This mausoleum was built by the muslim emperor Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1556-1627), who was the 5th king of the Adil Shah dynasty and is said to have been a generous patron of arts and most tolerant to different religions.

The Adil Shah dynasty ruled the sultanate of Bijapur from 1489 to 1686. Before 1489 it was part of the Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga and in 1686 the sultanate was conquered by emperor Aurangzeb and became a part of the Mughal empire.

The fine proportions of the monument stand in high contrast to the huge size of the Golgumbaz. Some people believe the 4 minarets placed at the corners of the mausoleum may have inspired emperor Shah Jahan when he built the Taj Mahal at Agra. Like the Taj Mahal the tomb is faced by a mosque, both separated by a fountain. Both buildings have a high degree of symmetry and are placed on a raised platform, surrounded by a garden.

In contrast to the elegant Ibrahim Rouza the massive Golgumbaz has a completely different appeal.

The mausoleum was built about 30 years after the Ibrahim Rouza in 1659. Today it is home to the remains to emperor Mohammed Adil Shah, the succesor of Ibrahim Adil Shah II, his two wifes, a daughter and grandson.

The enormous dome - the largest of its kind in India - has a diameter of 38m and comes among the largest of the world, comparable to the St Peter's Basilica in Rome in size.