Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat

Situated in the suburbs of Bagerhat, at the meeting-point of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, this ancient city, formerly known as Khalifatabad, was founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15th century.

There are not many sites which get listed under the UNESCO heritage sites. There are only some special sites which mark the history and get listed under it. The Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat is one such place in Bangladesh which has been documented as the World Heritage Site because of its cultural and historical significance. The place is poised over the merging point of Ganges and Brahmaputra River. It was an ancient city which was initially christened as Khalifatabad. Being situated at the periphery of Bagerhat, it was later renamed after it as the Mosque city of Bagerhat. The city dates back to the 15th C and was set up on the bank of the ancient river Bhairab by Ulugh Khan who was the Turkish general of the time.

The city comprises a unique and intriguing infrastructure. Having a mere glimpse of it, one can realize the considerable technical skill and craftsmanship the monuments have undergone. It constitutes various alluring mosques and ancient monuments that reflects the early Islamic art and architecture. This ancient city is dotted with some significant edifices that witnessed the growth of Islam and this country as an Islamic country. The fascinating edifices stand as the development of Muslim architecture of Bengal. The city comprises an amalgamation of almost 360 mosques with some other striking edifices like mausoleums, water wells, bridges, etc. All of which were constructed from baked bricks.

This flourishing city underwent a downfall after the demise of its founder in 1459. However, it still stood as an ideal example of the quality of infrastructure because of its construction of the water supply and its evacuation, the road and reservoirs. It reveals the commendable mastery of techniques which must have been used in the planning of this spatial organization. The monuments which are of utmost attraction are the mosque of Shait-Gumbad and the mausoleum of Khan Jahan. These are the two main attractions of the place. Apart from these, the various mosques including that of Singar, Ranvijoypur, Reza Khoda, Bibi Begni, Clumakkola, Zindavir etc. are of interest which showcases mesmerizing architecture and striking features.