Gajashala or Elephant Stable is a long structure with a rectangular shape that has a row of 11 huge domed chambers which are interconnected with large arched openings. Each chamber is large enough to accommodate two elephants at a time. The building contains a concealed staircase that leads one to the rooftop of the building. These chambers face west onto an open ground where troops and animals were paraded.
The whole building looks symmetric with respect to its central hall. The dome in the center is the most decorated among the 11 domes of the building the five pairs of domes on either side. There is a small manhole type opening in each chamber for the mahouts to enter in the elephant compartments. Metal hooks are present inside the roof which were used to tie the elephants.
Elephant stable is built in Indo-Islamic style of architecture, located outside the Zenana Enclosure in Hampi. It was used to provide shelter for the royal elephants of the Vijayanagara empire. Elephants were integral and important part of the Vijayanagara army. The army had about 10,000 war-trained elephants, of which only 10 of them were chosen for royal service and were kept in this stable. Vijayanagara rulers used to get elephants from Sri Lanka.