Gol Gumbaz is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah, located in Bijapur, India. It was built in 1659 and features a massive cube structure with octagonal towers at each corner. The interior has a single square chamber 135 feet high covered by a huge dome that is over 200 feet tall. The dome spans the largest uninterrupted floor space in the world at over 18,000 square feet. It was an engineering feat to construct the dome over such a large space using concentric brick layers and intersecting arches to distribute the weight.

1. Gol Gumbaz Submitted to : Briva mam From: Aakanksha Jariwala Tanvi Tanawala

5. Plan of Gol Gumbaz

6. Cross Section of Gol Gumbaz

7. Gol Gumbaz is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah (1627-57) of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Indian sultans, who ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur from 1490 to 1686. The tomb, located in the city of Bijapur, or Vijapur in Karnataka, southern India, was built in 1659 by the famous architect, Yaqut of Dabul. The tomb is a massive cube, with octagonal seven storied towers topped by small rounded domes, projecting at the corners. Each face of the cube has three arches-a large central arch, flanked by two smaller arches.

8. An inscription on its entrance arch states that the edifice retains the mortal remains of Muhammad Adil Shah. In line with the sixth storey of the corner towers is a projection on the tomb walls, supported by closely set brackets, above which is a band of small arched openings. The parapet has a decorative edging, beyond which rises the bulbous dome with a foliated drum, which is a typical feature of Bijapur buildings apart from a pier instead of a pillar and a crescent finial surmounting the spires.

9. Internally, there is only one square chamber of majestic proportions-each side of which is 135 feet high, the walls over 10 feet thick and 110 feet high. The dome has a diameter of 125 feet internally with its apex over 200 feet high. The tomb’s height has been likened to a present twenty-storied building. The key to the entire plan, of supporting the immense dome over the square room below, was solved by constructing eight pointed intersected arches which are perfectly stable in themselves and contract any thrust from the weight of the dome. The arches support a circular platform above, which encounters the base of the dome. The transition from a square chamber below to the circular base of the dome was possible by the intersection above producing an octagon.

10. The interior surface of the dome is about 12 feet from the inner edge of the circular structure produced by the arches, so that a proportion of its weight is transmitted directly downwards on to the four walls, the remainder being carried on the intersecting arches. The fantastic dome of the Gol Gumbaz, with a diameter of 125 feet covers the largest uninterrupted floor spacing in the world-18, 337 square feet. The dome of Gol Gumbaz, which is placed over a larger square space, covers the largest domed space in the world. The hemispherical dome of an average thickness of 10 feet was constructed out of concentric layers of brick masonry cast in concrete formed out of a mix of ballast and rich lime mortar. The 12 feet projection above the intersecting arches forms the whispering gallery, which can be approached by a narrow stairway within the left tower.

11. This gallery around the base of the dome formed a highly sensitive echo alcove and the faintest sound in it echoes across 135 feet, resonating ten times and thus one pair of feet is enough to awaken the echoes of the tread of a regiment It is also said that the Sultan, Ibrahim Adil Shah and his Queen used to converse in the same manner. During his time, the musicians used to sing, seated in the whispering gallery so that the sound produced could be reached to very corner of the hall. The musicians used to sing, seated in the whispering gallery so that the sound produced could be reached to very corner of the hall. At the center of the vast space, on a raised platform are the cenotaphs of Muhammad Adil Shah, his two wives, mistress, daughter and grandson-their interred bodies placed in a crypt below accessible by a flight of stairs under the western doorway.

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