Andhra Pradesh

Charminar – the principal landmark of the city is among the wonders of India. It was built by the ruler Quli Qutab Shah in honour of his Hindu wife Bhagmati.
CharminarAccording to legends, this is the place where the king first saw his lover and was attracted by her beauty. The monument is surrounded by a very busy market place and is located in a prominent area of the old city. This magnificent edifice has four huge minars or pillars, hence called Charminar. Built to a height of 56.7meters (186 feet) and on a square base of 31.5 meters (100 feet), Charminar is said to be a prototype of Tazia, a representation of the tomb of Imam Husain. The monument has the same importance as that of Statue of Liberty in USA and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Charminar is one of the most famous buildings representing the historical remains of not only Hyderabad and Deccan region but the whole India.

Golconda Fort This fort, originally built by the Kakatiyas, the rulers of the neighboring state, was made with mud. Later, the Shahis Golconda Fort converted it into a marvelous piece of architecture using advanced acoustics wherein sound signals could pass from the entrance of the fort to the top without the use of any electric gadgets. There is a sound and light show in the evening which is quiet popular. The grand fortress is protected by three formidable lines of defense. The first, an outer fortification made up of granite blocks. The middle wall surrounds the base of the hill and the innermost one follows the contours of the highest ridge. The fort was famous for its great hoard of diamonds, mined nearby. The Kohinoor diamond was a celebrated jewel of the fort, now a part of the British Crown Jewels.

Legislative Assembly Formerly known as the Hyderabad Town hall, the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly legislative assembly is the seat of administration in the state. It was built in the year 1913. The architecture of the building represents a fusion of Rajasthani and Persian styles, with an all white, aesthetic look. The Citizens of Princely state of Hyderabad raised money to build it to mark the 40th birthday of Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan in 1905. A large public garden surrounds the assembly building which offers panorama to the environment. A massive statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a sitting posture is erected at the entrance park to the Assembly.

Qutb Shahi TombsThe Hyderabad Palace is a worth exploring monument situated at Palace Guttahalli in Hyderabad. Qutb Shahi TombsIt was built by Chamaraja Wodeyar, Maharaja of Mysore in 1887. The Palace has turreted parapets, battlements, fortified towers and arches. The palace was constructed at a price of Rs. One lakh.The king Chamaraja Wodeyar, during his visit to England had seen several structures of architectural importance but was greatly inspired by the Windsor Castle in London; hence he decided to build a palace in Tudor style.The entire palace is spread over an area of about 430 acres; the Palace is famous for its elegantly carved woodwork. It is surrounded by a garden all around, almost giving it a fairytale setting. The structure has fortified towers decorated with Gothic windows, battlements and turrets. Thanks to the king for his endeavor in bringing such a beautiful palace.

Falaknuma PalaceSituated on a hillock 2000 ft above the ground level, Falaknuma palace is one among the most opulent palaces in Hyderabad. It was built in the year 1872 by Nawab Vikarul-Umra Bahadur, a baron of Paigah and the Prime Minister of Hyderabad. A huge amount of money was spent for the interior decoration, with tooled leather ceilings created by Florentine craftsman, furniture brought from France and marble imported from Italy. The palace offers a panoramic view of the city and boasts a well laid garden in front of it. The imperial building is built in a classical style with a two-storeyed deep and colonnaded verandah carrying a pediment. The facade elements are notably European as the main palace was designed by English architects. The palace is now being converted into a luxurious hotel. The palace is just 4 km south of Charminar

Birla Mandir The Venkateswara Temple in Hyderabad, popularly known as Birla Mandir is a magnificent structure which is built entirely out of Marble brought from Rajasthan. The presiding deity in this temple is Lord Venkateswara. The temple was built by Birla, Birla Mandir Foundation and it took ten years for workers to complete this magnificent structure. The architecture of the temple shows resemblance with the temples of Southern and Northern India. The intricately carved gopurams (tower) at the base are in typical South Indian style, while the smooth sikhara (dome) at the top is in the North Indian Rajasthani style. The temple has beautiful marble carvings and some of them illustrate verses from the Ramayana. The tower of the main temple called the Jagadananda vimanam has a close resemblance to the architecture of the Lingaraj temple at Bhubaneswar. At night the temple gets illuminated with light of various colors which offers a spectacular look of the surrounding.

MosquesMecca Masjid Mecca Masjid is one of the world’s largest mosques and can accommodate 10,000 people at a time. The mosque was constructed in 1617 by Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah and Mecca Masjid completed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1693. This huge mosque has bricks from Mecca embedded in its central arch. Several Nizams were buried here. This mosque got its name from the Grand Mosque at Mecca on which it is patterned. The hall measures 67 mt. by 54 mt. and is 23 mt. in height. Fifteen arches, five on each of the three sides, support the roof. A high wall to provide the Mehrab blocks the western side. Each of the two octagonal columns on either side is made out of a single piece of granite. It took about 8000 Masons and laborers and 77 years to complete its construction. At each end you will find two huge octagonal columns made out of a single piece of granite each topped by an arched gallery that is crowned by a dome.

Salar Jung Museum The museum has one of the biggest collections of over 40,000 objects which once belonged to Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III, Prime Minister of Hyderabad between 1899 and 1949. Salar Jung Museum The most precious objects in the museum include Mughal jade collection, miniature paintings, bronze sculpture, inlaid ivory objects and medieval Islamic manuscripts. Famous sculptures including the Veiled Rebecca and Marguerite and Mephistopheles, a superb collection of daggers belonging to Queen Noor Jahan and the Emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb's sword and many other fabulous items are also included in the museum for display.

