Historic Places In Hyderabad

Historic Places In Hyderabad

Golkonda is a ruined city and fortress 11 km west of the city of Hyderabad, Telangana state, India. The city and fortress are built on a granite hill that is 120 meters high and is surrounded by massive crenellated ramparts. The beginnings of the fort date to the 1143,when the Hindu

Kakatiya dynasty ruled the area. The Kakatiyas were followed by the state of Warangal, which was later conquered by the Muslim Bahmani Sultanate. Golkonda consists of four distinct forts with a 10 km long outer wall having 87 semi circular bastions; some still mounted with cannons, eight gateways, four drawbridges and number of royal apartments & halls, temples, mosques, magazines, stables etc, inside. The lowest of these is the outermost enclosure into which we enter by the 'Fateh Darwaza' ( Victory gate, so called after Aurangzeb’s triumphant army marched in through this gate ) studded with giant iron spikes ( to prevent elephants from battering them down ) near the south
-eastern corner.
 At Fateh Darwaza can be experienced the fantastic acoustic effects, characteristic of the engineering marvels at Golkonda. A hand clap at a certain point below the dome at the entrance reverberates and can be heard clearly at the 'Bala Hisar' pavilion, the highest point almost a kilometre away. This acted as the warning note to residents in case of danger.

The tombs of the Qutb Shahi sultans lie about one kilometer north ofGolkonda's outer wall. These graceful structures are made of beautifully
carved stonework, and surrounded by landscaped gardens. Golkonda fort overlooking HyderabadThe fortress city within the walls was famous for its diamond trade, and many famed diamonds including the Koh-i-noor, the Regent Diamond and the Hope are said to have come from here. The wealth of the Golkonda mines enriched the ruling Nizams of  Hyderabad, which ruled the area from their independence from the Mughals in1724 to1948 ,when Hyderabad was annexed by India to become an Indian state. Hyderabad state was broken up in 1956, and Golkonda became part of  Telangana state.

Charminar is one of the most important landmarks of the city. The monument was built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 to commemorate the eradication of plague, shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golconda to what now is known as Hyderabad. Legends tell that the emperor Quli Qutb Shah prayed for the end of plague and took the vow to build a mosque on that very place. He ordered the construction of the mosque which became popular as Charminar because of its four characteristic minarets.The top floor of the four-storeyed structure has a mosque which has
45 covered prayer spaces and some open space to accommodate more people in Friday prayers


Mecca Masjid is near Charminar in the old city of Hyderabad is the biggest mosque in the entire south India.In the sheer size it ranks third in the country, next only to Jama Masjid in Delhi and the one at Gulbarga. Though Quli Qutb Shah laid the foundation stone for Mecca Masjid in 1614, it was Emperror  Aurangzeb who completed its construction in 1687.Anestimated 10,000 devotees can offer prayers in the vast hall measuring 67 X 54 meters. Though Quli Qutb Shah , gave the name " Baitul Atiq " to this mosque ,a few bricks brought from Mecca ( and still displayed inside the mosque) perpetuated the name " Mecca Masjid " for this place of worship


Hussain Sagar is a lake in Hyderabad, built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali in 1562, during the rule of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali. It was built on a tributary of the Musi river to meet the water and irrigation needs of Hyderabad, India.It is now popularly known as Tank Bund, and has become a tourist destination as well as a local attraction. Once the source of drinking water for the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the Hussain Sagar lake's current condition is far from desirable. Since the 1980s and 1990s the immersion of Ganesh idols during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi has led to the further pollution of the lake. Currently there are numerous environmentalist groups and government agencies that are trying to improve the condition of the lake. 

The Salar Jung Museum is an art museum on the southern bank of the Musi river in the city of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. The museum opened to the public on December 16, 1951; it houses the collection of the
Salar Jung family, who were important nobles in the courts of the Nizams , Muslim rulers of Hyderabad. The collection of Islamic art from all over Asia includes a variety of illuminated Korans,astrolabes, jewelled swords and daggers, and Persian carpets
The museum also houses fine examples of European painting and sculpture, most famously the "Veiled Rebecca" of Italian sculptor Giovanni Maria Benzoni, as well as Chinese and Japanese pieces. The collection was mostly acquired by Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, also known as Salar Jung III. Some of the items he inherited were collected by his father, Nawab Mir Laiq Khan (Salar Jung II) and his grandfather, Nawab Mir Turab Ali Khan (Sir Salar Jung I).

Birla Mandir
Taj Falaknuma Palace
Ramoji Film City
Chilkur Balaji Temple
Chowmahalla Palace
Nehru Zoological Park