Gol Gumbaz
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Located in Bijapur, this great monument is in reality the sepulchre of the tombs of the seventh Adilshahi Sultan, Muhammad Adilshah (1626-1656) and of his wives and daugheters. Soon after his accession to the throne in 1626, the sultan started construction of this sepulchre for his mortal remains to be laid to rest after his death. Its final decoration was yet in hand when the sultan died in 1656. He was burried in the vast vault beneath the floor of this monument. Exact position of his tomb in the underground vault is indicated by the wooden canopy seen on the high platform in the center of the floor of the hall.
After the death of its builder Further decoration of the structure appears to have been given up. For the extraordinary proportions of its dome and its floor area, this monument ranks among the most imposing in India. Its foundation rests on a flat rock which has prevented uneual settlement. Above the basement this building is octagonal in plan over which rests its mountain like dome.
At a height of 33 mts from the floor projects a gallery all around the base of the dome and is called the wispering gallery because even the faintest wisper or sound made in it heard from the other side and single loud clap is echoved over 10 times distinctly. However, on a usual day, with every visitor making a lot of nose, nothing apart from noise can be heard.
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