Charminar Monument
Charminar -: One of the most important landmarks of Hyderabad with four graceful minarets. 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 Golkonda to what now is known as Hyderabad. Legends has it that the emperor Quli Qutb Shah prayed for the end of plague and took the vow to build a masjid on that very place. True to the legend, the city blossomed into a synthesis of two cultures. In 1591 while laying the foundation of Charminar, Quli prayed: Oh God, bestow unto this city peace and prosperity. Let millions of men of all castes, creeds and religions make it their abode. Like fishes in the water. It is believed there is an underground tunnel connecting Golkonda to the Charminar, to allow the Qutb Shahi royalty to escape during hard times. The exact location of the tunnel is unknown.
Now it is allowed for the tourists to climb upto the first level of the Charminar. Between 9AM to 6PM. Charminar is closed on Friday.
Golconda Fort Qila
Golconda Fort -: Golkonda (or Golconda), a ruined city of south-central India, is situated west of Hyderabad, capital of ancient Hyderabad state (13th to 15th century). In America many towns are named after this fort. The most important builder of Golconda was Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali, the fourth Qutb king. Ibrahim was following in the spirit of his ancestors, the Qutub Shahi kings, a great family of builders who had ruled the kingdom of Golconda from 1512. Their first capital, the fortress citadel of Golconda, was rebuilt for defense from invading Mughals from the north. They laid out Golconda's splendid monuments, now in ruins, and designed a perfect acoustical system by which a hand clap sounded at the fort's main gates, the grand portico, was heard at the top of the citadel, situated on a 300-foot (91 m)-high granite hill. This is one of the fascinating features of the fort.
Golconda Fort is now the must to see attraction of hyderabad for its daily sound & light show with voice over of Indian film star Amitabh Bachchan.
Mecca / Makkah Masjid
Mecca Masjid - (Mosque) Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, India is one of the oldest and the biggest mosques in India. Built by Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, the 6th Sultan of Hyderabad began building it in 1617 under the supervision of Mir Faizullah Baig and Rangaiah Chowdary. The work continued during the reign of Abdullah Qutub Shah and Tana Shah and was completed in 1694 by the Moghal Emperor Aurangzeb. It took about 8000 masons and 77 years to be completed. This mosque stands 100 yards southwest of the Charminar and is believed to be comprised of bricks brought from the holy City Makkah-E-Mukarramah, which were built into the central arch and hence the name macca was given. The mosque is adorned with Belgian crystal chandeliers.
Tourists can visit inside the mosque and they can also take pictures.
Chowmahalla Palace
The Chowmahalla Palace - It is situated just at a walk able distance from charminar. It was the seat of Asaf Jahi dynasty, where the Nizam entertained his official guests and royal visitors. Initiated in 1750 by Nizam Salabat Jung and designed along the lines of the Shah's palace in Isfahan, this actually consists of a group of palaces each used as a Durbar Hall. Built over 200 years ago, Chowmahalla is renowned for its unique style and elegance.A synthesis of many architectural styles and influences, the Palace Complex has been meticulously restored. One monument that in its intrinsic grandeur still exudes the power of yore is the Chowmahalla Palace. (Chow means four. And Mahal means Palace. Chow-Mahalla therefore means four palaces).
Don't forget to visit Chowmahalla Palace when you are on your hyderabad tour. The chowmahalla palace is closed on friday.
Salarjung Museum
The Salarjung Museum- One of the oldest Museum of Hyderabad is the third largest museum in India housing the biggest one-man collections of antiques in the world. It is well known throughout India for its prized collections belonging to different civilizations dating back to the 1st century. Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III (1889-1949), former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, spent a substantial amount of his income over thirty five years to make this priceless collection, his life's passion. The collections left behind in his ancestral palace. The collections include Indian Art, Middle Eastern Art, Far Eastern Art, European Art, Children Art along with a Founders gallery and a rare manuscript section. A visual delight is the musical clock Salar Jung bought from Cook and Kelvy of England, a virtual mechanical marvel. Every hour, a timekeeper emerges from the upper deck of the clock to strike a gong as many times as it is the hour of the day.
Salarjung Museum is closed on friday.
Falaknuma Palace
The Falaknuma Palace - It is one of the finest palaces in Hyderabad, India. It is located in Falaknuma area, 5km. from Charminar was built by Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra, the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad.[1] Falaknuma literally means "Star of Heaven" in urdu. Since the palace was the private property of the Nizam family until recently, visitors weren't allowed The Taj group has taken over the palace now, to convert it to a 5-star hotel.
You can see the falaknum palace from outside.
Taramati Baradari
The Taramati Baradari Palace - : - This palace is located in Hyderabad, India, that was built under the Seventh Sultan of Golconda, Abdullah Qutub Shah as an ode to his favorite courtesan, Taramati.Taramati was to Abdullah Qutub Shah, what Bhagmati was to his grandfather Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, the Founder of Hyderabad. The baradari with 12 doorways were to Abdullah Qutb Shah is believed to have enjoyed Taramati’s song even while at Golconda fort. Her melodious voice would be carried by the breeze, reaching the prince’s ear at the fort, because of the acoustics model, in the structure as well as that of the fort. One tells of two ravishing dancing girls, Taramati and Premamati, sisters who danced on ropes tied between their pavilion and the balcony of the king and patron, Abdullah Qutub Shah. allow cross ventilation, considered to be the most ingenious technique at the time. Evening is the best time to visit taramati baradari, you can even enjoy dinner and drinks in the restaurant located inside taramati baradari.
