HERITAGE BULDINGS & MONUMENTS

HYDERABAD

Hyderabad city, despite radical changes during the last century, is a store-house of natural and man -made heritage. It has archaeological monuments,some of which are more than 400 years old, palaces, historical buildings, traditional bazaars, lakes and natural rock formations. city sight- seeing tours cover most monuments and land marks. The tourisam department also organises 'heritage walks' to the old city . Here are thumb -nail sketches of some of the heritage buildings and monuments.

Masjid Safe at Golconda Fort-The Oldest Mosque(1518AD)

Deriving architectural inspiration from the Bahmins, the first Qutb Shahi Mosque of Hyderabad , the Masjid at Golconda situated beside Habshi Kaman, is strikingly similar to Jami mosque at Bidar. It has an extermely simple but dignified facade with seven ogee arches.

Aview of Charminar from the Jama Masjid

In addition to the characteristic pointed ogee arches the Qutb Shahis also used the facade of Moghal cusped arches in conjustion as seen at jama Masjid. this could either be due to Moghal influence are a later imposition when most of the important Qutb Shahi's mosques restored are renovated.The grid of the two principal intersecting roads meeting at charminar,the Pathergatti-shah ali Banda road and the Lad BaZaar road, is tilted at a distinct 10 degrees angle with the north -south access.

This is perhaps due to the compulsion of placing the charminar with its roof- top mosque such away that the mosque could face exact direction of Mecca as geographically aligned with referenced to Hyderabad.