Golconda Fort

The construction of Golconda Fort began in the 12th century under the Kakatiya dynasty and was initially named Mankal. At that time, a mud fort was built on a hill that is now called “Golla Konda” (Round Hill). The Qutub Shahi dynasty later took over and vastly expanded and transformed the structure into the fort made of granite that we know today.

The fort consists of 8 gateways (Darwajas) and 87 bastions (towers), with the main entrance being Fateh Darwaja (Victory Gate). Of the bastions, the Platela tower stands largest. A superb engineering feat, the fort boasts an acoustic design that makes a clap at the entrance echo clearly at the Bala Hisar Pavilion (a mile-high perch just short of a kilometer away, yet at the fort’s highest point). The fort’s main entrance features a design sui generis, “Svatankriti.”

Qutub Shahi Tombs

Located one kilometer north of Golconda’s outer walls, the mausoleums of the Qutub Shahi dynasty are exquisite examples of architecture that pays homage to the Persian, Pathan, and Hindu building styles. Approximately the size of a small house, each of the tombs features a mini-version of the elements that make up the grand mosque and the even more grandiose arch and gate that stand at the entrance to the fort—the basic parts of Islamic architecture. These are:

• minarets
• arches
• columns
• domes

Toli Masjid

The Toli Masjid was constructed in the Qutub Shahi architectural style in 1671, located at Karwan near Golconda Fort. During the reign of Abdullah Qutub Shah, Mir Musa Khan, a royal architect, built the masjid. Mir Musa Khan, it seems, was a creative banker. According to Gulzar-e-Asafia (Royal Records), Musa Khan received one Damri (a small coin) for every rupee spent on constructing the Mecca Masjid, and he used these funds to build the Toli Masjid.

Taramati Baradari

Constructed by Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, Taramati Baradari stands on the banks of the Musi River, close to Golconda Fort. It functioned as a cultural and performance venue for the courtesans Taramati and Premavati, who entertained the royal court of Abul Hasan Tanisha.

Paigah Tombs

The final resting places of the Paigah nobles—loyal to the Nizams—are the Paigah Tombs, located 4 km southeast of Charminar. Referred to as the “Taj Mahal of the South,” these tombs were constructed using lime, marble, and slate stone, blending architectural styles from both the Mughal and Rajasthani traditions.

Birla Mandir

Located on Naubath Pahad, with a view of Hussain Sagar Lake, the Birla Mandir was constructed in 1976 by the Birla Foundation. The temple, which is built entirely of white marble—pure marble, as it is said—from Rajasthan, is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara. The temple’s inner walls tell stories—through exquisite and extraordinary carvings—from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Ujjaini Mahankali Temple

The Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad, India, was founded in 1815 by Surati Appaiah, who was a devotee. He prayed to Mahankali at Ujjain, India, to save the people of Secunderabad from going through another cholera outbreak like the one they had endured up until that time. After the cholera outbreak was over, he fulfilled his vow by installing an idol of Mahankali in the newly established Mahankali Temple.

St. George’s Church & St. Mary’s Church

The first church built in Hyderabad is St. George’s Church. Constructed in the year 1840 in East Marredpally, St. George’s was built by the British East India Company and serves the Anglican community. Not far from there in Secunderabad is St. Mary’s Church (1850), another ancient yet splendidly maintained church built by the British and designed in a style that blends Indo-Gothic and Roman Catholic architecture.

Hussain Sagar Lake

Constructed in 1562 by Hussain Shah Wali, the son-in-law of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah, Hussain Sagar is an artificial lake. On either side of the Tank Bund Road, which separates the beautiful lake from the city, stand magnificent bronze statues of prominent individuals who either contributed to the development of Hyderabad or significantly impacted Telugu culture.

In the middle of the lake stands a statue of Buddha, which is 350 tons and 58 feet tall. Carved from white granite, the statue was sculpted by Ganapati Stapathi near Rayagiri, Bhuvanagiri. N.T. Rama Rao installed the statue, which now stands in the middle of the lake.

Durgam Cheruvu

Durgam Cheruvu, nestled between Jubilee Hills and Madhapur, is famed as the “Secret Lake” of the Hyderabad Nawabs. In September 2020, a cable bridge measuring 233 meters in length was constructed over the lake, thereby augmenting its infrastructure with a modern touch.

Shilparamam

In 1998, Madhapur was home to the genesis of Shilparamam, an arts and crafts village. Even now, Shilparamam is perhaps best known for something as simple as its Rural Museum, a series of exhibitions having to do with traditional rural life and artwork in India. Indeed, just perusing that one space can give a real sense of what the culture and the art of the past one hundred years or so has looked like in rural India. Following that lead, Shilparamam also boasts an Art Gallery and a Rock Garden—again, with such walks as one can experience in rural India. And, in spite of this still being a memorial to the series of outdoor spaces intimately tied to Shilparamam, these spaces essentially all serve as Shopping Areas, giving urbanizing parts of India a chance to purchase something truly handmade and rural.

Historic Residences & Landmarks

Bungalow Churchil (1875): Winston Churchill lived at ‘The Retreat’ in Secunderabad during his military service in 1896. The historic site at Yapral Junction remains a lasting memory of that time.

Raj Bhavan: The year 1930 saw the construction of this building, which was to become the residence of the Prime Minister serving under the Nizam. It has since taken upon itself the role of the Governor’s house.

Diwan Devdi: This was the residence for the Prime Minister serving under the Nizam, particularly that of the Salar Jungs. It is now in a sad state, though it served once as a place for important decisions to be made.

Golden Threshold: Sarojini Naidu lived in this house, which lies at the border of Abids and Nampally. The use of “Golden” in this structure’s title owes much to Naidu’s poetry and literary career.

Historic Bridges Over Musi River

Puranapool Bridge (1578): Constructed by Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah. Chaderghat Bridge (1834): Built by the British government. Nayapul Bridge (1857): Erected by the Nizams to facilitate travel between Charminar and Falaknuma. Muslim Jung Bridge (1897): Situated near City College.

Famous Clock Towers

Clock Tower, Secunderabad (1860): Erected by the Howitzer Battery of the Corps of Royal Engineers stationed at the Secunderabad Cantonment; dedicated to the British army’s victory in the 1857 Uprising. Fateh Maidan Clock Tower (1903): Commissioned by a Nizam; executed at the then-Dakshina Bharat’s most modern engineering works. Mozamjahi Market Clock Tower (1935): Erected by a later Nizam; serves as a remnant of modernity in the space of a historical bazaar.