Hyderabad - Local Tourist Attractions

Golconda Fort (Places of Ballistics Interest...)

Golkonda, literally means Gol konda ("Round shaped hill"), or Golla konda ("Shepherd's hill"), is a fort, which was the capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty (c.1518–1687). At the entrance of the fort can be experienced a fantastic acoustic effect, characteristic of the engineering marvels. A hand clap at a certain point below the dome reverberates and can be heard clearly at the 'Bala Hisar' pavilion, the highest point almost a kilometer away. This worked as a warning note to the royals in case of an attack.

The Magnificient Fateh Rahben Gun (the guide-to-victory cannon) in Golconda fort, c1888. This cannon was used by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s army to storm the Golconda Fort and capture the last Qutb Shahi ruler, Abul Hasan Tana Shah in 1687.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golkonda

Charminar
The Charminar is as much the signature of Hyderabad as the Taj Mahal is of Agra or the Eiffel Tower is of Paris. Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of Hyderabad, built Charminar in 1591 at the centre of the original city layout. It is said to be built as a charm to ward off a deadly epidemic raging at that time. Four graceful minarets soar to a height of 48.7 m above the ground. Charminar has 45 prayer spaces and a mosque in it. Visitors can view the architectural splendour inside the Charminar. The monument is illuminated in the evenings and a pedestrianisation project around the monument is under implementation.

Chowmahalla Palace
Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallatuu (4 Palaces), is a palace of the Nizams of Hyderabad state. It was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad while they ruled their state. The palace remains the property of Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, heir of the Nizams. In Urdu, Hindi Char means four, and even in Persian, Chahar means four and in Urdu and Hindi Mahal means palaces, hence the name Chowmahalla/four palaces. The palace is located in the old city in Hyderabad near the Charminar. The prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit award for cultural heritage conservation was presented to Chowmahalla Palace on 15 March 2010. UNESCO representative Takahiko Makino formally handed over the plaque and certificate to Princess Esra, former wife and GPA holder of Prince Mukarram Jah Bahadur.

Salar Jung Museum
The Salar Jung Museum is an art museum located at Darushifa, on the southern bank of the Musi River in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is one of the three National Museums of India. It has a collection of sculptures, paintings, carvings, textiles, manuscripts, ceramics, metallic artefacts, carpets, clocks, and furniture from Japan, China, Burma, Nepal, India, Persia, Egypt, Europe, and North America. The museum's collection was sourced from the property of the Salar Jung family. It is one of the largest museums in the world.

The Salar Jung Museum houses the largest one-man collection 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.

Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City is located around 20 km from Hyderabad in Rangareddy district. Spread over 2000 acres, it is a film-themed park combined with a studio, unabashedly modeled after Universal City.

The city opened in 1996. It was conceived and developed by Ramoji Rao, media and film baron, whose film production house Usha Kiron Movies is a major producer of Indian movies.

The city encompasses massive buildings, gardens and other sets suitable for filming movies. Fans of Indian movies will find many locations where scenes from their favorite movies were shot. Inside the city are complete facilities for pre-production, production and post-production work on movies. In addition, there are theme parks, rides and other attractions, opportunities for shopping and dining. There are three hotels inside the city catering to various budgets and travelers can easily spend a weekend or more with their families and not tire of the place.

Shilparamam
Shilparamam Arts and Crafts village is a tribute to the cultural legacy of India. The primary aim of this establishment is to foster, restore and help flourish the culture of India's glorious past. It provides a common platform for artisans and performing artists to showcase their talents. Nestling amidst rocks, rippling waterfalls and gorgeous lawns, Shilparamam is a melting pot of traditions and cultures. Here each season brings a mood of festivity and Indian festivals are celebrated in the most traditional way.

Shilparamam hosts a multitude of ethnic art, crafts and culture from all over the country. The yearly All-India Festival of Arts and Crafts held here in February highlights the cultural and creative traditions from every corner of the country and provides a unique occasion to take home a piece of Indian art.

Taj Falaknuma Palace
The palace is spread out in a scorpion shape with two pincers spread out as wings on the north. The palace was designed by an Italian architect in western style, and took 9 years for construction, and is completely built with Italian Marble. The foundation stone was laid on 3rd March 1884. Falaknuma houses a collection of rare treasures collected by the Nizam including paintings, furniture and statues. The Jade collection of the Palace is unique in the world. The palace also has a library containing most valuable collection of books and manuscripts. It is now converted into a heritage hotel by the Taj Hotels group. You can plan a meal at Falaknuma Palace by making a prior appointment (click here for more info).