The relics the final period of classical Hindu art are to be seen at Hampi, once called Vijayanagar, the capital of the great Vijayanagar Empire. Krishnadevaraya, the last great king of this empire who lived in the 16th century, was a patron of art and is responsible for the Rayala gopuras and the excellent carvings of the late Vijayanagar period seen all over South India.
The 16th and 17th centuries also saw a burst of Muslim architectural activity under the Adli Shai dynasty of Bijapur. A city of austere forms and severe shapes, the restrained style is occasionally relieved by lattice and filigree work.
The most imposing structure, however, is the Gol Gumbaz, second only dimension to St. Peter’s Rome. Fantastic for its sheer size and engineering skill, its interior is starkly severe. Its whispering gallery, 40 meters in diameter, echoes any sound twelve times over.
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