Charminar, Hyderabad
The Charminar is a magnificent square
edifice of granite, built upon four grand arches facing North, South, East and
West. These arches support two floors of rooms and gallery of archways. At each
corner of the square structure is a minaret rising to a height of 24 meters,
making the building nearly 54 meters tall. It is these four (char) minarets
(minar) that give the building, its name Charminar. Each minar stands on a lotus-leaf
base, a special recurrent motif in Qutub Shahi buildings.
The first floor was used as a madarasa (college) during the Qutub Shahi period.
The second floor has a mosque on the western side, the dome of which is visible
from the road, if one stands some distance away. A spectacular view of the city
may be had from the roof of the Charminar, although, due to severe overcrowding
of the minarets, only visitors with special permission from the Archaeological
Survey of India, Hyderabad Circle are allowed to go to the top of the minarets.
The clocks above each of the four archways were added in 1889.
Walking
around the Charminar area, one is constantly surprised by vestiges of the past
intermingling with the present. Towards the Southeast of the Charminar is located
imposing edifice of the Nizamia Unani Hospital. About 50m to the West, the line
of shops in Lad Bazaar is interupted by an old, crumbling brown wall, which
marks the entrance to the old Nizama?s Jilau Khana (parade ground). The grounds
are now being used for the development of a large commercial complex. Further
down, a road to the left leads to the Khilawat Complex (Chowmahalla Palace).
The Lad Bazaar road terminates in a square called Mahaboob Chowk where a
large 19th century clock-tower looms over a delicate white mosque of the same
period.
Timings people are allowed (only in the cellar of the monument) all
the day and during night times till 10:00 clock.
How to Reach This Place
By Road :
Hyderbad, being Capital city is well conected by Road from all major cities
in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Maharastra and Orissa.
By Rail :
Being headquarter of South Central Railway , Well connected from all major cities
of India. Hyderabad & Secunderabad Rly Stations.
By Air :
Has international airport.
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