Birla Mandir
Birla Temple - : It is built on a 280-feet high hillock called the Naovath Pahad on a 13 acres plot. The construction of the temple took 10 years and it was consecrated in 1976. Birla Mandir is a magnificent Hindu temple of Lord Venkateshwara located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is built entirely in white marble by the Birla Foundation. Birla Science Museum Next to Birla Mandir, The science centre is another beautiful structure, reflecting the advances made in science and technology. The interior décor matches the architectural exterior of the centre built over 10,000 sq. feet. The centre is host to a number of divisions such as the Planetarium, the Science Museum, and the centre for Applied Mathematics and Computer Sciences. Birla Planetarium is a special attraction are the shows which unveil the mysteries of the cosmos and the origins of the universe, comets, eclipses, unidentified flying objects and the clash of titans.
Don't forget to visit this science museum when you visit to birla mandir.
Qutub Shahi 7 Tombs
Qutb Shahi Tombs -: The Qutub Shahi Tombs is the burial ground of the seven kings of the Qutb Shahi dynasty are situated at Ibrahim Bagh Tolichowki near Golconda. The tombs are very popular among tourists coming to Hyderabad. The Qutub Shahi Tombs are a perfect blend of Indian and Persian architectural forms, constructed in gray granite decorated with exquisite ornamentation. The tombs are domed structures, which are built on an elevated square base surrounded by pointed arches. Each tomb is quadrangular and rises to a height of 9 - 15 meters above the terrace. The smaller tombs are single storied while the larger ones are double storied. The domes were originally covered with blue and green tiles, of which only a few pieces remain now.
7 Tombs or Qutub Shahi Tombs is open for the tourists from 9AM to 5PM.
Hussain Sagar Lake
Hussain Sagar (Lake) -: Hussain Sagar lake is situated in Hyderabad, India built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali in 1562, during the rule of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah. It is a man-made lake is also famous for the 19-metre tall Buddha statue on a platform island called "Rock of Gibraltar" in the middle of the lake, and for the Tank Bund which consists of beautiful gardens and statues of famous personalities. Boating and water sports are a regular feature here. Necklace road, Eat Street, Jal Vihar water park connects these two sides along the western banks.The aesthetically built Andhra Pradesh Secretariat buildings, NTR Park, Lumbini Park, Prasads IMAX, Hyderabad Boat Club, Birla Mandir are on the Southern side. The Secunderabad Sailing Club, Sanjeevaiah park, Hotel Marriott and Hazrat Saidani Ma Saheba tomb are on the northern side of the lake..
Enjoy a boat ride in hussain sagar lake, starts from eat street located at necklace road or lumbini park it gives you a closer glimpse of the Buddha.
Lumbini Park
HUDA Lumbini Park -: This is one of the popular park in the Hyderabad city. The main attraction of this park was the Musical fountain. It is now replaced by the 1500 seater Laserium, the first of its kind in the state. You can also enjoy the boat ride in a group boat or a personal boat take you across the lake to give you a closer glimpse of the Buddha Statue.
The Laser show starts daily in the evening the show is for 30 minutes.
Zoo Park
Nehru Zoological Park -: This zoo is among the largest in India, houses a large variety of animals, birds, nocturnal species, aquatic and amphibian species etc. Located close to this is the Mir Alam Tank lake, The lake which is proposed to be converted into an Aquarium along the lines of Sentosa, Singapore. It was established in 1963 and named after the first prime minister of the country, Jawaharlal Nehru. It has a wide selection of animals - nearly 1,500 species of birds, animals and reptiles are housed here. The zoo runs different safari trips every day, like Lion Safari, Tiger Safari, Bear Safari, and Butterfly Safari. Other attractions include elephant rides, a Natural History Museum, and a children's train.
Hyderabad Nehru Zoological Park is closed on monday.
Snow World
The Snow World -: It is the World’s Biggest and India’s 1st Snow Theme Park. Spread over 17,000 square feet area, Lower Tank Bund Road, behind Indira Park, Hyderabad it is yet another landmark in twin cities. Snow World has an indoor "Cryo Zone" full of attractions from a natural snowscape, with alpine forest, igloos, and simulated figures of penguins and polar bears. All these snow wonders are made possible by artificially producing snow using state of the art technology supplied by Woomera Australia. The snow is produced with pure mineral water. The temperature in snow area is between –5 degrees to 0 degrees centigrade.
Entry fee for the snow world Adult Rs 250 Child Rs.200.
Ramoji Film City
The Ramoji Film City -: Hyderabad (RFC) is the world’s largest integrated film studio complex at over 2,000 acres of land. It is also a popular tourism and recreation centre, containing both natural and artificial attractions. It is situated on Hyderabad - Vijayawada, highway, about 25 km from Hyderabad. A Japanese garden, the ETV planet (a multi-purpose editing suit), a pool, artificial waterfalls, breathtakingly accurate airport terminal, hospital set, railway station, churches, mosques and temples, shopping plazas, palace interiors, chateaus, rural complexes, urban dwellings, and a winding highway are some other places for tourists to visit. For shopping you have, some nice handicrafts, pottery & decorative articles to purchase.
Entry fee for Ramoji Film City Hyderabad Adult Rs. 300 Child Rs. 250.