Mosque City of Bagerhat

Minaret of the Sixty Dome Mosque

The Sixty Dome Mosque, on the eastern bank of a water tank or pond (the Ghora Dighi), is one of the oldest mosques in the country and is described as a "historic mosque representing the Golden Era of Muslim Bengal".[13] The mosque has an oblong plan of 148'6" x 101'4" externally and 123'3" x 76'2" internally.[2] The mosque is unique in that it has 60 pillars that support 77 exquisitely curved "low squat domes" that have worn away over time; it has seven central domes that are four-sided and built in Bengali style.[4] It was established in 1440 by Khan Jahan Ali.

It was used for prayers, as an assembly hall and madrasa (an Islamic school). Seventy seven domes are over the roof and four smaller ones at the four corners are towers (the towers were used to call the faithfuls to attend prayers). The large prayer hall has 11 arched doorways on the east and 7 each on the north and south which provide ventilation and light to the hall. There are 7 longitudinal aisles and 11 deep bays in the midst of slim columns made of stone. These columns support the curving arches that are overlaid by the domes.[5] The west wall in the interior has eleven mihrabs that are decorated with stonework and terracotta and the flooring is brickwork. The walls and the mihrabs were affected by sulphates. Most of the damage has been rectified. The arches are 6 feet (1.8 m) thick with a slight taper over the hollow and round walls. The mosque also functioned as the court of Khan Jahan Ali. It now attracts a large number of tourists and visitors. The mosque is decorated mostly with terracotta and bricks.[4][5][1][3][14][15]

Mihrab of the Nine Dome Mosque

The Nine Dome Mosque is located to the west of the takur dighi tank and built in the 15th century. It is located near Khan Jahan Ali's tomb. Its western wall conventionally faces west towards Mecca, where the mihrab is inset; terracotta floral scrolls and flower motifs are the decorations seen around the mihrab. Circular towers are provided in the four corners. The walls of the mosque support a large central dome which has eight smaller domes around it. This structure was also affected by sulphates. It has been since substantially restored. Close to this mosque are the Zinda Pir Mosque and mazar (tomb), which are in ruins.[5]

The Singar Mosque is across the road from the Sixty Dome Mosque on its southeastern side. It is a square shaped single dome mosque. In what is typical to the Khan Jahan Style, the dome is supported on thick walls and topped with a cambered cornice. The Bigi Begni Mosque and the Chuna Khola Mosque are also single domed but much larger in size.[4][5]

The Ronvijoypur Mosque has the largest dome in Bangladesh.[5] It is of 11 metres (36 ft) width supported by arches and pendentives.[4] The corners have tapering circular turrets while the external cornice has a slight curve. The mosque's interior is plain. However, the main mihrabs have decorations of floral patterns. It is located on the opposite side of the Khan Jahan Tomb on the Khulna-Bagerhat Road. It was built in the Khan Jahan style of architecture. It has been renovated many times in the past during the 1960s and 70s. However, it needs further repair work to prevent dampness inside the tomb, and also to the brickwork on the exterior surfaces.[4][5]

Mihrab in Chuna Khola Mosque

The Chuna Khola Mosque, built in the 15th century, is located in the midst of rice fields in the village of Chuna Khola (named after the limestone extraction that was in vogue here in the past). It has been identified as representing a transition from the Khan Jahan style monuments. It is a 7.7 metres (25 ft) square building with 2.24 metres (7 ft 4 in) thick walls.[16] It has three entrances on the east and one each on the northern and southern sides also. It has three mihrabs with the central mihrab being the largest in size and projecting outwards. It has a hemispherical dome with frontal arches. There are also squinches and half domes. It is distinctly different from the Khan Jahan style mosque in its exterior decorations, particularly the east façade, which depicts four rectangular panels bordered by foliated scrolls with merlons having plant motifs. It has four turrets with curved cornices. The brick walls, in particular, were damaged due to sulphate effect. It was renovated in the 1980s according to guidelines set by UNESCO.[4]

The Khan Jahan Mausoleum or tomb is located on the northern bank of a water tank (a pond infested with crocodiles) called thakur dighi in Bengali language. The pond is square in shape and the excavated material from the tank was used to make an embankment over which the Mausoleum has been built. The pond is approached through a flight of broad and steep steps built from the embankment. It has a single domes structure built over a square plan of 47'0" x 47'0" externally while internally it has a square plan of 28'2" x 28'2".[2] The building was made of brick walls over five layers of dressed stone which forms the basement. From recorded sources of 1866, it is also mentioned that the flooring had been inlaid with hexagonal encaustic tiles of different designs and colours (mostly blue, white and yellow). However, in its present condition such type of tiles are seen only on a few steps on the Mausoleum itself. The tomb has black stones have been used in making the tomb and it is made of three steps. Verses from the Koran are inscribed in Arabic and Persian. There are inscriptions on the walls of the crypt which are inferred as providing historical information about Ulugh Khan Jahan's life. After retirement, Khan Jahan spent his retired life here and after his death on 25 October 1459, his tomb was preserved here.[17] It is now pilgrimage site where people pay homage to the man who dedicated his lifetime to building the city and its monuments. The Pir Ali Tomb (of Pir Ali, a close associate of Khan Jahan) is an annexe building to this mausoleum and is of identical layout. A mosque called the Dargha Mosque is attached to the mausoleum.[4][5][17]