By Rohit Agarwal
When we live in a big city like Hyderabad, we can see towering buildings and beautiful monuments around us. As a result, we may often wonder how these buildings were constructed. These structures of ancient times have a lot of interesting stories related to them that not only astonish us but make us appreciate the rich cultural pasts that we belong to.
The list here summarizes some of these absolute ancient places in Hyderabad that must be visited so that we can dive deep into the past to find roots of places where we actually belong.
1. Golconda Fort
The original fort was built in mud and today lies 11km west of Hyderabad. Constructed in 1600, it was an important fort in Southern India under the Qutab Shahi dynasty. The Golconda Fort is renowned for once containing ‘Hope’ and ‘Kohinoor’ diamonds. Some of the major attractions of the fort are the remains of fortifications, armories, mosques, granaries and reservoirs. The fort has a magical acoustic system and is famous for its Light and Sound shows.
2. Charminar
The Charminar was constructed in 1591 and is located on the east bank of a river. It serves the dual purpose of being a monument and a mosque. It was earlier part of an important trade route. The Charminar boasts of architectural structures made of marble, granite and mortar. You must visit this place in Hyderabad at night to experience some spectacular views and to take a visit to the famous jewelry market.
3. Chowmahalla Palace
One of the ancient palaces built in classic style, the Chowmahalla Palace was once regarded as a place where the Nizam entertained his guests. The entire place is just a treat to the eyes and one can book the place to throw some lavish parties for friends.
4. Shri Jagannath Temple
The Jagannath Temple is the replica of the famous temple at Puri and was built by the local Oriya community. The temple contains beautiful statues of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. Constructed using the red sandstone, its architecture is worth appreciating. Famous Ratha Yatras are carried out here.
5. Salar Jung Museum
The Salar Jung Museum is famous as it is one of the three National Museums of India. It is located on the bank of the Musi River at Darushifa. It contains various sculptures, paintings, manuscripts, textiles, carvings, clocks and furniture from various countries of Asia like Japan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, India and parts of North America, Europe and Egypt. It is a treat for all the history and artefacts enthusiasts.
6. Qutub Shahi Tombs
These tombs are a collection of seven individual tombs and contain the famous tomb of Hayath Bakashi Begum. A lovely Ibrahim Bagh forms the backdrop of the Shahi Tombs. Each of the tombs here contain a stone coffin or Sarcophagus in the Crypt in the burial vault. The architecture designs from Persia and India, surrounding the place gives it a magical touch. Beautiful carpets, chandelier and velvet canopies render a majestic touch to these tombs. Luckily, you can click some wonderful photographs here.
7. Hussain Sagar
It is one of the largest man-made lakes in India, built around the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in 1562. There is a big statue installed, right in the centre of the lake. The visitors here can enjoy boating, photography and water sports. There is also an amusement park in the vicinity. So, you can come here with your friends and family to have a great time in Hyderabad.
8. Mecca Masjid
The soil from Mecca was brought here to build this mosque, which renders the same name to the place. It is simply out of this world and contains superior architecture marvels like three-arched façade carved from granite and contains beautiful minarets and balconies. Being one of the oldest mosques in the city, it attracts tourists from a lot of places.
9. Falaknuma Palace
The palace was earlier owned by the Nizam and is about 5km from Charminar. It’s big and lavish dining tables, state reception room, decorated ceilings were designed by an English architect. It boasts of 60 humongous decorated rooms and 22 spacious halls. Its library contains some of the finest collection of the holy book of Quran and the paintings done in oil are marvellous. The billiard table here is unique, as it is identical to the one placed in England’s Buckingham Palace. Visit here to experience how the royal lived a lavish life.
10. Sri Ramachandra Swamy Temple
This is a temple built around the 1200s in Ammapali village. It is an important worship place of a deity installed a thousand years ago. Unlike the other Southern architectures, the Temple here resembles the Rajasthani styled architecture and is mesmerizing. It is a place older than Golconda Fort and contains idols of Rama, Lakshman and Sita. A visit here is spiritually satisfying.
A visit to all this place is truly an enriching experience and one gets to know about past glories and lifestyles. You never know, you may even one day stumble onto some of the interesting lost tales of the past!
About the author
Rohit is a person who loves new experiences and travels a lot. His experiences of new places are varied. He appreciates architecture, cuisine, ambience and music of all the new places he travels to. To view more stories from the author, visit TransIndiaTravels.com.
