Exploring India is one of the best experiences a person can have in a lifetime. The medieval period generally ranges from the 5th century to the 15th century.
History books may be boring, but what about exploring the beautiful history of the medieval era by visiting the grand and historic monuments?
You can peep into the past grand history, culture, and heritage by visiting the various monuments of medieval history.
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The intricate designs and architecture carve many stories of the medieval past.
In this article, you will get to know about the following Historical Monuments of Medieval India,
- Gangaikonda Cholapuram
- Sanchi Stupa
- Charminar
- Humayun’s Tomb
- Victoria Memorial
- Basilica of Bom Jesus
- Golgumbaz
Let us go through each of these beautiful monuments in detail…
1. Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu
Gangaikondacholapuram in Tamil Nadu is a small and beautiful hamlet in Tamil Nadu and is known for the Gangaikondacholapauram temple in Ariyalur.
This is one of the biggest temples constructed in the medieval period during the reign of Rajendra I.
The lake Chola Gangam and the place Gangaikonda Chola Puram are believed to be the incarnations of the Tamil Heroes who unrolled the Chola’s Tiger Flag on the banks of river Ganga.
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The early record states that this temple was built in memory of his victory between A.D. 1023 and A.D. 1027.
Therefore this temple and the village Gangaikonda Cholapuram have been the living history of the Cholas from the period of Rajendra 1 and portray the beautiful gallery of the art and architecture of the Chola.
There are beautiful sculptures in this temple too.
2. Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh
The Great Sanchi Stupa or Sanchi Stupa, in Madhya Pradesh, was built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in the 3rd Century BCE.
The stupa preserves the holy ashes of Buddha and belongs to the Gupta Temple. It is one of the important architecture of the medieval period.
The oldest stone structure looks like a dome or a hemisphere built with bricks on the relics of the Lord Buddha.
UNESCO recognizes it as one of the world heritage sites and calls it “Mahastupa”.
The stupa has 4 gateways that are said to display the life of Buddha through a detailed Statuette.
The temple was built for preserving and spreading Buddha’s teachings and philosophy. Therefore this stupa has been the home to sacred art, architecture, and beautiful culture.
3. Charminar, Telangana
Charminar means “Four Minarets” in Urdu.
This historic monument is located at the heart of Hyderabad in Telangana state.
The monument was built in the medieval period in the year 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, who was the fifth king of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty.
This beautiful monument was the first building built in the new capital Hyderabad when the king was shifting his capital from Golconda to Hyderabad due to the hit of the plague.
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The iconic monument is a famous tourist attraction as the monument preserves the cultural heritage of the city.
It is said that the Charminar was built by Md. Qutb Shah to celebrate the end of a plague epidemic.
The supreme architectural features like the spiral staircases, minarets, domes, and the lotus-leaf base are the representation of the “Indo-Saracenic” Architectural style.
The Lad Bazar adjacent to the Charminar Gate is famous for the traditional, vibrant-colored lacquer bangles incorporated with stones and glasses.
4. Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
The Humayun’s Tomb was built in the year 1560 with the patronage of Akbar. Humayun’s Tomb symbolizes Mughal Architecture.
The Humayun Tomb occupies an area of 27 hectares and includes other prime attractions such as the Mughal Garden tombs Bu Halima, Isa Khan, Barber’s Tomb, and the Arab Serai
The Indian and Persian craftsmen worked in union to build the beautiful garden tomb and this is the greatest garden tomb that has been ever built in Islam.
The tomb stands on a wide terraced platform having an octagonal base. The garden tomb is a char bagh that is “a four-quadrant garden with the four rivers of Quranic paradise”.
5. Victoria Memorial, West Bengal
The beautiful historic monument was built by Lord Curzon in the honor of the Queen of England Victoria.
This is a popular place to visit in Kolkata.
The grand white building made of limestone is one of the finest pieces of intrigued architecture built in the medieval period.
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This historic monument was made during the medieval period and represents magnificent colonial architecture.
Within the beautiful complex, a hall, museum, and gallery Victoria memorial also display the Angel of Victory statue on the top of a dome.
The light and sound show also take place here that drawing foreign tourists as well.
6. Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa
The Basilica of Bom Jesus Church located in Goa is a famous church built in the medieval period. It is known for its exquisite baroque architecture.
It has been built in 1594 and sanctified in the year 1605. The construction of this church correlates with the time when Christianity was beginning in India.
The church is located in Bainguinim, Old Goa.
This site is a rich cultural and religious site and therefore has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The church has triangular roofing and it is delicately carved with the symbol IHS which is an abbreviation for “Jesuit emblem” that means “Jesus Saviour of Men”.
7. Golgumbaz, Karnataka
Golgumbaz Fort was built on the land where Mohammad Adil Shah had died. He was the sultan of Bijapur and the seventh ruler of the Adil Shah Dynasty.
In the year 1656, this grand monument was built by the architect Yaqut of Dabul. The monument derives its name from Gol Gambadh or Gola Gummata which means a circular dome.
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This has been built as per Deccan architecture and is one of the significant monuments of Karnataka.
The structure is composed of a cube capped with a dome. A gallery runs inside the magnificent dome.
The construction initially started in the year 1626, and it took 30 years for its completion.
The Archeological Site of India maintains this rich cultural site. People visit here to see the acoustic “Deccan-style Indo-Islamic architectural monument made with dark grey basalt.
These are some of the popular historical monuments of medieval India
The tales that the walls of the monuments tell are really mysterious and beautiful.
It is really a matter of pride to visit different monuments in the Indian Subcontinent that depict the unique beauty of the culture, language, paintings, and architecture of India that are printed in great books and manuscripts.
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