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Mosques
:
Dhaka has several hundred mosques.
Prominent are Baitull Mukarram-National Mosque, the seven
Domed Mosque (17th century), Star Mosque (18th century) ,
Chawkbazar Mosque and Huseni Dalan Mosque.
Hindu Temples :
Dhakeshwari Temple (11th
Century), Ramkrishna Mission.
Churches
:
Armenian Church (1781 A.D.) St. Mary's Cathedral at Ramna,
Church of Bangladesh or former Holy Rosary Church (1677A.D.)
at Tejgaon.
National Memorial
: It
locates at Savar, 35, km. from Dhaka city. The memorial
designed by architect Moinul Hossain is dedicated to the
sacred memory of the millions of unknown martyrs of the war
of liberation.
Lalbagh Fort :
It was built in 1678 A.D. by
Prince Mohammad Azam, son of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb. The
fort was the scene of bloody battle during the first war of
independence (1857) when 260 sepoys stationed here backed by
the people revolted against British forces. Outstanding
among the monuments of the Lalbagh are the tomb of Pari Bibi
, Lalbagh Mosque, Audience Hall and Hammam of Nawab Shaista
Khan now housing a museum.
The capital city Dhaka predominantly was a city of the
Mughals. In hundred years of their vigorous rule successive
Governors and princely Viceroys who ruled the province,
adorned it with many noble monuments in the shape of
magnificent places, mosques, tombs, fortifications and 'Katras'
often surrounded with beautifully laid out gardens and
pavilions. Among these, few have survived the ravages of
time, aggressive tropical climate of the land and vandal
hands of man.
But the finest specimen of this period is the Aurangabad
Fort, commonly known as Lalbagh Fort, which, indeed
represents the unfulfilled dream of a Mughal Prince. It
occupies the south western part of the old city, overlooking
the Buriganga on whose northern bank it stands as a silent
sentinel of the old city. Rectangular in plan, it encloses
an area of 1082' by 800' and in addition to its graceful
lofty gateways on south-east and north-east corners and a
subsidiary small unpretentious gateway on north, it also
contians within its fortified perimeter a number of splendid
monuments, surrounded by attractive garden. These are, a
small 3-domed mosque, the mausoleum of Bibi Pari the reputed
daughter of Nawab Shaista Khan and the Hammam and Audience
Hall of the Governor. The main purpose of this fort, was to
provide a defensive enclosure of the palacial edifices of
the interior and as such was a type of palace-fortress
rather than a seige fort.
1857 Memorial :
( Bahadur Shah Park) Built to
commemorate the martyrs of the first liberation war
(1857-59) against British rule. It was here that the
revolting sepoys and their civil compatriots were publicly
hanged.
Bangabandhu Memorial Museum :
The residence of the father of
the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi
has been turned into a musuam. It contains rare collection
of personal effects and photographs of his lifetime.
Mukti Juddha Museum :
Situated at Segun Bagicha area
of the city the museum contains rare photographs of
Liberation war and items used by the freedom fighters during
the period.
Ahsan Manzil Museum:
: On the
bank of the river Buriganga in Dhaka the pink majestic Ahsan
Manzil has been renovated and turned into a museum recently.
It is an example of the nations rich cultural heritage. It
was the home of the Nawab of Dhaka and a silent spectator to
many events. The renovated Ahsan Manzil is a monument of
immense historical beauty. It has 31 rooms with a huge dome
atop which can be seen from miles around. It now has 23
galleries displaying portraits, furniture and household
articles and utensils used by the Nawab.
Curzon Hall:
:
Beautiful architectural building named after Lord Curzon. It
now houses the Science Faculty of Dhaka University.
Old High Court Building:
:
Originally built as the residence of the British Governor,
it illustrates a happy blend of European and Mughal
architecture.
Dhaka Zoo :
Popularly known as Mirpur Zoo.
Colorful and attractive collections of different local and
foreign species of animals and birds including the majestic
Royal Bengal Tiger are available here.
National Museum :
Located at the central point of
the city, the museum contains a large number of interesting
collections including sculptures and paintings of the Hindu,
Buddhist and Muslim periods.
Botanical Garden::
Built on an area of 205 acres of land
at Mirpur and adjacent to Dhaka Zoo. One can have a look at
the zoo and the botanical garden in one trip.
National Park
:
Situated at Rejendrapur, 40 km. north of Dhaka city , this
is a vast (1,600 acres) national recreational forest with
facilities for picnic and rowing etc.
Central Shahid Minar:
: Symbol of Bengali
nationalism. This monument was built to commemorate the
martyrs of the historic Language movement of 1952. Hundreds
and thousands of people with floral wreaths and bouquet
gather on 21 February every year to pay respect in a solemn
atmosphere. Celebrations begin at zero hour of midnight.
National Poet's Graveyard:
:
Revolutionary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam died on the 29 August
1976 and was buried here. The graveyard is adjacent to the
Dhaka University Mosque.
Suhrawardy Uddyan (Garden)
: A
Popular Park. The oath of independence of Bangladesh was
taken here and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheik
Mujibur Rahman gave clarion call for independence on this
occasion on the 7th March 1971. The place is famous for its
lush verdure and gentle breezes. Eternal Flame to enliven
the memory of the martyrs of our Liberation war has been
blown here recently.
