Many new towns were erected and ornamented with palaces, forts, massive gates, free-standing victory towers, mosques, mausoleums, highways and bridges under Muslim control in Bengal, the remains of which is spread throughout the nation.
Many gorgeous mosques were erected by these Muslim monarchs, as well as large water reservoirs for delicious water supplies. Here is a list of the most magnificent historical mosques in Bangladesh, all of which were erected during the Muslim reign of Bengal in the Middle Ages.
Mosque of the Sixty Dome
The Sixty Dome Mosque is one of the numerous remaining Khan Jahan architectural monuments in Bagerhat, and unquestionably the most spectacular and biggest brick mosque in Bangladesh. The mosque is really topped with 77 tiny domes, including seven chau-chala Bengali domes in the middle row. The mosque’s construction began in 1442 and was finished in 1459.
The prayer hall is 160’X190′ and can hold up to 2,000 people for prayer. For ventilation and light, it features 11 arched entrances on the east and seven each on the north and south.
It is situated in the Bagerhat district of Khulna Division in southern Bangladesh. It’s around 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Bagerhat’s major town. Bagerhat is around 320 kilometers (200 miles) from Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. By road and water, Bagerhat District is connected to Dhaka and neighboring districts. You are free to utilize any of them.
Buses, microbuses, CNG, and simple bikes/auto rickshaws may be added to the 60 Dome Mosque from Bagerhat District Bus Stand. As soon as you step out of the automobile, you’ll notice sixty-domed mosques on the side of the road.
Sura Mosque
The Sura Mosque is a sixteenth-century mosque in Bangladesh’s Dinajpur District, near the hamlet ChorGasa of Ghoraghat Upazila. Another outstanding example of the Sultanate period is the magnificent brick-and-stone mosque. Its square prayer hall, which is faced on the east by a hallway, has six octagonal corner turrets and is generally in keeping with the period’s architecture. It has a beautifully curved cornice and terracotta decorations abound on the western wall, which has three mihrabs.
The prayer room is covered by a single large, bulbous dome supported by squinch arches, while the hallway is spanned by three lesser domes. The walls, like those of Gaur’s Chhota Sona Masjid, are adorned with intricately carved masonry.
Rajbibi Mosque or Khaniadighi Masjid
The literal meaning of the word ‘rajbibi’ (royal lady) suggests that this mosque was constructed at Gaur-Chapainawabganj by a powerful member of the ruler’s family. Because no inscription has been assigned, the year of establishment cannot be determined. Its architecture dates from the 15th century, and an Arabic inscription with Quranic verses may still be found on the premises.
Rajbibi’s name is unknown, although she appears to have been a powerful woman in the royal harem. A verandah with three smaller squat domes is connected to this single-domed square mosque. The terracotta flower patterns adorn the wall surface, which is also sporadically relieved with stone sculptures. The sanctuary’s dome is supported by a number of black basalt pillars. The prayer chamber’s western wall is adorned with three beautiful black stone mihrabs.
Chhoto Sona Masjid
Choto Shona Mosque is located in Bangladesh’s Chapai Nawabganj district. In the Firozpur Quarter, the mosque located about 3 kilometers south of the Kotwali Gate and 0.5 kilometers south-east of the Mughal Tahakhana complex. The “Small Golden Mosque,” also known as “Chhoto Sona Masjid,” was erected by a certain Wali Muhammad between 1493 and 1519 on the opulent Bengal capital Gaur during Sultan Hussain Shah’s reign.
It had fifteen golden domes originally, including three chau-chala domes in the center row. The fact that the domes were previously golden gives it its name. The magnificent ornamentation of this structure is its main draw. The elaborate stonework, which is carved in shallow relief on both the inner and exterior surfaces of all walls, appears to be a genuine replica of Bangladesh’s highly developed traditional terracotta art, and it nearly approaches the quality seen in the country’s woodcarving or filigree work.
The sanctuary’s floor was originally covered in lovely floral-patterned glazed tiles. A stone doorway with pointed arches stands on the mosque’s eastern side.
Chapainawabganj is around 35 kilometers away. You have the option of taking the bus or using CNG to get there. 45 meters 1 hour is required.
Kusumba Mosque
Kusumba Mosque is a mosque in Bangladesh’s Manda Upazila, Naogaon District. This mosque is located in Kusumba, the community that bears its name. The Kusumba Mosque in Bengal is the greatest example of a mosque from the later Sultanate period. During the reign of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah I, a certain Sulaiman constructed it around 1558. It’s a rectangular structure with six hemispherical domes atop it.
In Greater Bengal, there are just six stone mosques from the early Islamic or Sultanate period. One of these is the Kusumba Mosque. The jet black basalt utilized in this mosque was carried by rivers from the Rajmahal hill in Bihar. On the northwest corner, there is a well-designed elevated gallery with huge stone pillars.
It is accessible by a stairway from the prayer room’s ground level. Along with these steps, there are no signs or confirmations of any handrailing. This is the sole surviving example of an unscreened internal connecting stairway across the male worshiper’s area in Bengal, demonstrating that it was a location for the Sultans, rulers, or architects and their personal entourage, not a ladies gallery, as is widely assumed.
Buses or rickshaws can be used to travel between big cities, or rickshaws can be utilized for short distances. In Naogaon District, there are two major bus stops. The first, and smallest, is the “Dhaka Bus Stand,” where you can typically find buses to Dhaka, Bogra, Sylhet, and Chittagong.
The other is the “Baludangga Bus Stand,” which is located towards the Naogaon Municipality’s end. Buses to Paharpur and other Naogaon District Sub-divisions, such as Sapahar, Nazipur, and Badalgachi, are available from the “Baludangga” Bus Stand.
The “Bangladesh Railway,” which departs from “Santahar” Railway Station, is the other most convenient alternative. Numerous trains run between “Santahar” and many districts in Northern and Southern Bangladesh. Using a first-class ticket is a very easy way for foreign tourists to have a safe and enjoyable travel, and the price is also extremely fair; in fact, Bangladesh Railway is very inexpensive.
Darasbari Mosque
Darasbari Mosque is an excellent example of the Ilyas Shahi period’s mature architecture. Sultan Yusuf Shah most likely constructed it around 1470. The prayer hall, which is accessed by the verandah’s seven arched entrances, must have once been topped with a succession of domes, including a set of chau-chala or Bengali domes in the middle row, but they have all since fallen.
Darasbari Mosque’s interior and exterior decorations are regarded to be among the greatest in the Gaur-Lakhnauti area. The outside walls are covered with terracotta panels imprinted with various designs, while the interior is patterned with brick settings, and the mihrabs in each of the bays are embellished with arches surrounded by terracotta creepers, rosettes, foliage, and other plants.