his example.