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CHAR MINAR
About Charminar
The Charminar in Hyderabad, at the capital city of
Andhra Pradesh, is a massive arch built by Mohammed Quli
Qutab Shah. The famous monument of not only Hyderabad, but
of South India, Charminar is an impressive square monument
with four minarets. The travel icon of the Pearl city
towering to a hieght of 180 ft., Charminar located
in the centre of the old city, is a picture of beauty.
Built in 1591 AD by the founders of Hyderabad in memory of
the eradication of plague, the monument with its four
minarets, profusely crafted leaves is an inerasable
imprint on the minds of the tourists.
The Architecture
Charminar is a square shaped structure with
four towers in the four corners of the square, each of
whose sides is 20 m in length. Every side opens into a
plaza through giant arches, which overlook four major
passages and dwarf other features of the building except
the minarets. Each arch is 11 m wide and soars 20 m to the
top from the plinth. The minarets soar skywards by 24 m
from the roof of Charminar.
Other Attractions near Charminar
Mecca Masjid
A hundred yards southwest of the Charminar is the
Mecca Masjid, so named because the bricks were brought
from Mecca to build the central arch. The Qutb Shahis
never finished the building of the mosque, which was
completed by Aurangzeb in 1694. Mecca Masjid is poetry in
stone, with a hall measuring 67m and soaring to a height
of 54m. Fifteen graceful arches - five to each of the
three sides, support the roof. Towards the southern end of
the mosque lie the marble graves of Nizam Ali Khan and the
families of Asaf Jahi dynasty.
Golconda
On the outskirts of Hyderabad, the grandiose Golconda fort
stands as the quintessence of Nawabi culture and majesty.
Built in 1525 by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, it speaks of a
great cultural heritage of 400 years. The acoustic system
of the Golconda Fort, the structural grandeur of its
palaces and the ingenious water supply system are
legendary examples of the architectural skills that have
been put in its construction. It was once famous as a rich
diamond mine in the medieval times and it is believed to
be the place where the famed 'Kohinoor' diamond is said to
have come from.
Hussain Sagar Lake
The Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad is an enchanting lake
and is the largest man-made Lake in Asia. Hussain Sagar
Lake always attracts visitors throughout the year who
become mesmerized by its radiant calm blue water. It was
built by Ibrahim Qutub Shah in 1562, on the tributary of
the River Musi. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are the two
cities that are connected to each other by the Hussain
Sagar Lake. They are popularly known as twin cities.
The place where the Hussain Sagar Lake is located is
called 'Tank Bund'. It is an abridged version of its
actual area, and has attained lovely trimmings and
environs that augment its appeal to tourists as well as
the residents of the twin cities.
Getting There
By Air: The state has one international Airport in
it's capital - Hyderabad. Other important airports are
located at Tirupathi and Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry and
Vijayawada.
By Railways: Nearly 5,085 km of the railways route
cover the state Andhra Pradesh out of which 4,362 km is
broad-gauge, 686 km is metre-gauge and 37 km is narrow
gauge
By Roads: Around 4,104 km of the National Highways
network pass through Andhra Pradesh.State highways measure
up to nearly 60,000 km and there is another 1,04,000 km of
Panchayati raj road network.
Luxury Holiday India offers information on
Charminar in India and online Booking facility of
Charminar in India.
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