Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat in Bangladesh

Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat in - Bangladesh

Short Report

Located in the outskirts of Bagerhat, during the meeting of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, this old city, formerly known as Khalifatabad, was founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan e Jahan Square in the 15th century. The urban infrastructure reveals considerable technical skill and an exceptionally large number of mosques and early Islamic monuments, many built of brick, can be seen.

Wonderful  Universal Importance

The historic Mosque City Bagerhat is an important proof of the medieval city in the south-western part of the current Bagerhat district which is located in the south-west of Bangladesh, on the meeting point of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. The old city, formerly known as Khalifatabad, urban sprawls over on the southern shore of the old river Bhairab and flourished in the 15th century BC. The beautiful city, which extended for 50 km2, contains some of the most important buildings of the early period of the development of Islamic architecture of Bengal. They have 360 mosques, public buildings, the mausoleums, bridges, roads, water tanks and other public buildings of baked stone.

This old city made within a few years, and covered by the jungle after the death of the founder in 1459, is remarkable because certain unusual characteristics. The density of the Islamic religious monuments is explained by the and piety of Khan e Jahan Square, which is apparent in the engraved message on the tomb. The absence of defenses is due to the possibilities of retreat in the dense mangrove swamps of the Sunderbans. The quality of the infrastructure, the supply and discharge of water, the cisterns and reservoirs, the roads and bridges - all show a perfect control of the techniques of planning and the will to spatial planning.

The monuments, which are partially disconnected from the vegetation, can be divided in two important areas 6.5 km from each other: in the West, around the mosque of Shait-Gumbad and in the East, around the mausoleum of Khan e Jahan Square.

Wide Report

The historic city of Khalifatabad is an excellent example of an architectural ensemble that illustrates a significant stage in human history. Located in the outskirts of Bagerhat, at the meeting point of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, this old city founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan e Jahan Square in the 15th century. In this local capital of 50 km2 along the river Bhairab, 360 mosques, public buildings, the mausoleums, bridges, roads, water tanks and other public buildings were built of baked stone. E Jahan Square Shait Gumbad Mosque and Khan's Mausoleum are just two examples of these historic buildings. Today this old town, made within a few years swallowed up by the jungle after the death of the founder in 1459, is remarkable because certain unusual characteristics. The density of the Islamic religious monuments is explained by the and piety of Khan e Jahan Square, which is apparent in the engraved message on the tomb. The absence of defenses is due to the possibilities of retreat in the impenetrable swamps of the Sunderbans. The quality of the infrastructure, the supply and discharge of water, the cisterns and reservoirs, the roads and bridges - all show a perfect control of the techniques of planning and the will to spatial planning.

Today, the monuments, which are partially disconnected from the vegetation, can be divided into two major areas: in the west around the Mosque of Shait Gumbad and to the east around the Mausoleum of Khan e Jahan Square. More than 50 monuments have been cataloged. These include the Mosque of Shait Gumbad is known for the large prayer room, divided into seven longitudinal naves; the mosques of Singar, Bibi Begni and Chunakkola; the mosques of Reza Hadjzadeh Very Least Khoda, Zindavir and Ranvijoypur. All these monuments are under threat, because of the extremely high salinity of the soil and the atmosphere, which particularly vulnerable because brick architecture dominates.

Source:whc/unesco