| FACTS & FIGURES
Population : 217,500
Languages : Kannada and English
Best Time to Visit : October-February
STD Codes : 08352
THE CITY OF GOL GUMBAZ 
Bijapur is known for its medieval monuments, which are
a unique form of Islamic architecture. The magnificent
Gol Gumbaz is the main attraction of this city. It is
the largest dome in India and the second largest in
the world. Tourists are attracted to this city by the
various monuments built by the Adil Shahi rulers, who
ruled Bijapur between 15th and 17th century.
LOCATION
Bijapur is located in the northern part of the
state of Karnataka, in the southern region of India.
It is 613 km from Bangalore city and 486 km southeast
of Mumbai (Bombay) city. The climate of Bijapur is temperate
with summers (April-June) being moderately hot and winters
are cool and pleasant (November-February). It experiences
southwestern monsoon rains in the months of June to
August.
VISITING TIME
The best time to Bijapur is during winters.
THE PAST
The origin of Bijapur goes back to the
early medieval period. The Chalukyan rulers of south
India, between the 10th and 11th centuries laid the
foundation of Bijapur. At that time, it was called as
Vijayapura (the City of Victory). The local Yadavas
rulers ruled it for about a century. Ala-ud-din Khilji,
the Sultan of Delhi, captured it and made it a part
of his empire at the end of the 13th century. Khilji
could not hold on to Bijapur for long and it became
the part of the Bahamani Empire in 1347. The golden
period of Bijapur started with the decline of the Bahamani
rulers, when, in 1489, Yusuf Adil Shah, one of the nobles
under the Bahamani rulers, laid the foundation of the
Adil Shahi dynasty and made Bijapur the capital of his
kingdom. The Adil Shahis ruled Bijapur until 1686, when
the last great Mughal ruler Aurangzeb defeated them.
TOURIST SPOTS
Fortified walls surround the old city.
The main places to visit within Bijapur are its monuments,
which belong to the reign of the Adil Shahi dynasty.
The imposing Gol Gumbaz or the Round Dome, which is
to the eastern end of the walled city, is the main attraction
of this city. Mohammad Adil Shah built it in 1659. This
structure has the largest dome, unsupported by pillars,
to be found in India and the second largest in the world.
It houses the tomb of Mohammad Adil Shah. From the turrets
of the Gol Gumbaz, one can have a panoramic view of
the city. The medieval complex near the Gol Gumbaz has
important buildings. There is an archeological museum
and well-maintained gardens near the Gol Gumbaz. Ibrahim
Roza, which is on the western outskirts of the city,
is a beautiful tomb built by Adil Shah II for his queen.
It is an important structure and is known for its highly
decorative carving. The citadel, which is situated at
the center of the walled city, is a small, fortified
area with a moat. It has palaces, pleasure gardens and
public halls belonging to the Adil Shahi rulers. Though
most of the monuments are in ruins, the remnants of
Gagan Mahal are worth seeing. The Sat Manzil (seven-storied
palace), Jala Manzil (water pavilion) and the Bara Kaman
(twelve arches) are important spots near the citadel.
Jama Masjid, the mosque built by Ali Adil Shah I, is
an important place to visit. The Taj Bawdi (water tank),
Upli Burj (watch tower), the Mehtar Mahal (palace built
by sweepers) and Asar Mahal are other important places
to visit in Bijapur. The Malik-e-Maidan (monarch of
the plains) cannon, which is one of the largest surviving
bell-metal cannons in the world, is placed on the city
walls and is an important attraction of the city.
SITES NEARBY
There are a number of places of interest
around Bijapur. The temple town of Aihole, 129 km from
Bijapur, has a number of richly carved temples belonging
to the Chalukya rulers, dating back to 6th and 8th century.
The historic cities of Gulbarga (159 km) and Badami
(132 km) can be visited from Bijapur. Basavana Bagevadi
(43 km) is known for its temple and is the birthplace
of Saint Basaveshwara. Kundalasangama, 67 km from Bijapur,
is an important pilgrim center and it is associated
with the 12th-century poet and social reformer Saint
Basaveshwara.
SHOPPING
Bijapur is known for its hand-woven
traditional Ikal saris.
HOW TO REACH
Bijapur does not have an airport of
its own. Bijapur railway station is located 2 km east
of the city center, beyond the walled city. Few trains
pass and stop at Bijapur. However, there are a number
of trains to Sholapur (in the state of Maharashtra)
and Gadag, which are important railheads, from where
one can get trains to Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
The main stand in Bijapur is near the southwestern side
of the citadel, near the city center. Bus services to
Badami (4 hours), Belgaum (5 hours), Gulbarga (4 hours),
Bidar (7 hours), Hubli (4½ hours), and Sholapur
(2 hours) are frequent.
Auto-rickshaws and tongas can be used to move around
the city. Bikes can be taken on rent from the bus stand,
on hourly basis.
PLACES TO STAY
Apart from Karnataka State Tourism Development
Council's hotels and lodges, there are a number of hotels
in the city to suit all types of budget. Most of the
hotels in Bijapur are located on the Station Road/Gandhi
Road.
PLACES TO EAT
Bijapur does not have a cuisine of its
own but the traveler can savor traditional non-vegetarian
Mughlai and Hyderabadi delicacies in some of the good
restaurants and hotels here. Bijapur is also famous
for its traditional sweets made from milk.
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