Mahmud Gawan Madrasa
| Mahmud Gawan Madrasa | |
|---|---|
Complete view of the former madrasa, now mosque, in 2012 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Shiism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status |
|
| Governing body | Government of India |
| Status | Active (partial ruinous state) |
| Location | |
| Location | Bidar, Karnataka |
| Country | India |
Location of the former madrassa and mosque in Karnataka | |
| Administration | Archaeological Survey of India (since 1914) |
| Geographic coordinates | 17°54′53″N 77°31′48″E / 17.91476°N 77.53010°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | |
| Founder | Mahmud Gawan (Khwaja Mahmud Geelani) |
| Funded by | Bahamani Dynasty |
| Date established | 1460 (as an institution) |
| Completed | 876 AH (1471/1472 CE) (as a madrassa) |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 62 m (205 ft) |
| Width | 55 m (180 ft) |
| Height (max) | 40 m (131 ft) |
| Dome(s) | Two |
| Minaret(s) | Two (one partially intact) |
| Elevation | 710 m (2,329 ft) |
| Official name | Madarsa Mahmud Gawan |
| Criteria | Archaeological and Cultural Heritage |
| Reference no. | N-KA-D40 |
The Mahmud Gawan Madrasa is a former madrasa, now mosque, in partial ruins, located in Bidar, in the state of Karnataka, India. It was completed in 876 AH (1471/1472 CE) and is an example of the regional style of Indo-Islamic architecture under the Bahmani Sultanate. Founded by the prime-minister of the sultanate in the late 15th century, it bears testimony to the scholarly genius of Mahmud Gawan, who first came to Delhi, in exile, as a Persian trader from Gilan in Iran and moved to Bidar in 1453.
Mahmud reportedly built the madrasa with his own money and it functioned like a residential university which was built and maintained on the lines of Madrasa of Khurasan. The imposing and spacious building of the institution is considered as an architectural gem and an important landmark of Bidar.
The structure is a Monument of National Importance, administered by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) since 1914. In 2014, UNESCO placed the building on its "tentative list" to become a World Heritage Site, under the name Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate.