The Sixty Dome Mosque: A Marvel of Bengal Architecture

The Sixty Dome Mosque is a stunning monument of the Bengal Sultanate period, which combined Islamic and indigenous elements. It belongs to the Mosque City of Bagerhat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has 360 mosques, public buildings, mausoleums, bridges, roads, and water tanks made of baked brick.

The mosque was constructed in the 15th century by Khan Jahan Ali, a Muslim saint and local ruler who established a Muslim colony in the mangrove forest of the Sunderbans, near the coast in the Bagerhat District. He called the city Khalifatabad and decorated it with many mosques, the most majestic and largest of which is the Sixty Dome Mosque.

The mosque has a rectangular plan that measures 148’6" x 101’4" externally and 123’3" x 76’2" internally. It has 77 low domes arranged in seven rows of eleven, with an extra dome on each corner, bringing the total to 81 domes. There are four towers, two of which were used for the call to prayer. The interior is divided into many aisles and bays by 60 slender stone columns, which end in numerous arches that support the roof. The mosque has 1.8 m (6 ft) thick, slightly tapering walls and hollow and round, almost detached corner towers, resembling the bastions of a fortress, each topped by small rounded cupolas. The mosque has a distinctive red-brown color and features intricate designs and Bengali text on its walls and domes.

The mosque was used for prayers as well as a madrasha and assembly hall. It is one of the oldest and most impressive Muslim monuments in the whole of South Asia. It is also known as the Shait Gumbad Mosque, meaning the mosque with 60 domes, or the Saith Gunbad Masjid.

• Conclusion: Summarize the main points and highlight the uniqueness and beauty of the mosque. Provide some information on how to visit the mosque and what to expect.

Source links:

Wikipedia article on the mosque, its history, architecture, and location.

Adequate Travel guide on the mosque, its history, architecture, visiting hours, and travel information.

Hive blog post by a visitor who shared their experience and photos of the mosque.

Tripadvisor review by a traveler who rated the mosque and gave some tips for visitors.

Read More Blog : Durbar Bagerhat