AP State MuseumThe Andhra Pradesh state Archeological Museum is located on the Assembly Road, north of the Railway station. It has a large collection of Buddhist art, some chola bronzes, Roman coins, and even an Egyptian mummy. You can also find replicas of murals and sculptures from the Ajanta and Ellora caves. Some sculptures date back to Satavahana and Ikshvaku periods in ancient Andhra. The museum also has a unique collection of paintings and sculptures of contemporary artists. Location: Near Public Gardens, Hyderabad

Nizam's Jubilee Pavilion Museum One of the most important places of tourist delight in Hyderabad is Nizam's Jubilee Pavilion Museum. It is situated near Purani Haveli, a place acquired by Nizam II around 1750. The museum has a vast collection of objects including gifts and mementos presented to the last Nizam on the occasion of the silver jubilee celebrations in 1936. There are also models made in silver of all the prominent buildings of the city and citations in Urdu about H.E.H. Mir Osman Ali Khan, gold burnished wooden throne used for the silver jubilee celebrations, gold tiffin box inlaid with diamonds, gold model of Jubilee Pavilion, silver coffee cups studded with diamonds.

Hussainsagar Lake Hussain Sagar is a silent witness to the history of Hyderabad, a continuum between the past and the present which bisects the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The lake was Hussainsagar Lake, originally excavated by Hussain Shah Wali during the time of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah in 1562 A.D. Today it is one of the seven wonders of Hyderabad. Boating and water sports are a regular feature in the Hussainsagar. One of the World’s tallest monolithic statues of the Buddha stands on the ‘Rock of Gibraltar’, in the middle of the lake. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) provides boating facilities like speed boats, motor boats, 48-seater launch etc. Starlit dinner on-board and private parties also can be arranged on the Launch. The lake is a popular promenade in the city.

Osman Sagar is an artificial lake, better known as Gandipet, situated on the outskirts of the city. It is an excellent picnic spot and an ideal lake for boating. Osman Sagar is one of the two lakes on the city’s periphery that supplies drinking water to the great metropolis. The lake is a reservoir created by a dam across the Isa, a tributary of the River Musi. Abutting the lake and the bund are lush gardens that provide the ideal ambience for an outing. Overlooking the lake is the heritage building, Sagar Mahal, built as a resort by the Nizam of Hyderabad and converted now into a lake resort managed by AP TourismShamirpetShamirpet is an artificial lake, located about 27 km from Secunderabad. The lake was dug by local Jagirdars almost 50 years ago. Shamirpet provides a contrasting scene with large gatherings of families on weekends and holidays. The otherwise peaceful Shamirpet echoes with voices of boisterous youngsters and kids having their own fun time. Its peaceful environs make it a great picnic spot. AP Tourism offers comfortable cottage facilities for accommodation, while the forest lodges can be booked with the AP Forest Department office at Saifabad.

Durgam Cheruvu (Secret Lake) This lake is situated near the Hi-tech city in Hyderabad. Being in concealed, picturesque location the lake is also called the “Secret Lake”. The lake spreads over an area of 63 acres including hills of interesting rocky formations. The facilities like Pedal-Boat, Shikaras, and angling available for interested visitors at nominal fees.

Laad Bazaar
Bangles at Laad Bazar This is a colorful bazaar located on one of the four main roads that branch out from the Charminar; it is located in a very old area of the city. The place offers bangles, tinsel, embroidery, brocade turbans for bride grooms, henna, herbal potions and everything else needed for a bride’s trousseau. All stores present in the bazaar are well furnished with a clean and softly-padded floor. The customer sits down on the soft floor having removed his/her shoes, leans against a wall against a pillow and the employee presents different items on the floor.

Shilparamam It is an arts and crafts village showcasing various art forms and handicrafts made by artisans coming from across the state. The annual All India Festival of Arts and Crafts is held here in February where artists from the whole country participate to showcase their masterpieces. At Shilparamam, every season brings with it the mood of festivity and an occasion to celebrate. Here Indian festivals are celebrated in the most traditional way and unique festivals bring together talents from the world over. It is about 25 km from Hyderabad Railway station and is easily accessible by bus and taxi.

Ramoji Film Citythe seven wonders of Hyderabad. The Film city spreads over an area of 2000 acres which is studded with hills, vales and lakes. This is the foremost destination of the tourists. Here you can see every thing from the streets of London to New York and can have full fun with the fundoostan – the place for child’s fantasy. The major attractions in RFC include Dadajinn's Ark, Planet Food, Presto, Corolla, Ballerina Fount, Deli Express and Timberland etc. Shangri-La called as the veritable paradise has a huge collection of flowers plants and shrubs which attract the visitors to engulf the natural beauty. The huge gardens, dancing fountains and the natural scenes of the mountains and lakes take visitors to a world of surprises, scares and delights. . The film city is only 16 miles from the state capital. Hyderabad is well connected by air, rail and bus. The extension counter at the airport will assist you in giving preliminary information regarding the complex. If you are traveling by bus then take the route numbers 207, 204A, 205, 205A, 205B, 206, 299 from the Koti Women’s College bus stop.