ReachoutHyderabad.com..Historical Places of Hyderabad

Charminar: Hyderabad is most famous for its charming minarets - Charminar. The city is often identified with the majestic Charminar, which stands at the center of the old city in its entire splendor amidst the colorful shops of Ladbazaar with its glittering traditional bangles.Often called "The Arc de Triomphe of the East", Charminar was built in 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah and is a beautiful structure with four intricately carved minarets. Enormous in its size, this imposing monument exudes a charm that is more than 400 years old!
The Charminar is a square edifice with four grand arches each facing a cardinal point that opened once upon a time into four royal streets. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped minaret, more than 55 meters high with a double balcony.About 149 winding steps guide the visitor to the upper floor.The summit of Charminar offers an excellent panoramic view of the city. The Charminar depicts the Indo-Saracenic tradition - a symbiosis of the Hindu and the Muslim traditions, which has woven the magic of a rich Deccani culture. The nightly illumination of Charminar is spectacular.

Mecca Masjid: Adjacent to the Charminar is the grand Mecca Masjid, reputed to be one among the largest in the world. It can accommodate 10,000 worshippers at a time. The hall is 67 meters long, 54 meters wide and 23 meters high. The Mecca Masjid roof is supported by 15 arches, and the colonnades and entrance arches are made up of a single slab of granite. According to few historical records these massive stone lots were carried 11 blocks away, and dragged to the site by a team of 1400 bullocks! Construction of mosque started in 1614 by Abdullah Quli Qutub Shah, but was completed by Aurangazeb when he annexed Golconda in late 17th Century. The Tombs of Asaf Jahi rulers, the Nizams of Hyderabad, are in a roof enclosure to the left of the court yard of the mosque.

Golconda (8170 bytes)

Golconda Fort: The majestic ruins of Golconda Fort stand as a backdrop to the sprawling city of Hyderabad. Originally built in that 12th Century by the Hindu Kakatiyas, the fort was reinforced by masonry by the Bahamanis who occupied in 1363. The existing structure was later expanded by Qutub Shahi Kings into a massive fort. In 1687, the fortress was besieged by the mighty moguls emperor Aurangazeb, after it was treacherously betrayed. The main citadel is built on a granite hill 120 mts high and is surrounded by walls of solid stones. The forts outermost walls traverses circumference of nearly 7 KM's with eight massive gates studded with large pointed iron spikes as a defence against war elephants.
(Click here for Reachout's Exclusive Photo feature on Golconda Fort)

Hussain Sagar also known as Tank Bund connects the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Built in the 16th century the lake was named to express the gratitude of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah to Hussain Shah wali who helped him to recover from illness. To lake is a favorite evening promenade. A famous monolith of Lord Buddha is installed at the center of the lake.

Birla Mandir (8375 bytes)

Birla Temple: Dedicated to the Lord Venkateshwara, this beautiful modern temple is built on a rocky hill which overlooks the south end of HussainSagar. It is built in White marble and provides an excellent view over the city from the summit, especially at the sunset. The inner shrine is the replica of Tirupati Temple's Lord Venkateshwara.

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	Falaknuma Palace:The Falaknuma (Star of Heaven) palace is one of the most magnificent of its kind in the country. Built by Nawab vikar-ul-Umra Bahadur, the fifth Ameer of the Paigah in the nineteenth century, it is located atop a 650 meter high hill, about 5KM from Charminar. Designed by an Italian architect and built in marble, the Falaknuma was purchased by Seventh Nizam , Mir Osman ali Khan, who used it as royal guest house. The dignitaries who visited the palace includes King George V. The state reception room, whose ceiling is decorated with frescoes and gilded relief's , the spacious ball room and the dining room with the long table for 100 persons is indeed a splendorous sight. The palace houses the oriental and European treasures including a large collection of manuscripts and books.
	Andhra Pradesh Archaeological Museum now open for public