Gol Gumbaz maqbara- Mohammed Adil Shah, sultan of Bijapur.

Gol Gumbaz is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah (ruled 1627–1657), Sultan of Bijapur (now Vijayapura).

• What makes the Gol Gumbaz so special is the fact that its dome is the second-largest dome ever built.

It is constructed in such a way that even a pin drop can be heard distinctly from across a space of 38 m, in the Whispering Gallery.

The acoustics here are such that any sound made is said to be repeated 10 times over. In the surrounding ornamental gardens is an archeological museum.

the Gol Gumbaz is an historical and popular Indian architectural masterpiece which is the resting place of King Adil Shah and his family members. It serves as a popular tourist attraction in Vijayapura, Karnataka. The Gol Gumbaz is also considered the ‘Taj of the south’.

The tomb, located in Vijayapura, Karnataka in southern India, was completed in 1656 by the architect Yaqut of Dabul.

Architecture:

The Gol Gumbaz is such a great architectural masterpiece that it attracts archaeologists from around the world who come to see its grand dome, which was built without pillars.

Although "impressively simple in design", it is the "structural triumph of Deccan architecture.

The structure composed of a cube, 47.5 meters (156 ft) on each side, capped by a dome 44 m (144 ft) in external diameter. “Eight intersecting arches created by two rotated squares that create interlocking pendentives” support the dome.

At each of the four corners of the cube, is a dome-capped octagonal tower seven stories high with a staircase inside.

The upper floor of each opens on to a round gallery which surrounds the dome. Inside the mausoleum hall, is a square podium with steps on each side.

In the middle of the podium, a cenotaph slab on the ground marks the actual grave below, “the only instance of this practice” in the architecture of the Adil Shahi Dynasty.

• In the middle of the west side, “a large half-octagonal bay” protrudes out.

• With an area of 1,700 m2 (18,000 sq ft), the mausoleum has one of the biggest single chamber spaces in the world.

Recent minor damage:

The monument recently suffered minor damage following heavy rains in the district in north Karnataka.

According to the report, a small portion of the support bracket, also called the chajja or cornice, on the eastern side broke off from the structure last week. The bricks were shattered after falling from a height of around 90 feet. No one was injured as the area is out of bounds for the general public, and there was no one in the vicinity during the incident.

The archeological Survey of India initiates detailed study, to carry out repairs after monsoon.