Top 8 places to see in Hyderabad, if on a short visit.

Hyderabad is the capital of the south Indian state of Telangana, some might find it confusing with Andhra Pradesh. Let me explain, Telangana was a part of Andhra Pradesh which later split and became a state itself. Andhra Pradesh continue to use Hyderabad as its capital as part of an agreement, until the state has its own capital. This can be evidently seen when visiting Hyderabad, with infrastructure of both the government found within the city. Hindi is widely spoken in Hyderabad and hence people from north India wont have any problem in communicate with locals. Below are the top historical places to visit in Hyderabad during a short stay.

1. Charminar

The first tourist attraction that flashes in mind when thinking about Hyderabad is the four legged structure called Charminar. It is located in the heart of the city and getting to it might be disturbing because of the heavily congested city. Charminar was constructed by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah in the year 1591. The monument has four minarets which are 48.7 meter tall. Visitors are not allowed to go all the way to the top of the minaret but can climb up to level 1 and get a decent view of the city. Make sure to visit the small shops that make edible silver sheets surrounding the charminar, the production process is interesting to watch. Bags are not allowed within the monument and the management do not have provisions for lockers. I was able to find a cloakroom behind the police station.

2. Golconda Fort

Golconda fort is a place you should not miss during your tour of Hyderabad. The name Golconda finds its root in “Golla Konda”, which means Shepherd’s Hill. It was originally known as Mankal, and built on a hilltop in the year 1143. It was a mud fort under the reign of Rajah of Warangal and was later fortified between 14th and 17th centuries. Golconda fort is undoubtedly one of most beautiful fortress complexes in India.

3. Hussain Sagar Lake

Hussain Sagar is a heart shaped lake in Hyderabad built by the ruler Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah in 1563. It is the perfect place to spend a day at the water front. An 18-meter high statue of Lord Buddha is situated at the center of the lake which can be reached by boat. The statue was carved by 200 sculptors for two years. Boat services to the statue is available from Lumbini Park. Apart from Hussain Sagar Lake, the surroundings offers other attractions such as NTR Gardens, Sanjeevaiah Park, Lumbini Park and so on. This place is ideal for families to spend some quality time. Hyderabad's famous Paradise Restaurant which is well know for its Hyderabadi biriyani is located near by. Make sure you don't miss the Hyderabadi cuisine. Read to know the best foods available in Hyderabad.

4. Salar Jung Museum

The Salar Jung Museum of Hyderabad is a repository of precious objects for different countries of the world. A major portion of this collection was acquired by Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan popularly known as Salar Jung III. The collection is massive and could be classified as Indian Art, European Art, Art of the Middle East, Far Eastern Art and a section for children. A minimum of three hours is required to tour the entire museum. Ticket charges for adults are 20Rs and foreigners 500Rs.

5. Taj Falaknuma Palace

The magnificent palace is located on a hill top and hence the name Falaknuma Palace, which translates to “mirror of the sky” in Urdu. It belonged to the Paigah family, and it was later owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad. The palace was the private property of Nizam family and was not opened to the public, until 2000. In 2010 Taj hotels renovated the palace and converted it into a 5 star hotel. The palace has 60 rooms and 22 halls. Average cost for dining for a couple is Rs 7,000. A palace tour called HERITAGE WALK is included in the dinning package.

6. Chowmahalla Palace

Chowmahalla is a palace in Hyderabad located in very close proximity to the iconic Charminar and Mekkah Masjid. Chowmahalla was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad while they ruled their state. The palace alone had over 6000 employees once, during their reign. The Chowmahalla estate once stood at 54 acres and shrank to 12 acres, as courtyard after courtyard, ballrooms and stable blocks were acquired by developers.

The palace holds history dating back to the 13th centuary. The palace is open to the public and exhibits antiques including objects with Quran verses written on it with gold. It also has a wide display of vintage cars once owned by nizam. 

 

7. Makkah Masjid

Makkah Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad. It is located within walking distance to Charminar and Chowmahalla Palace. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, commissioned bricks to be made from the soil brought from Mecca, the holiest site of Islam. The bricks were used in the construction of the central arch of the mosque. This is how the mosque gets it name. Legends also states that the construction of the mosque kept on falling and was revealed that, if a rock brought from mecca is used, the structure will survive.

8. Taramati Baradari

Taramati Baradari is a historical sarai as part of Ibrahim Bagh, a Persian style garden built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, the second Sultan of Golconda. Taramati Baradari pavilion has 12 doorways and was constructed to allow cross ventilation and is one of the most indigenous techniques to have been used at that time. It was used an an auditorium during the Nizam reign. Taramati is situated on the top of the hill, which was set up to avoid any disturbance to the sound from the population of the surrounding area.