The small provincial town contains some of the earliest examples of Islamic architecture in Karnataka. These originated in the 14th and 15th centuries, when Gulbarga flourished as the capital of the Bahmani sultans. This was first of the great muslim kingdoms to dominate the Deccan.
The Gulbarga Fort is composed of monuments,mosques,temples,stables,carriages,and several beautiful courtyards.The picturesque ruins of Firuzabad, the palace city founded in 1400 by Firuz Shah Bahmani is located 28km south of Gulbarga. The massive stone walls with quadrangular bastions and arched gateways define an approximately square zone, almost 1000 metres wide. The best preserved structures are the Jami Masjid and a two-storeyed audience hall. Among the remains are the royal baths (Bamams), with pyramidal vaults and fluted domes, said to be the oldest in the deccan.
The Dargah of Gesu Daraz, to the northeast of the present town, is one of South India’s holiest Muslim shrines. Khawaja Gesu Daraz, or Bande Nawaz as he was affectionately known, was a sufu mystic from the Chishti sect. He fled from North India and sought refuge here at the court of Firuz Shah Bahmani, known to be a pious and enlightened ruler. His simple tomb stands in the middle of a large, sprawling complex of lesser tombs, mosques and madrasas.