The Sixty Dome Mosque , is a mosque in Bagerhat , Bangladesh . It is a part of the Mosque City of Bagerhat , a UNESCO World Heritage Site . It is the largest mosque in Bangladesh from the sultanate period (1352–1576). It was built during the Bengal Sultanate by Khan Jahan Ali , the governor of the Sundarbans . It has been described as "one of the most impressive Muslim monuments in the whole of South Asia."
56-590: In the middle of the 15th century, a Muslim colony was founded in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans, near the coast in the Bagerhat District by a saint-General, named Khan Jahan Ali . He preached in an affluent city during the reign of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah , then known as 'Khalifatabad'. Khan Jahan adorned this city with more than a dozen mosques, the ruins of which are focused around
112-468: A World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1973. Khan was a military general that was appointed to be the leader of the city and was greatly respected. Some people even viewed him as a god-like being. He had a deep connection to this land because of his journey from Barobazar to the Bagerhat District where along the way he created roads and river networks later developing an entire community and being
168-417: A UNESCO report titled "World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate". The Australian government's actions, involving considerable expense for lobbying and visits for diplomats , were in response to their concern about the negative impact that an "at risk" label could have on tourism revenue at a previously designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2021, international scientists recommended UNESCO to put
224-459: A big amount of foreign exchange through the city of Khulna. Bagerhat is divided into 9 upazilas , 78 union parishads, 1031 villages, 689 mouzas , 3 municipalities, 28 wards and 57 mahallas . The upazilas are: Administrator of Zila Porishod: Sheikh Kamruzzaman (Tuku) Deputy Commissioner (DC): Muhammad Azizur Rahman, BPAA Once upon a time there were train communication between Bagerhat and Khulna. The best way to go to Bagerhat from Dhaka
280-523: A dark and somber appearance inside. It is divided into 7 longitudinal aisles and 11 deep bays by a forest of 60 slender stone columns, from which springs rows of endless arches, supporting the domes. 1.8 m (6 ft) thick, slightly tapering walls and hollow and round, almost detached corner towers, resembling the bastions of fortress, each capped by small rounded cupolas, recall the Tughlaq architecture of Delhi. The western wall features eleven mihrabs on
336-571: A leader. In his practice of Sufism, he was recognized for his ability to convert locals to his personal beliefs. It is still questioned what his true intentions were in establishing the mosque city. But most people believe that he wanted to bring people to this place away from all that is negative and find true peace. Khan is looked up to even today in Bangladesh and archaeologists have developed monuments for him. His first settlement in Barobazar
392-488: A minor boundary change, one that does not have a significant impact on the extent of the property or affect its "outstanding universal value", is also evaluated by the advisory bodies before being sent to the committee. Such proposals can be rejected by either the advisory bodies or the Committee if they judge it to be a significant change instead of a minor one. Proposals to change a site's official name are sent directly to
448-756: A remarkable accomplishment of humankind and serve as evidence of our intellectual history on the planet, or it might be a place of great natural beauty. As of July 2024, a total of 1,223 World Heritage Sites (952 cultural, 231 natural and 40 mixed cultural and natural properties) exist across 168 countries . With 60 selected areas, Italy is the country with the most sites, followed by China with 59, and Germany with 54. The sites are intended for practical conservation for posterity, which otherwise would be subject to risk from human or animal trespassing, unmonitored, uncontrolled or unrestricted access, or threat from local administrative negligence. Sites are demarcated by UNESCO as protected zones. The World Heritage Sites list
504-1000: A single text was eventually agreed upon by all parties, and the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972. The convention came into force on 17 December 1975. As of November 2024, it has been ratified by 196 states: 192 UN member states , two UN observer states (the Holy See and the State of Palestine ), and two states in free association with New Zealand (the Cook Islands and Niue ). Only one UN member state, Liechtenstein , has not ratified
560-525: Is bounded by Gopalganj District and Narail District on the north, The Bay of Bengal on the south, Gopalganj District , Pirojpur District and Barguna District on the east and Khulna District on the west. The main rivers of the district are the Panguchi, Daratana, Madhumati River , Pasur River , Haringhata, Mongla River, Baleshwar , Bangra and Goshairkhali. Bagerhat city is famous for its mosques. Muslim saint Khan Jahan Ali founded this town. He
