Bidar Fort was built in 1428 and is best visited when travelling between Hyderabad and Bijapur.The heart of Bidar is its old town protected by walls and 8 imposing gateways. The Bidar Fort remains largely intact and is fortified by 10km of ramparts and in the north it is protected by a 300 metres high cliff. The main southern entrance had giant gates and a triple moat that once could only be crossed by a series of draw bridges.
Today Inside the fort it is possible to visit the exquisite Rangin Mahal which although modest in size has a beautiful interior and some fine examples of Islamic art and craftsmanship. Persian style mother of pearl inlay work on polished black granite are part of the exquisite decoration that can be found here. Bidars oldest Muslim monument is the Solah Khamb mosque it is decocated with pierced stone calligraphyon the exterior.
When looking to the east from the wall of the fort it is possible to see a cluster of 8 white domes. These are the mausoleums at Ashtor and are located just 3km away. Here is the resting place of the Bahmani sultans and their families. The most impressive tomb is that of Alaudin Shah with its coloured glazed tiles and persian paintings that decorate the interior of the dome. Located on the western edge of Bidar are the tombs of the Badrid Shahi rulers. These tombs are dated from the 16th Century as the Badri Shahi rulers succeeded the Bahmani dynasty. Here one can also find the mass –grave platform of the 67 concubines that died with Ali Barid who lived from 1542 until 1579. The concubines were originally sent as tribute gifts to the overlord Ali Barid by his subjects.
Bidar is also renowned as the home of a unique type of metal work called Bidri. It was a craft developed by the Persian silversmiths that came to the area with the Bahmani court. The artisans here engraved and inlaid traditional Iranian designs onto a metal alloy composed of lead, copper, zinc and tin which they then blackened and polished. The resulting effect is that of swirling silver patterns framed by geometric patterns set against black backgrounds. In Bidar today it is still possible to see this art being practiced by the local artisans