Monuments in Hyderabad

Charminar A symbol of Hyderabad, Charminar is a beautiful monument constructed as per the Cazia style of architecture. This monument was constructed by Quli Qutub Shah in the year 1591. Giving it, its name, the edifice stands on four 55 meters long arches (minaars). The roof of Charminar has a mosque, which is still revered by Muslims.

Qutub Shahi Tombs As the name suggests, Qutub Shahi Tombs has the cenotaphs of the mortal remains of the members of the royal family of the Qutub Shah dynasty. These tombs look as an ideal example of the fusion of the Persian and Indian architectural styles. They are enclosed by attractive minarets. This tomb complex also serves as the venue for ‘Deccan Festival’, conducted yearly by the state government in the city of Hyderabad.

Golconda Fort Golconda Fort stands as a remarkable testimony of the rich traditions of the city. The fort is located in the outskirts of Hyderabad. This fort was built by Qutub Shahi kings on a 120 meter high granite hill. This massive fort consists of four small forts within its premises. Apart from its four huge gates, another major attraction of the fort is the “Light and Sound show” that is organized every evening keeping the fort as its backdrop.

Falaknuma Palace This is an outstanding palatial construction that used to be the resort of the Nizams of Hyderabad. Presently, it is home to the useful art objects, tapestries, carpets over and biggest single-man collection of diamonds.

Museums in Hyderabad

Salar Jung Museum Salar Jung Museum is listed amongst the oldest museums in the city of Hyderabad. This museum displays the knick-knacks and rare antiques that are collected from various countries of the world. The museum is named after ‘Mir Yousuf Ali Khan’, who was also called as the Salar Jung III. He was the major donor to this museum’s astounding collection. The collection displayed in the museum consists of bronze images, stone sculptures, miniature paintings, painted textiles, modern art, wooden carvings, jade carvings, ivory carvings, metal-ware, manuscripts, real as well as ancient arms & armor and much more.

AP State Museum Located inside the grounds of the Public Gardens of Nampally, Hyderabad, AP State Museum is an ancient building that displays a wide range of artifacts. One can explore here stones and metal sculpture of ancient and medieval era of state and modern art pieces of the current time. A selection of ancient Ajanta and Deccan paintings and a Quran with a seal of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan are on display. The museum also displays an eminent Egyptian Mummy and monuments of the Buddhist era.

Archival Museum The museum was founded as Daftar-e-Diwani in the year 1894. It displays an extensive range of the valuable documents of the bygone era. Visitors can find here many historical records of the Mughal dynasty, including journals, artifacts and much more. The place wonderfully enlightens the history lovers with its exclusive collection of evidences.

Religious Places in Hyderabad

Mecca Masjid This is a majestic landmark of Hyderabad, which appeals both tourists and pilgrims equally. The design and name of the mosque has been inspired from the main mosque in Mecca. The central arch of the mosque is built using the soil brought from Mecca city. The architecture of this mosque is simply amazing.

Sikhareswar Swamy Temple Situated on top of Nallamalai Hills in Srisailam, Sikareswar Swamy Temple is a key attraction in Hyderabad and enjoys great religious significance. Being a major attraction of Srisailam, the temple enjoys calm and striking views of the landscape. The temple is devoted to Lord Sikareswara Swamy, who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Many devotees visit the temple from different parts of the state and the country.

St Joseph's Cathedral St Joseph’s Cathedral of the Archdiocese is an important Roman Catholic Church of Hyderabad. The church was established in the year 1820. However, construction of its present structure started in the year 1869, by Father Antonio Tagliabue. The church was completed and unlocked for worshipers on Christmas Eve in 1875. The interiors and structure of the cathedral is just fascinating and flaunts aesthetic Italian architecture. You can notice the five mammoth bells that were imported from Italy in the open bell tower of the building. The central hall of the church boasts of enough space to accommodate 500 worshipers at a time.

Begumpet Mosque Begumpet Mosque is one of the most amazing structures in Hyderabad, which features an impressive façade and overwhelming interiors. It is more than 100 years old and called by different names, including Mosque of the Moors, Masjid Iqbal Ud Daula, Aiwan-E-Begumpet and Spanish Mosque. Nawab Sir Iqbal-ud-Daula constructed this mosque on his returning from Spain in year 1906. This mosque enjoys a grand Hispanic (Moorish) architecture and has a resemblance with the Cathedral – Mosque of Córdoba (Spain) and Jama Masjid Gulbarga (Karnataka, India).

Moula Ali Dargah Located on the top of Moula Ali Hill, Moula Ali Dargah is a well-known sacred place, which was built in the memory of Hazrat Ali- the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammed. This mosque is one among the 11 heritage sites of the Heritage Conservation Committee of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

Shyam Mandir Shyam Mandir is one of the sacred places for Hindus in Hyderabad. Founded in the year 1992, the temple radiates an extraordinary spiritual charm and is a must-visit attraction for devotees of Lord Krishna. The temple is dedicated to Lord Sri Shyam Baba and is a sign of earnestness and holiness.

Other Key Attractions in Hyderabad

HITEC City Hyderabad Information Technology Engineering Consultancy City (HITEC) is the first and major technology and the business district to be established in Hyderabad. It features wonderfully designed buildings leading IT & Engineering, Health informatics, and Bioinformatics and various other sectors.

Lumbini Park Lumbini Park is one of the popular picnic spots for most of the locals of Hyderabad. There is a Laserium, which is the key attraction of this park. One can also enjoy boat-ride, which takes to enjoying a closer view of the massive sculpture of Lord Buddha.

Botanical Garden Botanical Garden is spread over an area of 120 acres, which is home to numerous varieties of herbs, medicinal plants, decorative plants, aquatic plants and trees. The calmness and serenity of the garden become more alluring with existence of water bodies, meadows and prosperous grasslands.

Ramoji Film City Ramoji Film City is a breathtaking place that you would love to visit over and over again. This city is spread over an area of 1,666 acres and was founded by the Ramoji Group in the year 1996. It is the largest integrated film studio complex in the whole world as per Guinness World Records.

Nehru Zoological Park It is the largest zoo in India, which is situated at a distance of 16 km away from Hyderabad. The park is an ideal place for wildlife lovers, where they can come across rich flora and fauna in its natural habitat. Spread over an area of about 300 acres, the zoo is home to different kinds of animals, birds and reptiles

Places to See Near Hyderabad

Apart from these places, Paigah Tombs, Raymond Tomb, Shamirpet Lake, Hussain Sagar Lake, Gandhipet Lake, Sathya Sai Ashram, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park, Osmania University and more are some of the places to be visited around Hyderabad.