Kohinoor

Golconda was a renowned market for diamonds, garnets, thyst, topaz, agate and other precious stones and specialized in the cutting and polishing of diamonds. In 1645, the French jeweller Tavernier chronicled an eye witness account of seeing 60,000 labourers at work. The Kohinoor is one of the legendary diamonds mined at kallur in the Golconda sultanate. The others are the Orloff and Pitt (Regent) diamonds and the Darya-e-noor.

Most of the Qutb Shahi Kings were great builders, lovers of architecture, poets, patrons of learning and secular in attitude. In addition to the Persian language and culture, they fostered the growth of Urdu and the local language Telugu.

Built in the lifetime of each one of the monarch himself, the Qutb Shahi Tombs are an imposing marvel of architectural excellence that stands a solemn reminder of the grandeur and glory of Golconda. Nowhere in the worlds does an entire dynasty have a common resting place as in this enclosure. Trellised balconies, overlapping arches, arched corridors, rich ornamental parapets and similar architectural flourishes make each one of the tombs a spectacular monument.