My grandmother used to tell me that people only see what they want to see, and as such, I notice many students today do not appreciate the rich history of Hyderabad. From the forts of Golconda to the 4 minars of Charminar, this city is old, and has a story to tell, if you only know where to look.
So here's a list of historical places that you can visit around Hyderabad on immediate notice. Do note that this list will be update periodically.
1. Charminar
Let's start this list with the most obvious one out of the way. Of course Charminar was gonna make the top of this list, it's the symbol of Hyderabad! Built by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591, it has since then become a global icon of Hyderabad, and one of the most easily recognised structures of the country, The city of Hyderabad grew around the monument, expanding rapidly. Historically, it was on the cross roads of an important trade route for the Sultan's kingdom, and built on the high way to Machlipatnam, an important port town.
2. Makkah Masjid
One does not simply talk about Charminar and not talk Makkah Masjid. This historical mosque is one of the grandest in India, and took many years to finish construction. The foundation stone for the mosque was laid by Quli Qutb Shah, but finished by invader Aurangzeb when he conquered Hyderabad. Pollution is slowly chipping away at the historical structure, however, it still is quite a serene place.
3. Golconda Fort
Getting the third obvious place to visit off the list, the Golconda fort is a must visit for it's incredible historical significance, and also to acknowledge that once upon a time, Golconda was the capital before Sultan Quli Qutb Shah moved to Hyderabad. Golconda, literally meaning a round hill, was a citadel that was notoriously hard to penetrate, complete with it's own system of warnings thanks to the construction of the fort: soldiers of the Sultanate used claps to warn fellow guards of impending danger, which was carried through the fort due to acoustics. Don't ask me how that works, it's pure magic if you ask me.
The fort sadly fell to ruin after an year long siege by Aurangzeb in 1687, sadly the Sultanate could not stand up to the might of the Mughal empire. That's the thing about sieges, the party laying the siege controls what goes in and out of the city at all times, and this means the city running out of food and supplies sooner or later.
There's something quite charming about old world military campaigns, apart from all the death and destruction of course.
4. Chowmahalla Palace
This place will take your entire day to explore properly. Chowmahalla Palace, translating to 4 palaces, was the seat of power for the Nizams of Hyderabad. The construction of the palaces was initiated by Salabat Jung in the year 1750 but it was't completed until many years later in the 1880s. It's quite a lovely place today, and worth a visit.
5. Qutb Shahi Tombs
The dynasty that gave Hyderabad it's global icons were buried in tombs that were considered serene and beautiful in those times, however, following the fall of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, the tombs fell to neglect until Sir Salar Jung the Third ordered their restoration in the 19th century, which is when the Tombs were enclosed in a garden and restored to its' former serenity.
However, time has been unkind with the Qutb Shahi Tombs, while the tombs still stand today, many of it's beautiful tiles have been stolen. Marks of it's former glory can be seen on the walls of the tombs today, a sad reminder that despite time being destructive, it took humans to ruin the true beauty of the tombs.
Every one of the Qutb Shahi dynasty is buried in these tombs, except the last, Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, who died in Daulatabad in Maharashtra.
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