Charminar stands graciously amidst the hustle and bustle of this Old City area of Hyderabad. This beautiful majestic building, built with granite, lime, mortar and crushed marble (as per some locals), is one of the major landmarks that has been adorning the city of Hyderabad for the past 400 years.

Charminar is built on a history that reflects in its architecture and elegance. This graceful building is a square-shaped structure with the four beautiful minarets or towers that are about 48 metres in length from the ground, on all its four sides. On the apex part of this minaret you can see a dome below which there are small arch-shaped windows running around. This dome is adorned by petal-like pattern and is capped by a brass spire.

The building has four imposing arches, about 20 meters tall, facing the four directions with a row of small domed arches on each of the four arches. When you observe the carvings on these domes, you will find them very elaborate and worth appreciating. The entire building basically has two floors while each of the minarets has four storeys with delicately carved ring shaped balconies around. Arch-shaped windows run all along the balcony on the first floor. Inside these minarets there are spiral staircases (about 149 steps) that take you to the top most point. This is the peak where one can reach and get the panoramic view of this dynamic city at its foot.

On the western side of Charminar, on the roof of this monument, there is a small mosque, which is said to be the oldest surviving mosque in Hyderabad. The remaining part of the roof was used as a court in Qutub Shahi times. There are nearly 45 prayer spaces on the top of this building. To the eastern side of this prayer space, there is a spacious veranda with small and large arches in the middle. The minarets and the arches (there are about 32 arches) that beautify almost entire Charminar complex, portrays a clear picture of the Islamic architecture but the structure as a whole symbolises the elements of South Indian Temple architecture.

In the hay days of the Nizam rule, Charminar was surrounded by beautiful gardens and fountains with some prominent complexes and palaces like Mecca Masjid, Jamay Masjid, the Chow Mohalla Palace, Khilwat Mahal etc, in its near vicinity. Today, you can find the sprawling colourful bazaars (the famous Lad Bazaar) or the markets surrounding this historical monument. A great place to go shopping, you can just grab on some of the distinguished objects of Hyderabad like Hyderabadi pearls, the Lad bangles, bridal wear of numerous variety and many traditional souvenir artefacts. There are small food joints around, amidst the small shops, selling traditional local delicacies that are world famous.

The Charminar was constructed during the rule of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah in 1591 to mark the end of plague, which then almost wiped out the city of Hyderabad. While this is the basic reason behind its construction, there are many theories that run behind its significance. According to the famous Historian Haroon Khan Sherwani, the upper floor of the Charminar was a school while according to the French traveller Tavernier, all the galleries of Charminar seem to make the water rise so that it could be carried to the higher rooms of the palaces. Another theory has it that Charminar served as a gateway overlooking a majestic open space on which the gates of the palaces opened.

While you are in Charminar, don’t forget to get the glimpse of the ‘Char Kamaan’ (the Four Arches), that were built three years after this grand complex was built. There is a huge square with a tank with an octagonal enclosure known as Gulzar Hauz. During the Shahi period, this Gulzar Hauz was the entrance to their palaces, which were later destroyed by the Mughals in 1687.  Jamay Masjid is another nearest attraction situated to the northeast of the Charminar. This was built in 1598 by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, seven years after the massive Charminar was built. It was later renovated by Sikander Jah, the third Nizam of Hyderabad. All-in-all, as you walk around, you can get a glimpse of marvellous architectural style of the entire area, which has a blend of Indo-Persian and South Indian architecture while experiencing the royalty of the bygone golden era.

You can take buses from the following areas to reach Charminar, which is rather an economical way to reach.

From Secunderabad Railway Station: 1C, 2, 2C, 2V, 2Z, 8A, 8C, 8M, 8U and 57S.

From Nampally Railway Station: 8M, 8R, 8U, 9, 9D, 9F, 9K, 9L, 9M, 9N, 9Q, 9R, 9X, 9Y/F, 41M, 65M and 65S.

From Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station: 1C, 2, 2C, 2G, 2V and 2Z.