Whenever there is mention of Hyderabad, the Charminar invariably comes to the mind. Infact, the Charminar has virtually become a synonym for Hyderabad. Just as New York is incomplete without The Statue of Liberty or Paris without the Eiffel tower, similarly Hyderabad remains incomplete without Charminar. The best view of the Charminar is available when it is illuminated after sunset. The Charminar is a fine piece of Qutab Shahi architecture.

Accommodation and connectivity

Hyderabad is very well connected with rest of Andhra Pradesh and India through a good network of roadways and railways. The Hyderabad airport also figures prominently in the air map of India.


The accommodation facilities in Hyderabad are some of the best in India. The Charminar situated within the city limits could easily be reached through local modes of communication.

The Charminar

History

The Charminar was built by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah in 1591. The arch was built to commemorate the end of a deadly plaque in Hyderabad.


Architecture

In the construction of the Charminar, granite, lime, mortar and pulverised marble has been used. It is one of the finest examples of Qutab Shahi architecture. The Charminar may be described as a square structure with four towers on the four corners of it. The minarets rise vertically upto 24 metres from the roof of the Charminar. There are four storeys around each minaret resembling beautiful rings. If the minarets are measured from the ground, the length comes to about 48.7 metres. A few historians opine that the minarets may also symbolise the first four khalifs of Islam, although this cannot be claimed with certainty. On the western end of Charminar's roof is a very beautiful mosque. There are as many as 45 prayer spaces where one can offer prayer in the quiet environs away from the din and bustle of the city. Although the Charminar is said to exclusively represent Islamic architectural tradition, a few Hindu influences on its architecture cannot be denied either. It is worth mentionable that inside the minarets are spiral stairways consisting of 149 steps that lead to the very top of them. From the very top, a panoramic view of the beautiful city could be had. To facilitate this, even arcaded balconies have been built at various levels. There also are small windows one above the other on the arches. They are total 32 in each arch.


The Charminar Neighbourhood

The Charminar together with its neighbourhood could be described as a mosaic of cultural heritage. There are many colourful bazaars selling traditional Muslim items and delicacies of the Mughlai variety. The Mecca Masjid, Jama Masjid and Miya Mishk Masjid are other fantastic pieces of Islamic architecture near to the Charminar. There also are a few palaces built by the Nizams near the Charminar. The beautiful Char Kamaan, now called Gulzar Hauz is clearly visible from the Charminar. It was built three years after Charminar was built. The Choodi bazaar (Bangles Bazaar), popular for selling bridal wear further adds colour to the surroundings of Charminar. As for the tourist, Charminar preserves unlimited architectural wealth that is visible in every pore of its exquisitely built surface.