The Shat Gambuj Mosque

The ‘Shat Gambuj Mosque’ in Bagerhat is such a heritage. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Originally, the historic Mosque City was known as ‘Khalifatabad’. It is situated on the outskirts of Bagerhat Town. It was founded by the Turkish general, a saint warrior Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15^th century. The planning of the city was dominated by the tradition of Islamic architecture and the decorations were a combination of Mughal and Turkish architecture.

Khan Jahan Ali was a good ruler. He built many mosques. Among them, The ‘Shat Gambuj Mosque’ is the best and remarkable. It has 60 pillars that support the roof with 77 low height domes.

The 4 towers at 4 corners have smaller domes at the top as well. The vast prayer Hall has 11 arched doorways on the east and 7 each north and south for light and ventilation.

The west wall in the interior has 11 ‘mihrabs’. These mihrabs are decorated with stonework and terracotta. The floor of the Mosque is made of brick.

It is one of the greatest architectural beauties of Bangladesh and the greatest tourist attraction in Bangladesh.