Mausoleum of National Leaders:
:
Located at the southwestern corner of
Suhrawardy Uddyan, it is the eternal resting place of great
national leaders, Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Haque, Hossain
Shahid Suhrawardy and Khaja Nazimuddin.
Banga Bhaban::
The official residence of the
President, located in the city . One can have an outside
view of this grand palace.
Baldha Garden :
Unique creation of the late
Narendra Narayan Roy, the landlord of Baldha. Year of
establishment was 1904. Located in Wari area of Dhaka city,
the garden with its rich collection of indigenous and exotic
plants is one of the most exciting attraction for
naturalists and tourists.
Ramna Green:
: A vast
stretch of green garden surrounded by a serpentine lake near
the Sheraton Hotel.
Parliament House:
Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (Parliament
House) located at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar has distinctive
architectural features. Designed by the famous architect
Louis I. Kahn, it may be called an architectural wonder of
this region.
Science Museum:
: The
museum is a modern learning center related to the latest
scientific discoveries. It is situated at Agargaon.
IInstitute
of Arts and Crafts: :
Situated in the picturesque
surroundings of Shahbagh the Institute of Arts and Crafts
has a representative collection of folk-art and paintings by
artists of Bangladesh.
Sonargaon::
About 29 km. from Dhaka.
Sonargaon is one of the oldest capitals of Bangal. A Folk
Arts and Crafts Museum has been established here.
Other attractions in and around Dhaka include the Institute
of Arts and Crafts with its representative collection of
folk art and paintings, handicraft shops. Aparajeya Bangla
monument, picnic spots at Chandra and Salna, industrial
estates of Tongi, Narayanganj, Demara, Tejgaon, cruising by
country boat in the nearby river or a visit to a village to
see jute cultivation, weaving and pottery making. Last but
not the least travel by a horse driven cart or rickshaw
along busy Dhaka streets is a rewarding experience.
About 27 km. from Dhaka, Sonargaon is one of the oldest
capitals of Bengal. It was the seat of Deva Dynasty until
the 13th century. From then onward till the advent of the
Mughals, Sonargaon was subsidiary capital of the Sultanate
of Bengal. Among the ancient monuments still intact are the
Tomb of Sultan Ghiasuddin (1399-1409 A. D), the shrines of
Panjpirs and Shah Abdul Alia and a beautiful mosque in
Goaldi villaae.
Picnic Spots :
There are good picnic spots in
the area around Savar and Mirzapur. Other beauty spots
connected by road with Dhaka include Joydevpur, Sripur,
Madhupur, Rajendrapur National Park, Chandra and Salna, all
of which have rest-houses that can be used by tourists on
request to the Forest Department.
Bangaldesh Parjatan Corporation owns two picnic spots with
Bunglows at Chandra and Salna which can also be hired by
tourists.
Mosque of Baba Adam :
Of a slightly later date the elegant
6-domed mosque (43'x36') of Baba Adam in Rampal near Dhaka
was erected by one Malik Kafur during the reign of the last
llyas Shahi Sultan, Jalauddin Fateh Shah in 1483 A.D. It
displays the same characterstic features of the period such
as the faceted octagonal turrets at 4 corners, the curved
cornice, the facade and 3 mihrabs relieved richly with
beautiful terracotta floral and hanging patterns.
Star Mosque :
A very beautiful mosque of the
city is situated at Mahuttuly on Abul Khairat Rd; just west
of Armanitola Govt. High School. Architecturally faultless (Mughal
style) is a five-dome mosque with hundreds of big and small
twinkling stars as surface decorations. The stars have been
created by setting pieces of chinaware on white cement. Seen
from the front and from far it looks as if shining above the
surface of the earth. The inside of it is even more
beautiful that the outside, lovely mosaic floor and
excellent tiles with many floral patterns set on the walls,
are all in complete harmony. The sitara Masjid was built
originally with three domes in early 18th century by Mirza
Ghulam Pir, a highly respectable Zamindar of Dhaka.
Frequently used in calendars. Entrance: through a lane named
after the mosque.
Baitul Mukarram Mosque :
Baitul Mukarram Mosque is
situated at Purana Paltan east of Bangladesh Secretariat and
north of Dhaka Stadium. Largest Mosque in the city, three
storied and built after the pattern of the Kaba Sharif. Very
beautiful and costly decorations in the interior. Long lawn,
garden and rows of fountains to the south and east. The
mosque is on a very high platform. Lovely flight of stairs
lead to it; from the south, east and north. On the east is a
vast varanda which is also used for prayer and Eid
congregation. Below in the ground floor is a shopping
centre.
Ahsan Manzil Museum :
On the bank of river Buriganga
in Dhaka the Pink majestic Ahsan Manzil has been renovated
and turned into a museum recently. It is an epitome of the
nation's rich cultural heritage. It is the home of Nawab of
Dhaka and a silent spectator to many events.
Today's renovated Ahsan Manzil a monument of immense
historical beauty. It has 31 rooms with a huge dome atop
which can be seen from miles around. It now has 23 galleries
in 31 rooms displaying of traits, furniture and household
articles and utensils used by the Nawab.
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