Charminar the Symbol of Hyderabad: Interesting Facts
Have you been to Hyderabad, India? If no, Charminar, the iconic symbol of the city, alone is a reason good enough to visit Hyderabad. If yes, I am sure you will agree with me that Charminar is a top attraction of Hyderabad. Read on to know why Charminar Hyderabad is a must see sight in the capital city of Telangana.
Char-Minar- Four-Towers
History of Charminar Hyderabad
The grand monument was built by the fifth Sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shahi. He built this in1591 after he visited Hyderabad from Golconda.
Historians say that the Charminar was built to celebrate the elimination of the dreaded disease Plague, which was widespread at that time. Some records also mention that this square shaped structure with four pillars and intricate carvings was built in honor of his wife, Bhagmati.
Today the historical age of this monument is more than 400 years, thus making Charminar one of the oldest monuments in India. The stunning architectural details have turned Charminar into aniconic symbol of the city thus earning Hyderabad the name – ‘Charminar city’. Charminar completed 430 years of its existence on October9, 2021.
Minaret tomb
Charminar India
My visit to Charminar Hyderabad
The tall minarets seemed to be whispering secrets to the beautiful blue sky above and that was truly the best part of Charminar. Today what we get to see is the re-plastered monument, done in 1824. With the passage of time the city grew, Charminar now belongs to old Hyderabad, the new Hyderabad boasts of computer industries.
The whole Charminar area is crowded; you will find animals, people and vehicles competing with each other to surge ahead. Then there are the vendors whom you have to very tactfully avoid, the best way is to be busy focusing and taking pictures.
Religious significance of Charminar
There is a 400 years old mosque on the top floor of Charminar where local Muslims offer prayers.
Charminar facade details
Charminar Architecture details
Charminar is built of granite and limestone and has impressive architecture.
Charminar is built on a square structure and has four grand arches and four minarets on each corner that are built into the main structure. The entire monument has been designed in such a manner that the number ‘char’ or four and its multiples can be figured in at least 22 spots in the design of the structure.
My daughters and I went around trying to count out the 22 architectural details that are multiple of four.
The arches and domes are classic examples of Islamic architecture, its minarets have Persian influence and the delicate stucco and floral ornamentations on the ceilings, balconies and the external walls display the Hindu influences. Charminar is thus a fine specimen of the Indo-Islamic architecture.
The city was planned on a grid iron-pattern, with the iconic Charminar as the focal point. The design had two roads running east-west and north-south, which makes the structure the center of the city.
Minarets of Charminar
The four minarets of Charminar represent four directions North, East, South and West which means glory and protection from all the four directions of the world. They are 56 meters high with a double balcony at each corner. The four fluted minarets are built into the main structure which makes it distinctly different from Taj Mahal in which the four minarets are separate structures.
Dimensions of Charminar
The square structure measures66 feet (20 m) each side. Each façade faces one of the cardinal directions and has a pointed arch that is 36 feet (11 m) wide at the base and reaches 66 feet high at its apex. The actual mosque occupies the top floor of the four-storey structure. There are 54 winding steps in the minarets to reach the upper floor.
Char Kaman around Charminar
There are four arches to the north of Charminar, locally known by the name Char Kaman. After the completion of Charminar, four lofty arches known as Char Kaman were built at about 75m to its north in 1592 by the Qutb Shahi dynasty. These are the KaliKaman, Machli Kaman, Seher-e-Batil ki Kaman and Charminar Kaman. At the center of these arches is a fountain called the Gulzar Houz.
View of Charminar through one of the Char Kaman
Mystery of Secret Tunnel
It is said that there’s a secret tunnel, an escape route, which enabled the royal family to get away incase of a siege. But the location of the entry to the tunnel is still a mystery. It connects the Charminar with the Golconda Fort, situated in the western part of Hyderabad. It looks spectacular when it is illuminated at night.
Why did Charminar fail to make it to the UNESCO list?
The nomination for Charminar, along with the Qutub Shahi Tombs and Golconda Fort, was submitted to UNESCO in the year 2010. However, Charminar monument couldn’t make it to the list. The main reasons for rejection were the cases of land encroachment around the monument. Unfortunately today it is not looked after so well. I wish Telangana tourism dept. would make some efforts to protect it from further damage.
Tickets and Timings of entry to Charminar Hyderabad
The entry fee for Charminar is 5 INR per Indian tourist. The fee is 100INR per person for all foreign nationals. The Charminar timings are from 9.30AM to 5.30 PM. You can access the top of minarets through the narrow winding staircases inside each minaret. The views of the city from the top are worth capturing in lens.
Charminar Brands
My personal memories of Charminar date several decades back when my father used to smoke the Charminar brand of cigarette. Once my Geography teacher had asked me to write a 20 lines essay on Charminar, I had cut out the picture of Charminar from the cigarette packet and stuck it in my project work.
