The Charminar in Hyderabad, built in 1591, has become one of the most iconic monuments in India. Built in the style of Islamic architecture, it is made of granite, limestone, mortar and pulverized marble.
The Charminar is a square building with each side 30 m long, with four large arches each facing a pivot point from which four streets open. At each corner is a 56 m high minaret with a double balcony. Each minaret is crowned by a bulbous dome with petals designed as if emerging from the base.
Unlike the Taj Mahal, the four fluted minarets of the Charminar in Hyderabad are integrated into the main structure.
To get to the Charminar in Hyderabad, there is nothing better than a rickshaw, which will take you only a few rupees. Remember well what you pay when you come because when you return they will want to charge you double, with excuses about traffic and such (as if there was no traffic the rest of the day…).
There will also be those who want to be your guide; we didn’t want to. You can try with a Full-Day Private Tour Through Hyderabad with Lunch.
It is also true that there are few tourists who will want to take photos with you, so be patient 😉
If Hyderabad is a very populous city, you cannot imagine what this point means. It is the centre of the city and a place of pilgrimage for many Muslims.
At the western end of the open roof is a mosque, and the remaining part of the roof was a court during the Qutb Shahi times. The present mosque occupies the top floor of the four-storey structure.
A vault, which appears from the inside like a dome, supports two galleries in the Charminar in Hyderabad, one above the other, and above both a terrace that serves as a roof, surrounded by a stone balustrade.
The main gallery has 45 covered prayer spaces, with a large open space in front to accommodate more people for Friday prayers.
The now old city of Hyderabad was designed with Charminar as its centrepiece, extending into four different quadrants and chambers, segregated according to the established settlements; to the north of Charminar is Char Kaman, one of the four gates built at the cardinal points.
It is worth climbing up to the top to disconnect a little from the hustle and bustle of life below, and at the same time you can enjoy the views of the city.
