Places to visit in Hyderabad

Charminar:

9AM-5PM Mo-Sa. Closed on Fridays between 1-2PM for prayers.. Literally "Four minarets", this structure was built at the very spot at which Quli Qutb Shah prayed for the end to the plague epidemic. The Charminar has long been the icon of Hyderabad. The towers rise to a height of 48.7 m above the ground. There is a mosque with 45 prayer spaces located inside in the upper storeys. The structure stands in the middle of a busy road with vehicular traffic, but a pedestrianization project is under way. Atop the minarets, you get a panoramic view of Hyderabad city. At the very bottom of one of the minar, there is a hindu temple, . Rs 5, Children below 11 free (for Indians) Rs.100 (for foreigners) Video cameras are charged Rs.25 extra.



Mecca Masjid:


Mecca Masjid, Southwest of the Char Minar. Mecca Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in the city and easily the biggest. Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah began building it in 1617 under the supervision of Mir Faizullah Baig and Rangiah Choudhary. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb completed the construction in 1694. The mosque is a granite giant with awe-inspiring innards. The main hall of the mosque is 75 feet high, 220 feet wide and 180 feet long, big enough to accommodate ten thousand worshippers at a time. The entrance arches are made of single slabs of granite. It is believed that Muhammed Quli commissioned bricks to be made from earth brought from Mecca and inducted them into the construction of the central arch of the mosque, which explains the name of the mosque.

Golconda Fort.: 7AM-8PM. The Golconda Fort was the capital of the Qutb Shahi kingdom. In the 16th century, it was the centre of a flourishing diamond trade. The fort is a gigantic complex with an outer wall measuring 10km. Set aside a minimum of 2 hours to do justice to your visit. Learning a little about the fort ahead of time is recommended as it is easy to get confused or lost in the massive space. If you accept one of the local guides - who hustle you at the entrance gate - try to pick one who actually knows his stuff, rather than someone who was actually just passing by, spotted you and will tell you bits he once read in a guidebook. The genuine old Muslim guide who gained his encyclopaedic knowledge of Golconda as an infant from his 118 year old grandmother knows the history of every inch of the place and will show you with expertise the echo/architecture system built into the fort that the ruler used as a communication/spying system. Worth every rupee. There is also a light and sound show (price for foreigners Rs.50/100 for normal/executive ticket) after sunset lasting ~1h that tells you the story of the fort and is worth seeing. The English show runs every day at 6:30pm November to February and 7pm March to October. Hindi and Telugu shows are run afterwards in certain days. Afterwards, have a wander through the tiny streets and shops surrounding the fort. The beautiful scruffy old shops and houses will sell you everything from naan bread to bangles, and the fading and gaudy old painted gates and houses are a delight, as are the friendly locals. In twenty years, these beautiful shabby old relics of the 50s that cater to real local needs will have been replaced by the tasteless concrete and plate glass malls selling identikit mass-produced copies of low-budget western clothes to people with more money than sense. Rs 120 for adults and Rs 100 for children

Qutb Shahi Tombs: (1 km north of Golconda fort, approached via Banjara Darwaza), 9:30AM-5:30PM Sa-Th. The Qutubshahi mosques in Hyderabad are so named because they were built by the Qutubshahi dynasty. Most of them were built by Quli Qutb Shah, the founder. Sadly in May 2010 local newspapers revealed that shoddy 'restoration' work allegedly using unskilled labour with road drills (bought in by one government department that didn't bother to seek professional advice or inform the local archaeological or environment departments) has been damaging these beautiful buildings. Rs 10; camera Rs 20. 

Birla Mandir: Adarsh nagar, Naubat Pahad (Two different routes depending on whether you want to drive right to the top or climb the stairs.). 10am-12 noon, 2pm-8pm. The industrial house of the Birlas have the tradition of building magnificent marble temples in cities of India. This one is one of the best. Located on top of Naubat Pahad (mountain), this clean, sparkling white temple dedicated to Venkateshwara has viewing areas that afford a great view of the city. Sadly, cameras and camera mobiles are banned; your bags are checked at the entrance. There is a free cloakroom where you can deposit those.

Hussain Sagar: Lake (Tank Bund), Necklace Road. 24 hrs. artificial lake is a historical landmark, built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah in 1562 by damming the Musi. This forms the boundary between Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Surrounding the lake are various parks, temples, statues and historical buildings. This is one of the few walkable places in the city. At the centre of the lake stands a famous statue of the Buddha installed in 1992. Boat rides to Budha Statue are available from Eat Street and Lumbini Park and fares are low.