Charminar was so popular that several brands used the name. There used to be Charminar Camphor tablets, Charminar Cement Sheets, Charminar Polyester Blend Paint Rollers, Kohinoor Charminar Select Basmati Rice, Charminar Kum kum, Charminar Brand saffron, Charminar Garam Masala and more. The list is long.
Indian Railways has named the train 12760, operating from Hyderabad to Chennai, as CHARMINAR EXP.
The picture of Charminar is officially incorporated in the emblem of Telangana.
How many days for Hyderabad?
Hyderabad truly deserves a full 3 days itinerary if you wish to soak in its culture and heritage. Other sights to see around Charminar are: Chowmahalla Palace, Salar Jung Museum, Lumbini Parkat Hussain Sagar Lake, Golconda Fort. Read more: Places to Visit in Hyderabad
When should you visit Charminar?
It’s best to visit in the morning or late night to avoid crowd. Best time to visit will be between the months October to March when temperature is comparatively lower than the other months of the year.
What else can be done around Charminar?
Try the street food of Hyderabad’s old city. Indulge in some great bargain shopping. Visit Mecca Masjid which is close by. Shop in Laad Bazaar, which is famous for its bangles. Visit Charminar Market that is open every day from 11 AM to 11 PM.
Where is Charminar located in Hyderabad?
Address: Charminar Rd, Char Kaman, Ghansi Bazaar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500002. Hyderabad is well connected by road, rail and air to other cities in the world.
How to Reach Charminar?
It is located in the old city of Hyderabad, a couple of kilometers away from Central Bus Station (CBS) at the junction of a busy and crowded locality. Several lanes/roads lead to this iconic monument, yet chances are that you will keep going round and round– lost in the lanes – and not find it.
You can reach Charminar by metro trains. Charminar Metro Station is a terminus station on the “Green” Line of the Hyderabad Metro. The Osmania Medical College station is the nearest one to Charminar in Hyderabad.
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Wow! this is an amazing place to visit.
Very beautiful.
Thanks for the photos.
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i was here in 2000, gosh almost 10 years ago!!!
charminar is charming, though i would not say very beautiful in my eyes!!…
Lovely pictures! I agree that the government (local and central) need to spend more resources to take care of the quickly degrading Charminar…else we will lose one more piece of history to neglect…
Thank you for this sight!
Aloha from Honolulu,
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Olá!
Great pictures again,specially the last one.
Astonishing architecture and amazing beauty!
Wonderful mosque, so interesting! Very nice the details too.
Happy weekend!
Beautiflly captured! Especially the last one
Splendid building. Definitely a national treasure.
It is a beautiful mosque and the minarets are neat looking. Great post and photos, Indrani.
Fine pictures from great angles.
Yes, this is a national treasure, but still in a state of neglect. During the last monsoon, a chunk fell off from a ledge of the first floor …..I think the horrendous traffic around the place should be diverted away from it.
this is a magnificent mosque. i hope they're going to take care of it. it's a beautiful and historic landmark.
bautiful shots
Amazing.. Actually I am planning to go to this place…!
I liked the third picture..it is really beautiful
What an amazing country. I just love these old buildings.
What wonderfully framed shots of the mosque. Lovely.
Beautiful building and so ancient. Too bad they are not taking care of it. It is a treasure.
Beautiful Mosque – I really appreciate all the intricate detail you captured in your images. You did a fine job here.
What an architectural treasure. Your captures from all perspectives are wonderful and your commentary add so much. The post was so interesting. The detail on the mosque amazes me. I cannot imagine the thrill of seeing a structure like this up close and personal. Lovely work.
Beautiful photos, Indrani. It is too bad the mosque is not being maintained, but, from what I've been learning about India lately, perhaps the authorities think that at 420 years it isn't old enough!
Thank you for sharing this lovely place with us.
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
The mosque is so beautiful. I love the way you see the tower through the arch in the first shot. The blue sky was made to order as a perfect backdrop for the architectural wonder. All of these shots are fantastic.
one of the finest structures built in India.
I had a very close look at it some years ago
This is a beautiful and unique mosque. I hope it will be preserved for the future.
Very good pictures. Are we allowed to climb up to the top?. (I am assuming there are stairs within.)
Your shots are superb, and I agree with you that the A.P government should take some steps to protect this charming monument.
Great skies and captures!
Happy weekend!
Regards.
Regina
Gorgeous!
My Sky Watch, happy weekend!
A very beautiful building. The bottom two photos are really beautiful and emphasize the beauty of the towers.
Goodness! That is one gorgeous mosque.
Beautiful, sharp images, Indrani. The detailing on this architecture is just amazing.
Beautiful mosque and I love the minarets! They make perfect exclamation points for your gorgeous, blue skies! Hope you've had a great week, Indrani. Have a lovely evening!
Sylvia
Splendid architecture. I hope with the nation's booming economy they would invest in protecting their heritage such as this structure.
Have a lovely weekend.
My skywatch
Nice , sharp and nice colors !
well done Indrani.
Greetings, Joop