616-585: Is maintained by the international World Heritage Program administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee , composed of 21 "states parties" that are elected by the United Nations General Assembly , and advised by reviews of international panels of experts in natural or cultural history, and education. The Program catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to
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#1732765024132672-473: Is nearly 320 km (200 mi) from Dhaka , the capital of Bangladesh . The 'Sixty Dome' Mosque features unusually thick, tapered brick walls in the Tughlaq style and a hut-shaped roofline that anticipates later styles. Its oblong plan measures 148'6" x 101'4" externally and 123'3" x 76'2" internally. There are 77 low domes arranged in seven rows of eleven, with an additional dome on each corner, bringing
728-488: Is significant because it was an iconic area for Islamic teachings at the time and can teach much about Islam and people in general in the 15th century. As many religious figures traveled to India and formed connections, several returned to the Bagerhat District to teach at the mosques. Geographically, the city sits on top of farmland and is surrounded by palm trees on the banks of the Bhairab river. The city started because of
784-405: Is similar to the idea of a fountain of youth or a utopia. Another supernatural belief was that General Khan used supernatural powers to create the structures because it was hard to understand how they were built at the time. After the death of the founder, the city was abandoned and eventually covered in thick vegetation which is why the site was hidden for so long and difficult to explore. The site
840-449: Is to take a bus which takes three to five hours. By air one has to go to Jessore airport then take a bus to the city. Telecommunications : Print media: World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritage around
896-796: The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm. Under the World Heritage Committee, signatory countries are required to produce and submit periodic data reporting providing the committee with an overview of each participating nation's implementation of the World Heritage Convention and a "snapshot" of current conditions at World Heritage properties. Based on the draft convention that UNESCO had initiated,
952-707: The Great Barrier Reef on the endangered list, as global climate change had caused a further negative state of the corals and water quality. Again, the Australian government campaigned against this, and in July 2021, the World Heritage Committee , made up of diplomatic representatives of 21 countries, ignored UNESCO's assessment, based on studies of scientists, "that the reef was clearly in danger from climate change and so should be placed on
1008-1038: The List of World Heritage in Danger and the World Heritage List. Only three sites have ever been delisted : the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman, the Dresden Elbe Valley in Germany, and the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City in the United Kingdom. The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary was directly delisted in 2007, instead of first being put on the danger list, after the Omani government decided to reduce
1064-660: The Sixty Pillared Mosque where Amud (شصت عمؤد ) meaning column in Arabic/Persian, later got corrupted to Gombuj (গম্বুজ) in Bengali, which means domes. Bagerhat District Bagerhat District ( Bengali : বাগেরহাট , pron: bageɾɦaʈ ) is a district in south-western Bangladesh . It is a part of the Khulna Division . Bagerhat district has a total area of 44,959.11 square kilometres. It
1120-609: The World Heritage Committee for new designations. The Committee meets once a year to determine which nominated properties to add to the World Heritage List; sometimes it defers its decision or requests more information from the country that nominated the site. There are ten selection criteria – a site must meet at least one to be included on the list. Until 2004, there were six sets of criteria for cultural heritage and four for natural heritage. In 2005, UNESCO modified these and now has one set of ten criteria. Nominated sites must be of "outstanding universal value" and must meet at least one of
1176-998: The World Heritage Fund to facilitate its conservation under certain conditions. UNESCO reckons the restorations of the following four sites among its success stories: Angkor in Cambodia, the Old City of Dubrovnik in Croatia, the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Kraków in Poland, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania. Additionally, the local population around a site may benefit from significantly increased tourism revenue. When there are significant interactions between people and
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#17327650241321232-501: The awards, because World Heritage listing can significantly increase tourism returns. Site listing bids are often lengthy and costly, putting poorer countries at a disadvantage. Eritrea 's efforts to promote Asmara are one example. In 2016, the Australian government was reported to have successfully lobbied for the World Heritage Site Great Barrier Reef conservation efforts to be removed from
1288-504: The commitment of countries and local population to World Heritage conservation in various ways, providing emergency assistance for sites in danger, offering technical assistance and professional training, and supporting States Parties' public awareness-building activities. Being listed as a World Heritage Site can positively affect the site, its environment, and interactions between them. A listed site gains international recognition and legal protection, and can obtain funds from, among others,
