Hyderabad
is more than 400 years old. It is endowed with natural beauty such as
hills, tanks, forests and rock formations that can captivate the hearts
of the tourists along with the harmonious co-existence of diverse
cultures - the Muslim-dominated old city where the Charminar is located
and the Anglo-Indian community that is centered around Secunderabad, the
modern twin city of Hyderabad known for its industrial growth and
enterprise. Richly endowed with architectural legacies of the Medieval,
Mughal, Colonial and Indo-Saracenic period and sporting latest sleek and
elegant glass and chrome skyscrapers and commercial centers, Hyderabad
was founded by the fifth Quli Qutub Shahi ruler, Mohammad. The original
city spread had Charminar at its center. The city had been the capital
of the famous Nizams of the Asaf Jah dynasty until it went over to
British.The twin city Secunderabad was founded in 1798 by Nizam Sikander Jah and later merged with Hyderabad. The minarets of Hyderabad are almost as famous as the pearl market and the artisans of the city that are skilled in piercing and stringing pearls with precision and delicacy. Hyderabad is famous all over the world for its pearls and also the colorfully attired gypsy tribes called 'Lambadas' and 'Banjaras' that mostly make their living by performing dances and other acrobatic tricks for entertaining the tourists or shooting for Bollywood movies. The city is also known as the second Silicon Valley of India after Bangalore because of its Software Technology Park housing giant IT industries such as TCS, Wipro, Baan and Satyam. The unique and delicious piquant Hyderabadi cuisine includes inspired vegetarian Muslim dishes that use coconut, tamarind, peanuts and sesame seeds as their flavors and chilli as the key spice. 'Gosht', meat of a baby male goat, is one of the most popular dish here and is cooked in literally hundreds of ways.
Hyderabad's Prime Attractions
Charminar:
The central point of old Hyderabad, Charminar was built by Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah in 1591 to commemorate the eradication of plague from Hyderabad.
Mecca
Masjid:Mecca Masjid can accommodate 10,000 devotees at a time and is one of the largest mosques in India and the biggest in Hyderabad. It was started during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Qutub Shah, continued to be built up during the reigns of Abdullah Qutub Shah and Abul Hassan Tana Shah and finally got completed in 1694 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Golconda Fort:
The phenomenal daunting Golconda fort is more than 400 years old and is situated on the outskirts of Hyderabad city.
Salar Jung Museum:
Hyderabad presents the largest collection of antiques in the world that is property of just one man! Salar Jung Museum exhibits over 35,000 artifacts such as Chinese Porcelain; Aurangazeb's Sword; Noorjehan's, Jehangir's and Shah Jahan's daggers; Sculpture including the translucent white marble statue known as Veiled Rebecca, a masterpiece by Bezzoni; Indian paintings and Persian carpets. The most loved sections of the museum are the the Arms section, the Jade section and the Oriental Section.
Hussain Sagar Lake:
Built by Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah in 1562 in the honor of Hussain Shah Wali, the man who cured him of his illness, Hussain Sagar Lake forms a link between the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The other name of the lake known as Tank Bund belongs to the time, when the area served as the cantonment area of Secunderabad.
Jama Masjid:
The oldest mosque of Hyderabad, Jama Masjid was built by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah in 1597.
St. Joseph's Cathedral:
Most beautiful Cathedral of Hyderabad dedicated to Saint Joseph, it is situated in the Gun foundry area.
Birla Mandir:
Built by the Birla family, this modern massive temple, made up of Rajasthani marble, is situated on the shores of Hussain Sagar Lake on the 'Kala Pahad', the twin hillock of 'Naubat Pahad'. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara.
Birla Planetarium:
Atop the Naubat Pahad is the beautiful dome-shaped edifice of the Birla Planetarium. Late Mr. N.T. Rama Rao inaugurated it on 8th September, 1985.
Falaknuma Palace (Star of Heaven):
The fabulous and gorgeous palace built by Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra Bahadur stands atop a 650 m high hill and is quite unique in conception.
Hi-Tech City:
Hi-Tech City on the outskirts of the city is the hub of IT industries and Software companies.
High Court:
The Mughal building in 1916 looks quite stunning and is made up of local pink granite and red sandstone. Vincent Esch, the British architect who designed the building richly endowed it with carved panels and columns and has been estimated at a cost of 2 million rupees.
Qutub Shahi Tombs:
The domed structures with a square base and pointed arches all around are the tombs of the Qutub Shahi. The casket visible in the center of each tomb is actually an imitation of the real burial vault in a crypt below. The few reminiscent hints us that these domes were once overlaid with blue and green tiles.
Paigah Tombs:
The tombs of Paigah nobles at Santoshnagar belong to the relatives of Nizams and are more than 200 years old. Their uniqueness lies in their lime and mortar construction, beautiful carvings and the marble inlay work on them.
Chote Hazrat Ki Dargah:
Housed Devan Devadi, it was built by Asif Jahi rulers in the memory of Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of prophet Muhammad. The majesty of the Dargah is enhanced by its row of arches and 400 stairs that leads up to the main Hall of Worship.
Raymond's Tomb:
A close friend of Nizam and a French mercenary Michel Raymond was buried in Saroornagar in east Hyderabad. The 7 m high black marble tomb has initials 'JR' on it and an annual commemorative 'Urs' fair is held here.
Sanjeevaiah Park:
Sanjeevaiah Park has been named after the former President of India, Mr. Neelam Sanjeev Reddy. It is situated on the shores of the Hussain Sagar Lake and is a recreation center featuring a rose garden, rock garden and a floral clock.
Nehru Zoological Park:
Sporting over 250 species of fauna, this is one of the biggest zoos in Asia and features the lion safari park, pre-historical animals park, natural history museum, nocturnal birds and children's park with a toy train ride.
Hyderabad City Facts
