MONUMENTAL LOVE
No trip to Hyderabad is complete without a visit to these architectural masterpieces.
The centrepiece of the royal city, 10 Charminar, is the most iconic landmark of Hyderabad. Constructed in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, this square structure of granite, limestone, and pulverised marble features four grand arches and 149 winding steps leading to a mosque built over 400 years ago. A fortified citadel and former capital of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty, the 11 Golconda Fort is an archaeological treasure with four distinct forts featuring 87 bastions, eight gateways, four drawbridges, temples, mosques, and more. It flourished as a trade centre for the famous Golconda Diamonds, including the world’s most famous one, the Koh-i-Noor. One of the largest mosques in the country, with a capacity to host 20,000 worshippers at once, the 12 Mecca Masjid in the heart of the city was built with bricks made with soil brought from Mecca, the holiest site of Islam. Other most revered heritage sites include the 13 Qutb Shahi Tombs and the 14 Chowmahalla Palace— the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad.