Hyderabad Tourism

Hyderabad (also known as Bhagya Nagaram) is the fifth largest metropolis of India and the capital of the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It is known for its rich history and culture with monuments, mosques, temples, a rich and varied heritage in arts, crafts and dance. Also known as The City of Nizams and The City of Pearls, Hyderabad is today one of the fast developing cities in the country and a modern hub of IT, ITES, and Biotechnology. Hyderabad is often referred to the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad together which are commonly referred as a single city. Hyderabad is one of the top places to experience Telangana tourism.

Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty (the ruling family of the Golconda - previously a feudatory of Bahmani sultanate that declared independence in 1512) founded the city of Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb captured Hyderabad in 1687, but the Mughal-appointed governors of the city soon gained autonomy. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who was granted the title Nizam-ul-Mulk ('Governor of the country') by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to establish control over Hyderabad. Asaf Jah's successors ruled as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically.

Hyderabad is the financial and economic capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad is known as the city of pearls, lakes and, lately, for its IT companies. Hyderabad is home to the second largest film industry in India, Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood which produces approximately 150 movies every year.
Hyderabad is one of the top tourist destinations in South India with wonderful historical sites dating back to 16th century, palaces, museums, temples, gardens and lakes. Charminar is the most identified landmark of Hyderabad which was built in the year 1591 with Chowmahalla Palace, Falaknuma Palace and Ladbazar being nearby attractions. Golconda Fort and Qutb Shahi tombs are breathtaking sites to experience the history of Hyderabad. Mecca Masjid, Birla Temple, Sanghi Temple and Chilukur Temples are most notable pilgrimage sites in the city. Hussain Sagar Lake, Necklace Road, NTR Park, Lumbini Park, Buddha Statue, Charminar, Golkonda Fort, Qutubshahi Tombs and Chowmahalla Palace are the top tourist places in Hyderabad. Ramajo Film City in the outskirts of the city is one of the largest film cities in the world and it's a great one day trip from the city center.

Charminar
The capital city of Telangana, Hyderabad is a popular tourist destination and presents its visitors with a mesmerising contrast of age old traditions, culture at one end and modern facilities, amenities of a metropolitan city at the other end. Hyderabad is one city, which has no dearth of tourist attractions. The very well known Charminar of Hyderabad is located at the Old City. This square shaped structure with a height of 56 m and breadth of 30 m was constructed in 1591. It was built by Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in the honor of his wife Bhagmati.
Also referred as the ‘Arc de Triomphe of the East’, Charminar is adorned with four towers in each corner. The minarets on each side, is of 48.7 m height, each with four storeys. Chaminar has a small mosque as well on the top floor. There are 45 prayer spaces which are still visited by people, particularly on Fridays. Lighting in the evening is quite glamorous and makes for a worth watching site.

Golconda Fort
Just 11 km away from the city, the architectural marvel Golconda Fort is well connected to the rest of the city. Built by Qutub Shahi Kings, this fort presents an impressive structure, with eight gates and 87 bastions. Its impressive structure has majestic walls which are as high as 15 to 18 foot and a parameter of close to 11 km. Along with brilliant architecture, this fort also captivates its visitors with its system of acoustics, its water supply system, 'Rahban' cannon and Ramdas’ prison which has carved Hindu deity in it. The light and the sound show in English, Hindi and Telugu language with the voice over by the Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is something one must not miss when visiting the Fort. Please note that Camera Tripods are not allowed inside.

Ramoji Film City
Since 1991, Ramoji Film City has been alluring tourists from every corner of the country. One of the largest film studios in the world it has the capacity to house almost 50 film units within a given point of time. It is also listed in Guinness Book of World Records as well. Spread over 2500 acres, it is situated about 30 km away from Hyderabad. Its brilliant architecture and sound technical facilities make it suitable for all the pre and post production of a film. Its various sets like London Street, Hollywood sign, Japanese gardens, etc; landscapes; vintage buses; and many other features such as Filmi Duniya, Action, Interactive Entertainment, etc, makes a trip to Ramoji memorable.

