Bijapur Attractions - Tourist Places To Visit In Bijapur

Tourists visiting Bijapur must visit Gol Gumbaz as it is of great historical importance. It is the second largest tomb in the world and is the mausoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah, the sultan of Bijapur. He was the ruler of Shahi dynasty between 1490 and 1696.

The building was constructed by famous architect Yaqut of Dabul. 44 metre in diameter, the interiors of this dome are unsupported which is a mystery and have a whispering gallery.

The sound is echoed for 7 times and can be clearly heard on the other side. It is believed that King Adil Shah and his queen used to talk with each other in the same way. The musicians used to sit in the whispering gallery and sing so that their voice and music could reach each and every corner.

The architectural feature of this dome comprises 4 minarets of 8 storeys and the entry can be made by winding staircases. Positioned in a big walled garden, the tomb is build over an area of 1,700 square metre with a height of 51 metre.

Known as the Agra of the South, Bijapur has a lot of amazing monuments amongst which is the Bijapur Fort. Yusuf Adil Shahi built this fort in the year 1565. The fort has two concentric circles and the one in the middle is 1300 ft in length and the axis on east-west is 3 km. The outer wall of the fort is 10 km long. Massive materials with ninety-six large bastions of various designs are used to strengthen the fort. Ten bastions on the outside at the five gateways are decorated beautifully. The five gateways in the fort are the Makkah gate on the west, the Shahapur gate at the north-west corner, the Bahmani gate on the north, the Allahpur gate on the east and the Fateh gate on the south-east. The fort was guarded by 2000 men and it had close to 1000 canons made of brass and iron.

If time permits, travellers should visit Barakaman, the tomb of Ali Adil Shah II, in Bijapur District of Karnataka. The construction of this mausoleum was never completed. The famous king of Adil Shahi Empire, Ali Adil Shah, wanted to construct a mausoleum of supreme architecture, which had no match.

According to the plan, 12 arches were to be positioned around the grave of Ali Adil Shah in horizontal as well as vertical directions that can be seen by the travellers. It is said that the construction of this mausoleum was put on halt because the shadow of this structure would touch the Gol Gumbaz.

At present, there are only two arches which are built vertically. Archaeological Survey of India is now looking after this site.

Travellers on their trip to Bijapur are 'recommended' to visit Jumma Masjid as it is of great historical importance. It is one of the most famous religious monuments situated in Bijapur and was built by the King of Adil Shahi Dynasty, Ali Adil Shah I (1557-1580) in order to celebrate his triumph in Talikota Battle.

It is the largest mosque in this region spanning over a large area of 10,810 sq m. The mosque consists of a nice dome, big courtyard and attractive arches. For the worshippers, there are around 2,250 black squares raised on the floor.

This mosque contains a copy of the holy Quran written in gold and has a onion-shaped dome that rests on the sides of the hall, divided into 45 beams. Surrounded by 33 domes, the middle of this mosque has a fountain, a hall and a dome. There are 12 arches put together with 12 interleaving arches and a gateway which was designed by the last Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Travellers must visit Ibrahim Rauza which was constructed by Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1580-1627). The building was designed by Malik Sandal and is famous as 'Taj Mahal of the Deccan'. Ibrahim Rauza has a mosque on its right, four minarets and a tomb on its left side. There is a rectangular prayer-chamber in the mosque along with five arches at the front.

The minarets with high corners are separated into storeys having a cluster of columns at the bottom. The sphere-shaped dome is positioned on a dais decorated with beautiful large petals. The tomb and the mosque are raised on a similar stand in the heart of a wonderful garden. It is one of the most picturesque monuments in Aihole and visitors from all over come to witness the beauty of this historical building.

Entry fee for Indian citizens and visitors of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and BIMSTEC (Bangladesh India Myanmar Sri Lanka Thailand Economic Cooperation) countries is Rs. 5. Entry fee for visitors from other countries is US $ 2 or Indian Rs. 100 per head.

Tourists are recommended to visit the Citadel as it is quite popular for its architecture. The Citadel at Bijapur, also known as Arkilla, was built by Yusuf Adil Shah in 1566. There was a 100-yards-wide ditch surrounding the Citadel which used to be the major source of water in the past. Inside the Citadel, there are ruins of Hindu temples which signify the importance of Bijapur city in the pre-Islamic period. The surrounding walls of the Citadel are 30 to 50 feet high and are decorated with 96 enormous bastions of different types and designs.

The Citadel has 10 gateways with a width of about 25 feet each. The building was used by emperors of Bijapur for defying the trespassers. The monuments and the ruins present inside the Citadel reflect the beauty and magnificence of this place. It is a major historical monument and tourist destination in Karnataka. Tourists in large numbers visit this place because of its historical importance. Gagan Mahal, the royal palace, Sat Manzil, Bara Kaman and Jala Manzil are some of the other popular buildings situated close to the Citadel.