1344-454: The committee. A site may be added to the List of World Heritage in Danger if conditions threaten the characteristics for which the landmark or area was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Such problems may involve armed conflict and war, natural disasters, pollution, poaching, or uncontrolled urbanisation or human development. This danger list is intended to increase international awareness of
1400-417: The common culture and heritage of humankind. The programme began with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage , which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972. Since then, 196 states have ratified the convention, making it one of the most widely recognised international agreements and the world's most popular cultural programme. In 1954,
1456-412: The convention. By assigning places as World Heritage Sites, UNESCO wants to help preserve them for future generations. Its motivation is that "heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today" and that both cultural and natural heritage are "irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration". UNESCO's mission with respect to World Heritage consists of eight sub targets. These include encouraging
1512-486: The district in large numbers since then and the proportion has reduced to 16%. There is a population of 5,900 Christians in the district, mainly in Mongla upazila . Port of Mongla , which is a port of Khulna city and one of the two main sea ports of Bangladesh, is geographically located in Bagerhat District. Rampal and Fakirhat, two upazilas of Bagerhat, are renowned in Bangladesh due to their huge production of shrimp and
1568-650: The endangered monuments and sites. In 1960, the Director-General of UNESCO launched the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia . This resulted in the excavation and recording of hundreds of sites, the recovery of thousands of objects, as well as the salvage and relocation to higher ground of several important temples. The most famous of these are the temple complexes of Abu Simbel and Philae . The campaign ended in 1980 and
1624-463: The fourth largest district in Bangladesh based on area. According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh , Bagerhat District had 408,840 households and a population of 1,613,076. The population density was 407 people per km . Bagerhat District had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 81.42%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1010 females per 1000 males. 279,751 (17.34%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. Approximately, 23.88% of
1680-538: The government of Egypt decided to build the new Aswan High Dam , whose resulting future reservoir would eventually inundate a large stretch of the Nile valley containing cultural treasures of ancient Egypt and ancient Nubia . In 1959, the governments of Egypt and Sudan requested the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to assist them to protect and rescue
1736-609: The ground. The floor is decorated in colorful and geometric tiles with quotes from the Quran. An annual fair is also held around the area of the tomb for Muslims and Hindus on the anniversary of death and the full moon. The area was chosen specifically based on the vast water resources and kind climate that were perfect for sustaining life and communities. The delta from the many rivers (Ganga, Brahmaputra, Meghna, etc.) created fertile soil for growing crops. This encouraged people to migrate to this area and create wealth for themselves. The site
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1792-421: The interior where ten are blind and the central one is projected on the exterior. The mosque represents wonderful archeological beauty which was the signature in the 15th century. The mosque is locally known in Bengali as the 'Shat Gombuj Masjid', which means Sixty Domed Mosque. However, there are 77 domes over the main hall and exactly 60 stone pillars. It is possible that the mosque was originally referred to as
1848-992: The last two decades. These activities endanger Natural World Heritage Sites and could compromise their unique values. Of the Natural World Heritage Sites that contain forest, 91% experienced some loss since 2000. Many of them are more threatened than previously thought and require immediate conservation action. The destruction of cultural assets and identity-establishing sites is one of the primary goals of modern asymmetrical warfare. Terrorists, rebels, and mercenary armies deliberately smash archaeological sites, sacred and secular monuments and loot libraries, archives and museums. The UN, United Nations peacekeeping and UNESCO in cooperation with Blue Shield International are active in preventing such acts. "No strike lists" are also created to protect cultural assets from air strikes. The founding president of Blue Shield International Karl von Habsburg summed it up with
1904-517: The list." According to environmental protection groups, this "decision was a victory for cynical lobbying and [...] Australia, as custodians of the world's biggest coral reef, was now on probation." Several listed locations, such as Casco Viejo in Panama and Hội An in Vietnam , have struggled to strike a balance between the economic benefits of catering to greatly increased visitor numbers after
