| World / India / Andhra Pradesh / Kapra, 1 km from center | Coordinates: 17°21'41"N 78°28'28"E |
Charminar is a 500 year old structure. Symbol for Hyderabad city.
Often called the, Charminar was built by Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah, the erstwhile Qutub Shahi Sultan of Golconda, in 1591. It was the centre of attraction of the magnificent capital city of Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah. In spite of it being dwarfed by present day buildings, the Charminar has not lost its erstwhile majesty and continues to attract travellers. Presently, Charminar stands with pride, at the centre of the old city.
The Charminar is as much the signature of Hyderabad as the Tej-o-Mahalay is of Agra or the Eiffel Tower is of Paris. It 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.
Standing at a height of 56.7meters ( 186 feet), on a square base of 31.5meters (100 feet), Charminar is said to be a prototype of Tazia, representation of the tomb of Imam Husain. It is said that during the Mughal Governorship between Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi rule, lightning destroyed the South Western minaret which ‘fell to pieces’, but ‘it was forthwith repaired at a cost of Rs 60000’! Charminar was plastered in 1824 at a cost of Rs 100000.
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.
Category: historic charminar hyderabad place tourism arte tourist
place comments: |
21 months ago pandu chilakala | +1 |
 
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http://www.virtualvirtues.com/www/htm/virtualsamples01.htm | ||||
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20 months ago Fathima | -2 |
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Sorry! Its definitely not Vijay minar.As being claimed. It is the Charminar. | ||||
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19 months ago Dr.khalid razvi | 0 |
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char means four and chaarminar means four towers, vijay is victory and there is no reason to change. please discard the name | ||||
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19 months ago A M Z | 0 |
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how did even think to come up with vijay minar in the first place. IT WAS IS AND WILL BE CHARMINAR!!!! | ||||
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19 months ago Urvi | +1 |
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What is this Vijay Minar??? Is that your name? If it's a joke, it's a very poor one!!! | ||||
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19 months ago rafeeqrizvi | -1 |
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a gentleman will never be a communal one. How a historic place 'charminar' which was built around 450 year by a Muslim king can be changed to Vijayminar and on whose credit. 'halwai ki dukaan par dadaji ki fateha'. It is unethical. | ||||
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18 months ago Guffi | -1 |
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who the bleady bastard is this vijay??? this is Charminar. No vijay minar. Hope the google blocks such idiots claiming the heritage places like this. | ||||
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12 months ago khan | 0 |
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This is heritage of our city. A landmark of Qutubshahi Dynasty. Prosperous muslim rulers. To all Hyderabadis, lets make it again a prosperous and Great Hyderabad ruled by muslims alone as was in History. | ||||
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11 months ago Candy | 0 |
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It doesn't matter it is built by a muslim ruler or a hindu. For a hyderabadi like me it is always CHARMINAR. I don't understand who got the idea of vijayminar,but all i can say is stop thinking of changing the name U stupid fool | ||||
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11 months ago gopi krishna dasari | +1 |
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I SALUTE MOHD QULI QUTUB SHAH, BECAUSE OUR HYDERABAD BECOME FAMOUS FOR THIS MANUMENT AND IT`S KNOWN BY CHARMINARON WALA SHAHAR AND NAWABONKA SHAHAR THATS ALL. AND ONE THING DO YOU EAT HYDERABADI BIRYANI, NO, THEN COME FAST TO HYDERABAD TO EAT BIRYANI. | ||||
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6 months ago PANKAJ | 0 |
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ITS VIJAY MINAR ONLY
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5 months ago sam | +2 |
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vijay learn eng 1st | ||||
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5 months ago aziz bhai | +2 |
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helllo | ||||
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2 months ago satishkumar999 | 0 |
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This is our hyderabadi's charminar. | ||||
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1 month ago ssdff | 0 |
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this is mother fucker bullshit charminar created by bloddy muslims | ||||
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