About Gol Gumbaz

Gol Gumbaz is the most important monument in Bijapur. Meaning 'the circular dome' the second largest dome in the world, after the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, is 124 feet in diameter. This architectural dome houses the tomb of King Adil Shah and was built in 1656 AD. Legend has it that this monument was built by the orders of Adil Shah before his death. It was the desire of the ruler to build a mausoleum comparable to the Ibrahim Rauza, the tomb of his father, Ibrahim Adil Shah II. An equally distinguished tomb well composite and ornamented worth a visit. At a distance of 530 kms from Bangalore, this monumental heritage stands in the heart of the city.

Gol Gumbaz, the major attraction of Bijapur in Karnataka stands on a floor area of 1700 sq mts with a height of 51 m and diameter of 37 m. the walls of the tomb are 3m thick. The most noted highlight of this monumental heritage is its acoustic feature wherein a sound echoes 11 times over and can be heard at a distance 37 km. The tomb is constructed on a plain square block with towers on each corner in dark gray basalt, decorated with plasterwork. Three blind arches are displayed on the exterior of the monument. The central arch on the other hand is wider than the others and is dressed with wooden panels with small rectangular entrance and three rows of arched windows punched through. One can enter the grandeur from the south door where a stone (Bijli pathar), that claims to guard the tomb from lighting) is suspended from the cornice. This cornice is a distinguished part of the tomb that rests on a highly carved stone.

The dome of the building is carved with elegant petals and the height is 27.4 mts. The corner towers do not harmonize with the dome as they look more like a Chinese pagoda rather than a minarets. They are divided in seven floors and is crowned with a hemispheric dome. The architecture of the monument is essentially Islamic and has all the trademarks of the traditional Islamic or Persian style of architecture The mausoleum is actually just a small part of the bigger complex that contains a mosque, a dharamshala (inn) and other buildings.

This famous monument of Bijapur is located in the heart of the city. Bijapur is an important city in Karnataka and is well connected by the major parts of the state as well as the country. At a distance of 205 km is the nearest airport of Belgaum. One can get to Bijapur easily as the railway line connecting Solapur in Maharastra and Hubli passes through the center of the district, via India and Basavan Bagewadi. Bijapur is well connected to Bangalore, Mumbai (via Solapur), Hyderabad (via Solapur), Hospet (via Gadag), Vasco da Gama (via Hubli and Londa). Bijapur railwaystation comes under the administrative control of HUBLI division of South Central Railway (SCR).
Bijapur is connected by road to most places in south and west India. These are: Aihole (110 km), Badami (138 km), Pattadakal (148 km), Hampi (220 km), Belgaum (205 km), Bangalore (550 km), Bombay (486 km). The National highway 13 passes through the district in the eastern and central parts.
Once inside the town, tourists can avail taxis or autos. Another exhilarating option with be the horse carriage (Tingas).

Climate

Karnataka might not be called as the best state in India, but it is certainly catching up. The credit definitely goes to the stimulating climate that induces people for a holiday tour to this state again and again. The tropical monsoon climate that covers the entire coastal belt of Karnataka, gives the state a moderate summer and pleasant winters. The Southern part of Karnataka experiences hot, seasonally dry tropical savanna climate. The north Karnataka experiences hot, semi-arid, tropical steppe type of climate.

The months of January and February are slightly cold while summers begin from March and continues till May. Post monsoon begins from October and remains till December. The best season to visit Karnataka is definitely the winter (between October to February) where the travelers can enjoy the most of Karnataka.

Transportation

One can reach Lakshadweep by flight and ships from Kochi. Lakshadweep Administration operates ships from Kochi.

• Air: Karnataka boasts of six airports, which very well connect it to the rest of the country as well as important parts of the world. It has airports in Bangalore, Mangalore, Hampi, Hubli, Belgaum, Bijapur and Mysore (not operational). The Mangalore international airport and the HAL airport in Bangalore are the two airports that offer international flights to and fro Karnataka. Domestic flights like Jet Airways, Kingfisher and Indian ply between the six airports. International cities like Sharjah, Singapore and others are also connected via direct international flights. The time taken to reach Bangalore form Delhi is approximately 3 hours while the time consumed from Maharashtra is around 1 ½ hours.
• Train: Karnataka is also well connected to other parts of the country through a wide rail network. Besides, the state of Karnataka also has an interstate rail network to make commuting easy within Karnataka. The most important railway station is undoubtedly at Bangalore, which is the capital of the state. Bangalore has 2 railway stations called Bangalore City and Yeshwantpur. Trains from all major cities of India travel to Bangalore. Daily express trains connect Bangalore to the other major cities of India. Various daily express as well as nigh expresses run from different parts of the country.
• Road: An intricate network of bus services as provided by KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) connect Karnataka to the nearby states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Besides, NEKRTC and NWKRTC are the two other road transport corporation in Karnataka, making commuting more easier by making remote areas and other places more accessible through the road network. National highways NH4, NH7, NH9, NH13, NH17, NH48, NH63, NH67, NH206, NH207, NH212 and NH218 connect Karnataka with Maharashtra, Kerala,Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• Local Transport: Local transport of Karnataka includes personal cars and auto rickshaws. A favorite with the foreigners, these three-wheeled vehicles provide a cheap and convenient mode of transport. One can find auto rickshaw stands near most of the tourist spots and also at airports, railway stations and bus stands. However, tourists are suggested to enjoy the Tonga (carriage) ride in the historic town of Bijapur.