1960-836: The local level which can result in the site being damaged. Rock art under world heritage protection at the Tadrart Acacus in Libya have occasionally been intentionally destroyed. Chalcraft links this destruction to Libyan national authorities prioritizing World Heritage status over local sensibilities by limiting access to the sites without consulting with the local population. UNESCO has also been criticized for alleged geographic bias, racism , and colourism in world heritage inscription. A major chunk of all world heritage inscriptions are located in regions whose populations generally have lighter skin, including Europe, East Asia, and North America. The World Heritage Committee has divided
2016-579: The mosque city. Located at the confluence of two historical rivers, the Brahmaputra River and the Ganges , Bagerghat is also known as the Mosque City for the presence of a large number of mosques in the district. The domed structures of the mosques built with bricks in the 15th century are considered an architectural marvel. Bagerhat was declared a district in 1984. The district today is
2072-552: The most imposing and largest multi-domed mosques in Bangladesh, known as the Shait-Gumbuz Masjid (160'×108'). The construction of the mosque began in 1442 and was completed in 1459. The mosque was used for prayers as well as a madrasha and assembly hall. It is situated in Bagerhat district, southern Bangladesh, within the Khulna Division . It is about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the main town of Bagerhat. Bagerhat
2128-730: The natural environment, these can be recognised as "cultural landscapes". A country must first identify its significant cultural and natural sites in a document known as the Tentative List. Next, it can place sites selected from that list into a Nomination File, which is evaluated by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the World Conservation Union . A country may not nominate sites that have not been first included on its Tentative List. The two international bodies make recommendations to
2184-451: The population lived in urban areas. The ethnic population was 1,046. The district of Bagerhat consists 7,815 mosques, 238 temples, 17 churches and seven tombs. The Sixty Domes Mosque or Shat Gambuj Masjid is famous mosque. Khan Jahan Ali's tomb is the famous tombs. Islam is the major religion with 83.25% population, while Hindus constitute 16.38% of the population. Bagerhat used to have nearly 30% Hindus in 1981, but Hindus have been leaving
2240-562: The protected area's size by 90%. The Dresden Elbe Valley was first placed on the danger list in 2006 when the World Heritage Committee decided that plans to construct the Waldschlösschen Bridge would significantly alter the valley's landscape. In response, the Dresden City Council attempted to stop the bridge's construction. However, after several court decisions allowed the building of the bridge to proceed,
2296-403: The rapid growth of conversion to Islam in the area. This was a result of mass immigration and a large number of Muslim missionaries in the area. The architectural inspiration for the city came from Bengali, Persian, and Arab styles. While the mosques stand out, the city also included mausoleums, bridges, water networks, and buildings for public gatherings. After the death of General Khan, the city
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2352-467: The recognition and preserving the original culture and local communities. Another criticism is that there is a homogeneity to these sites, which contain similar styles, visitor centres , etc., meaning that a lot of the individuality of these sites has been removed to become more attractive to tourists. Anthropologist Jasper Chalcraft said that World Heritage recognition often ignores contemporary local usage of certain sites. This leads to conflicts on
2408-481: The ten criteria. A country may request to extend or reduce the boundaries, modify the official name, or change the selection criteria of one of its already listed sites. Any proposal for a significant boundary change or to modify the site's selection criteria must be submitted as if it were a new nomination, including first placing it on the Tentative List and then onto the Nomination File. A request for
2464-405: The threats and to encourage counteractive measures. Threats to a site can be either proven imminent threats or potential dangers that could have adverse effects on a site. The state of conservation for each site on the danger list is reviewed yearly; after this, the Committee may request additional measures, delete the property from the list if the threats have ceased or consider deletion from both
2520-471: The total to 81 domes. There are four towers, two of four towers were used for the call to prayer ( azaan ). The interior is divided into many aisles and bays by slender columns, which culminate in numerous arches that support the roof. The mosque has 77 squat domes with 7 four-sided pitched Bengali domes in the middle row. The vast prayer hall, although provided with 11 arched doorways on east and 7 each on north and south for ventilation and light, presents
