CHARMINAR-Pride of Hyderabad: 

Charminar is the most famous Islamic architectural splendor built by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah in the year 1591. The monument is so wonderful with its four arches having a tall minaret measuring more than 55 meters long with a double balcony.

In the city of Nawab, Hyderabad this monument is the most ancient historical building built around 400 years ago. Hyderabad is also known as the “Pearl City” where the great Charminar looks even greater in the evening. This monument is the pride of the city having signature which is in style of Islamic architecture.

There are 149 steps to climb on the top of the Charminar fort were a mosque is built on the western side of the fort facing Mecca, the holy place of Muslims and it’s the oldest mosque in the town. Here one can enjoy the beauty of the city which is a very spectacular sight. The fort’s central structure height is about 180 feet. The Charminar is a two storied building and its roads connect to the four directions of the city. Each side of the Charminar measures 100 feet, with a central pointed arch at the center and it’s in square shape.

Charminar is also called as “The Arc de triumph of the East”, which is derived from the four elaborately carved minarets. Among the very few cities in India, Hyderabad is one of the few having the blend of ancient and modern tradition. The Charminar is surrounded by the busy streets of Lad Bazaar which provides a view of the old city.

Charminar is one of the historical monuments and it has 45 prayer spaces and a mosque at present. This monument is a synonym for the city’s history which reminds about the glorious past of Hyderabad. The Style of Architecture of the Charminar is an amalgamation of Cazia’ and Islamic style with beautiful arches and domes built with granite and lime-mortar.

GOLCONDA FORT: 

 Golconda fort was flourished in 14^th to 16^th century and was the kingdom of ancient Golconda. It is situated on the western outskirts about 11kms from Hyderabad. This is a majestic monument which is a worthy visit for every tourist. Golconda fort reflects great cultural heritage of over 400 years.

In olden days, Golconda fort was famous for its diamond mines and it’s believed that the world famous “Kohinoor” diamond has come from here. This fort is built on granite hill about 120m high. Golconda fort has 8 gates and the main gate is called Fatah Darwaja.

Telugu is the official language of Hyderabad and this fort was originally known as “Golla Konda”. There is an interesting story behind this fort is that around 1143 a rocky hill called ‘Mangalavaram’, where a shepherd boy found an idol and it was taken by him and he gave it to the king. Kakatiya was the one who built a mud fort and from 1507 Qutub Shahi rulers built this mud fort into a marvelous granite wonder monument within a period of 62 years.

The height of the Golconda Fort is 120 meters with a boundary wall of 10 kilometers. Fatah Darwaja is the way to enter the fort, which is also called as ‘Victory gate’. The main attraction of this entrance is acoustic effects and articulate construction was used in ancestral days for the purpose of security.

Today the fort still remains one the greatest architectural wonders of Hyderabad even after 800 years. The more excitement act in this Golconda fort is the Light and Sound show, which attracts all tourists visiting the city. It adds the latest feature of amazing light and sound impact, which narrates the story of the Golconda Fort.