Travellers visiting Bijapur are recommended to visit Mithari and Asar Mahals to witness the beauty of these buildings. Mithari and Asar Mahals, situated in Bijapur, Karnataka, was built by Mohammed Adil Shah in the late 1640s.

This historical building has Persian style decorations and was known as the Hall of Justice during the Mughal period. The entry of women was strictly prohibited and till date a festival is celebrated inside the hall.

Constructed on four pillars, this is a place where Muslims worship. There are three tanks inside the room with different features and wall paintings as decorations. One of the tanks is 15 feet deep and the other two are comparatively smaller. The Persian architecture is showcased in the room and every year a festival called Urs is celebrated inside this room.

Tourists, as they enter the Asar, get to see the remains of citadel which signify the importance of Bijapur city in the pre-Islam era. There are also certain inscriptions on the stones present inside. This place attracts numerous tourists from all over every year as Jumma Masjid is situated close to this building.

If time permits, travellers can see Chand Bawdi (a stepwell) which was built by Ali Adil Shah (1557–1580) on the eastern borders of Bijapur city. Adil Shah named this tank after his wife Chand Bibi. When the empire of Vijayanagar collapsed, people in large numbers entered Bijapur.

A new settlement started in the city which increased the need for better infrastructure. Chand Bawdi was constructed with a storage capacity of 20 million litres to provide water to the people. Sometime later, this tank became an ideal model for other tanks built in the city of Bijapur.

A big compound was constructed around the tank for the maintenance staff. However, the complex was occasionally used by members of the royal family for recreation purposes.

If time permits, visitors should see Gagan Mahal, which is a royal palace situated around 2 km away from the city of Bijapur. It was built by King Ali Adil Shah I in 1561 to serve dual purposes, one of a royal residence and another of a Durbar hall. The monument is constructed with a 21-metre façade and four huge wooden pillars with a grand middle arch. The first floor of Gagan Mahal was used as the residence by the royal people; whereas, the ground floor served the purpose of Durbar hall.

Among all the arches in Bijapur, the central arch of this monument is the widest and the tallest. The structure is now mostly in ruins and has become a part of a beautiful park. The hall looks similar to the set of an opera stage. From one side, the hall is fully open which gives the audience a clear view of the events and happenings from outside. Gagan Mahal holds great historical importance and is beautifully encircled by a moat and citadel walls.

Recommended for visit, Upri Buruj situated in the north of Dakhani Idgah in Bijapur, was built by Hyder Khan around 1584. This 80 ft high spherical structure tower has stone steps encircling from the outside. Also known as Uppali Buruz, this place contains old war materials such as guns and water cisterns.

The top of the Upri Burj, also denoted as Hyder Burj, gives a revealing view of the city. This tower has a parapet, used for keeping an eye on the intruders, which has been fenced now. To reach the top of the tower, travellers will have to climb the circular stairs.

You need to visit Mehtar Mahal for the intricate designs and the beauty of the architecture. The monument has three storeys and Indo-Saracenic style of architecture is used to construct this amazing monument. The minarets of this place have a lot of intricate designs of birds and swans, which are carved in the Hindu architecture style. There is a mosque that has a legend of being built by a sweeper using the coins that were showered on him by a king. What should not to be missed in Mehtar Mahal are the carvings of the elephant and lion that take us back to the days where artists from far and wide came to showcase their talent. 

One of the great water tanks dedicated to the wife of Ibrahim II, Taj Sultana is the Taj Bawadi which is now a beautiful monument of Bijapur. There are rest houses in the east and west of the tower. The depth of the well is more than a 100 ft and it is said that a stone thrown from one end would never find its way to the other.

Taj Bawadi was the main source of water during the reign of the Shahi rule. The Taj Bawadi is wonderfully built and the design elements on the well attracts a lot of visitors. There are many more Bawadis in Bijapur and Taj Bawadi is the prominent one. The water in the well currently is not maintained and lacks cleanliness.

Tourists are recommended to visit Malik-e-Maidan or 'Lord of the Battlefield', which is a huge cannon set up by Muhammad Adil Shah I in 1549 on the top of Sherzah Burj in Bijapur. It faces towards the west at the plains outside the city of Bijapur.

Located 3 km from the district of Bijapur, this cannon is believed to be the largest warhead of the medieval era. The nozzle of the weapon is designed into the shape of a lion with open jaws. There is a small elephant between the two large fangs of l a on being crushed to death.

There is also an inscription made by Aurangzeb on the top of the cannon. This 55 tons heavy cannon has a diameter of 1.5 m and its length is 4.45 m. This legendary cannon has a unique feature that is even in the blazing sun it remains cool and when it is gently tapped, it tinkles very softly just like a bell.