Hussain Sagar Lake
Connecting the twin cities, Hussain Sagar Lake boasts of being the largest artificial lake in Asia. On the tributary of Musi River, it was excavated during Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah’s reign, in 1562 AD. It has got its name after Hussain Shah Wali. The main attraction is 16 m high white granite statue of Lord Bhudda with a weight of 350 tonnes, situated at the middle of the lake. The lighting show here is worth watching. One can take a ferry ride to the statue, which takes and brings back visitors at regular intervals. One can indulge in various recreational activities which are offered here such as boating with the choice of speed boats as well as motor boats, water-skiing, parasailing and cruising. The 48 seater launch offering dinner to its guests is a perfect place for private parties.

Birla Mandir
Located atop 280-foot-high hillock of Kalapahad, the beautiful Birla Mandir has derived its name from the industrialist Birlas who have constructed Birla temples in various parts of the country. Constructed in 1976, it is said it took close to 2000 tonnes of white marbles to build this stunning temple which was brought from Rajasthan. It has drawn its architecture from the amalgamation of three known architectural designs - South Indian Architecture, Utkal temple Architecture and Rajasthani Architecture. The temple has 11 ft. tall statue of Lord Lakshminarayana with a magnificent lotus carved around it. It also has separate shrines for deities such as Venkateswara, 'Padmavati' and 'Andal' as well. The complex also houses a separate temple of Lord Bhudda.

Lumbini Park
Developed in 1994 by the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority, Lumbini Park has been named after birthplace of Lord Buddha. Located quite close to the Hussain Sagar Lake, it is one of the popular tourist spots of Hyderabad. The giant clock designed with varied kinds of captivating flowering plants, which you see at the entrance is one of the prime attractions of the park. The musical fountain and the laser show here mustn’t be missed. Another key feature of Lumbini Park is its rich flora. It is open from 9 am to 9 pm on every day of the week, except on Mondays.

Qutub Shahi Tombs
Consisted of the tombs of 7 Qutub Shahi rulers, these are known to be one of the oldest heritage sites of Hyderabad. Qutub Shahi Tombs are located only at a distance of 850 m from the Banjara Darwaza of Golconda Fort. Presenting a combination of Persian and Indian architecture, these tombs were built by the Qutub Shahis. Later in 19th century, these were renovated by Salar Jung III, Mir Yousuf Ali Khan. Constructed with grey granite, these quadrangular structure with dome shape roofs are ornamented with beautiful designs. The garden ‘Ibrahim Bagh’ which surrounds the tombs is popular as picnic spots. These tombs are now also used a venue for Deccan festival by the state Government.

Salar Jung Museum
At the banks of Musi River, Salar Jung Museum is located. With an impressive collection of 43000 art objects, 9000 manuscripts and 47000 printed books, it is considered to be one of the biggest one-man collections of the world. This museum has 38 galleries with 20 galleries in 1st floor while the rest 18 galleries on the 2nd floor. In 1951, it was opened to public while in 1968 it was shifted to its current building. The artifacts of the museums are primarily collected by Mir Yousuf Ali Khan (Salar Jung III) and Nawab Turab Ali Khan (Salar Jung I) along with a few of his descendants.

Snow World
With the fame of being the first ever snow themed park in India, Snow World is a place which you must visit when in Hyderabad. Developed by the Ocean Park Multi Tech Limited (OPML), it is spread over an impressive area of 17,000 square feet. Located at the Lower Tank Bund Road, this theme-park is easily accessible. Apart from playing with the snow, which is made up of mineral water, you can also try sports such as ice skating, ice boarding, snow slides with bumping-car and toboggan rides. The Cryo Zone is one of the most popular sections. It presents a natural landscape with igloos, simulated polar bears and penguins and alpine trees.