Wonders of Muslim Historical Sites in Hyderabad -Khadiza Binte Mostafiz

India is one of the most famous countries of South Asia for tourism. It is also the 2nd most populous country of the world and is the seventh largest country by land area. Among the many states of India, Telengana is very well known. Its capital city is called Hyderabad. It is the fourth-most populous city in India. Many years ago, the old part of Hyderabad was called Golconda and it was ruled by the Nizams of Qutub Shahi Dynasty. The Nizams expressed their love for beautiful architecture by building many beautiful mosques and breathtaking monuments. This time we’ll have a tour to explore those magnificent monuments of Hyderabad.

Charminar
The Charminar or the four minarets is globally considered as the symbol of Hyderabad. It has a long and glorious past behind it. The fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, built the Charminar in 1591 after shifting his capital from Golkonda to the newly formed city of Hyderabad. There’s a famous story about the Charminar which is quite popular among the locals. It is said that Qutb shah constructed the Charminar in the year 1589, on the very spot where he first glimpsed his future queen Bhagmati. Locals also believe that he renamed the city as Hyderabad after Bhagmati converted to Islam . Though this story was completely rejected by the historians. The Charminar’s long history includes the existence of a mosque and a madrasah on its top floor for more than 400 years. It is also quite popular for its busy local markets which surrounds the structure. At present it has become one of the most frequented tourist attractions in Hyderabad.

Golconda Fort
Golconda fort is located in the western part of the city of Hyderabad. It is one of the most famous attractions in Hyderabad. Built in the 16th century it served as the capital of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. This fort is famous for its vault which used to store the majestic Koh-i-Noor and Hope diamond.At that time, India had the only known diamond mines in the world. Golkonda, today’s Hyderabad, was the market city of the diamond trade. Precious diamonds were stored in the fortress. The classic architecture, the rich history, and the potential mysteries of the fortress adds to the charm of the monument and invite a huge number of tourists from across the globe.

Mecca Masjid
Mecca Masjid is the largest mosque of India. It is only two minutes walk away from the famous Charminar. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah also commissioned the construction of this mosque. Soil from Mecca , one of the holiest sites of Islam , was brought to make bricks and was used in the construction of the central arch of the mosque . And that is why this mosque was named Mecca Masjid. More than 8,000 workers were employed and Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah personally laid the foundation stone. This massive mosque can hold 20,000 worshippers all at the same time. This mosque also holds the tomb of all the Nizams of Hyderabad except for the first and the last Nizam. The mosque’s most appealing feature is the entrance to the courtyard. A rectangular, arched, and canopied building houses the marble graves of the Nizams. There are two rectangular blocks with four minarets at both ends of the resting place of the Nizams. These minarets have elegant and circular balconies with low ornamental walls and beautiful arches. The refined beauty of the Mecca Masjid never fails to soothes one’s eyes.

Qutub Shahi Tombs
Qutub Shahi Tombs is one of the oldest monuments of Hyderabad. It is located in Ibrahim Bag which is quite close to Golconda fort. This site is precisely a royal graveyard which holds 30 tombs of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. Golden spires were fitted over the tombs of the sultans to distinguish their tombs from those of other members of the royal family. Every dome, arch, and gallery of these tombs speak of its architectural excellence.The largest of all of these tombs is the tomb of Mohammed Quli Qutub. With a magnificent blend of Indian and Persian architectural styles, this graveyard never fails to appeal its visitors.
Toli Masjid
Toli masjid is situated in Karwan, Hyderabad. It is only 2 km away from Golconda Fort. In 1671 Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar built this beautiful mosque during the reign of Abdullah Qutub Shah . This mosque is also known as Damdi masjid or Damri masjid. Its brilliant Qutub Shahi style of architecture is breathtaking and attracts many tourists from all over India.

Chowmahalla Palace
The name of the palace Chowmahalla literally means “Four Palaces”. Chow means four and Mahalat is the plural of Mahalel, which means palaces in Urdu. This huge palace is a combination of four small palaces. Aftab Mahal, Afzal Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Mahtab Mahal, all of these palaces are jaw dropping beautiful. This site is almost 200 years old and was once the official seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. This mighty palace acted as the official residence of many Nizams of Hyderabad during the time they ruled the city. The architecture of the palace takes heavily after Persian style and is often said that it resembles the Shah Palace in Iran. Elegant domes, large windows, dramatic arches and delicately carved out designs dignified its beauty.

Purani Haveli
Purani Haveli was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad. It is also known as Masarrat Mahal Palace. This building was built according to 18th-century European architecture. In 1717 It was taken over by the 2nd Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Nizam Ali Khan from Rukunudhaulah of the Momin dynasty. His son Sikander Jah lived here for some time and later shifted to Chowmahalla Palace. That is why people also call it Haveli Khadeem , which means old mansion. At present, it is one of the finest monuments of Hyderabad which functions as an art gallery and museum.

Maqbara Shamsul Ulama
Maqbara Shamsul Ulama is situated 4 km southeast of Charminar. It is also known as the Paigah tombs. This place is the graveyard of the fierce nobles of the Paigah family. This family served the Nizams of Hyderabad for many years with utmost loyalty. They worked as statespeople, philanthropists and generals under and alongside the Nizams. The tombs are made out of lime and mortar with beautiful inlaid marble carvings. Unparalleled floral designs are engraved on its wall. The excellent artistry work in the tombs is truly nothing but a masterpiece.