2576-622: The valley was removed from the World Heritage List in 2009. Liverpool 's World Heritage status was revoked in July 2021, following developments ( Liverpool Waters and Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium ) on the northern docks of the World Heritage site leading to the "irreversible loss of attributes" on the site. The first global assessment to quantitatively measure threats to Natural World Heritage Sites found that 63% of sites have been damaged by increasing human pressures including encroaching roads, agriculture infrastructure and settlements over
2632-436: The words: "Without the local community and without the local participants, that would be completely impossible". The UNESCO-administered project has attracted criticism. This was caused by perceived under-representation of heritage sites outside Europe, disputed decisions on site selection and adverse impact of mass tourism on sites unable to manage rapid growth in visitor numbers. A large lobbying industry has grown around
2688-526: The work of the World Heritage Committee was developed over a seven-year period (1965–1972). The United States initiated the idea of safeguarding places of high cultural or natural importance. A White House conference in 1965 called for a "World Heritage Trust" to preserve "the world's superb natural and scenic areas and historic sites for the present and the future of the entire world citizenry". The International Union for Conservation of Nature developed similar proposals in 1968, which were presented in 1972 at
2744-652: The world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity". To be selected, a World Heritage Site is nominated by its host country and determined by the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee to be a unique landmark which is geographically and historically identifiable, having a special cultural or physical significance, and to be under a sufficient system of legal protection. For example, World Heritage Sites might be ancient ruins or historical structures, buildings, cities, deserts, forests, islands, lakes, monuments, mountains or wilderness areas. A World Heritage Site may signify
2800-744: The world into five geographic regions: Africa, Arab states, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Russia and the Caucasus states are classified as European, while Mexico and the Caribbean are classified as belonging to the Latin America and the Caribbean region. The UNESCO geographic regions also give greater emphasis on administrative, rather than geographic associations. Hence, Gough Island , located in
2856-455: Was a Hindu-Buddhist town named Champanagar, which was named after the saints that came before him. This speaks of the relationship Khan had with the religious figures that came before and after his time and the respect they all shared for each other. The tomb of General Khan lies in the only building today that has the original dome architecture of the mosque city. The tomb is surrounded by circular towers and stone casting that prevent moisture from
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#17327650241322912-463: Was a saint of the 15th century, possibly of Turkic origin. At the time of his reign, Bagerhat was a part of the Sundarbans . He cleared the forest and made it habitable. He named it "Khalifatabad". He erected many official buildings to run his administration. He also built many mosques and dug tanks. The buildings erected by him are now all in ruins. The city of Bagerhat has been given the status of
2968-693: Was collected from 50 countries. The project's success led to other safeguarding campaigns, such as saving Venice and its lagoon in Italy, the ruins of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan, and the Borobodur Temple Compounds in Indonesia. Together with the International Council on Monuments and Sites , UNESCO then initiated a draft convention to protect cultural heritage. The convention (the signed document of international agreement ) guiding
3024-973: Was considered a success. To thank countries which especially contributed to the campaign's success, Egypt donated four temples; the Temple of Dendur was moved to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City , the Temple of Debod to the Parque del Oeste in Madrid , the Temple of Taffeh to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden , and the Temple of Ellesyia to Museo Egizio in Turin . The project cost US$ 80 million (equivalent to $ 295.83 million in 2023), about $ 40 million of which
3080-429: Was dominated by the industries of agriculture and trade. Cotton and cloth were the primary exports for the area to be traded out of their port. Rice, betel leaf, betel nut, and coconut are other crops that came out of the fertile soil of Bagerhat. This religious site was known to be sacred, and some believed it supernatural. People would come to drink the water from the man-made pond for its healing properties. The concept
3136-416: Was renamed Khalifatabad by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah. This can make the research process of the lost city more confusing and can be easily misinterpreted as two separate places. However, it is often easy to link the two together by seeing that they were both funded by the same person in the same place. The two names divide the historical timeline into two parts based on the series of leaders that controlled
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