Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur

Visitor Information

• Famous For: Mausoleum, Tomb and Historic Place.
• Entry Fees: Indian Nationals- Rs. 15/- per head, Foreign Nationals- Rs. 200/- per head, Children up to 15 years of age- No Fees.
• Visiting Time: All seven days of week, 10:00am to 5:00pm.
• Visiting Duration: Since there are lots of things to be seen inside the tomb, it may easily take you from 1 to 2 hours to finish your visit at the Gol Gumbaz.

Built in the 16^th century as a memorial of Sultan Adil Shahi, the architect of Gol Gumbaz is Yaqut of Dabul, who got inspired from our very own Taj Mahal, Agra and tried to build a similar structure using dark grey Basalt. The stone is blackish in color and the building is known as ‘Black Taj Mahal’ or the ‘Taj Mahal of South India’.

Traveller’s Tips

• Do carry your camera if you are planning to visit the historic tomb, as photography is very much allowed inside the monument.
• Parking is available, so no need to worry about your personal vehicles.
• Keep good 1 to 2 hours of your time free while visiting the tomb, as this will allow you to enjoy every site of the place.
• Try to reach at the tomb in the morning at the time of opening when there is not much crowd, as this will give you more time and space to admire the beauty and the architecture of the memorial.

Things to Do

• Visit the “whispering gallery” of the tomb. They say even the slowest whispers can be heard by the person standing at the farthest distance.
• See the ‘bijlipathar’, which is meteorite that hit the earth during sultan’s rule.
• It is believed that the stone protects the memorial from lightning and thunder.
• In the middle of the hall, the commemorative of Adil Shahi is marked by a wooden baldachin.
• Do notice the architecture of the tomb, you will find that the structure is standing without the help of any pillars for support!
• There is another room called Nakkar Khana, means the music gallery, which is incomplete and is converted into a museum now.
• The tomb is walled by a beautiful, clean garden, which adds to the beauty of the “Black Taj Mahal” of India. You can relax inside the greenery and give yourself a peaceful time.

Avaialbility of Guides

The guides are available at the monument and it is very much advisable to hire one, so that you cover all the important information and do not miss out on any story.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Bijapur is between September to April, as the weather is quite pleasant during these months.

Summers are pretty hot and dry; hence it may make your visit uncomfortable during summers.

How to Reach

Bijapur is very well associated with all transport routes. It has its own Bus stops and Railway station. The airport is under construction and will be opened soon.

After reaching Bijapur, you can hire an auto, book a cab or look for the local buses to reach Gol Gumbaz. Another interesting way to reach the tomb is by a Tonga or Horse Buggy as they call it.

Interesting Facts and Trivia about Gol Gumbaz

• The Tomb was built in the year 1656, in the memory of Sultan Adil Shahi. The name of the architect is Yaqut of Dabul.
• The style of architecture of the building is taken from Deccan Indo- Islamic styling and is inspired by the Taj Mahal in Agra.
• It is also known as the ‘Black Taj Mahal’ or ‘Taj Mahal of South India’.
• The structure is forms in a semi-circular shape.
• The tomb contains one of the largest single chamber spaces in the world.
• Whispering gallery is one of the most striking feature of the monument, as the lowest whispers can be heard by someone standing at a long distance from the gallery.

Nearby Attractions

• Mithari and Asar Mahals
• Upli Buruj
• Ibrahim Rauza Tomb
• Barah Kaman
• Taj Bawdi
• Malik-e-Maidan
• Chand Bawdi
• Whistling Galiyara
• Sundreshwar Temple
• Jami Masjid
• Archaeological Museum, Bijapur
• Aquarium

Nearby Restaurants

• Hotel Madhavan International Restaurant
• Shisha
• Ridhi Restaurant
• The Sigdi
• Hanafi Restaurant
• Oviya
• Hotel Shubhashree Sagar
• Qasawa Hills Restaurant
• Mysore Restaurant
• Kamath Restaurant
• Jalanagar
• Bijapur Café
• Hotel Golden Heights

To satisfy your need of history related information and if you are fond of historical places, then visiting the Gol Gumbaz will be worth it. The beauty and the architecture of the mausoleum is enough to take you back to the 16^th century and give you chills on how skillfully the structure is built. Not only this, there are many other monuments close to Gol Gumbaz which you can visit and know more about the Indian Heritage.