Char minar

The Charminar is to Hyderabad what the Taj Mahal is to Agra or the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. This towering monument cum mosque with the four minarets and open arches boasts of a history of over 400 years and stands as the finest example of the city’s heritage and architectural legacy. It is located in the heart of Hyderabad, India. It remains surrounded by a lively market place and is a top attraction for travellers visiting the city.
Through this blog you all know everything about this historical monument in Hyderabad like its history, entry fee, timings and other many interesting details.

Information about Char minar:-

• Name: Char Minar
• Location: Hyderabad, Telangana
• Made By: Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah of Qutb Shahi Dynasty
• Year of Establishment: In 1591
• Type: Mosque and Monument
• Timings: 9:00 am to 5:30 pm; everyday
• Entry Fees: INR 5 for Indians; INR 100 for Foreign Tourists
• Still and Video Camera: Free
• Architectural Style: Indo – Islamic with influences from the Persian architectural style
• Architect: Mir Momin Astarawadi
• Material Used: Granite, Limestone, Mortar and Pulverized Marble
• Cost of Construction: Around 9 Lakh Rupees
• Status: Monument under the Archeological Survey of India

History about Char minar:-

The Charminar was established more than four centuries ago by the fifth Sultan of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty, namely Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah and he commissioned the construction of this majestic mosque in the year 1591 after he shifted his capital from Golconda to Hyderabad, which was a newly formed city.
There are numerous theories as to why Qutub Shah constructed this towering mosque right in the middle of his new capital. According to the some historians, the Sultan was enforced to shift his capital due to the epidemic of cholera that was killing thousands of his subjects at that time. He prayed to the Almighty and swore to construct a mosque if the misery of his people came to an end. It was built to honour this pledge once cholera was eradicated from the city.
Another school of thought believes that Quli Qutub Shah built the mosque and founded the city of Hyderabad to mark the start of the second Islamic millennium year, which was a momentous event in the Islamic world at that time. Since the monument was adorned with four lofty minarets on its four sides, it came to be known as Charminar, which means ‘Four Towers’ in Urdu.

Architecture:-

Charminar is designed by an Iranian architect settled in Hyderabad named Mir Momin Astarawadi, the grand edifice exhibits the Indo – Islamic style of architecture with influences drawn from the Persian style. The monument is made of limestone, granite, pulverized marble, and mortar and weighs around 14000 tonnes.
The Charminar features a perfectly square – shaped that is about 20 meters long on each side. Four grand arches and four exquisite minarets was placed at the four corners lend the monument to give a distinctive look. Each of the minarets is four storied, about 56 meters tall, has a double balcony and features a dome – shaped structure on its top and there are 149 steps leading to the upper floor of the shrine from where you can get a bird’s – eye vision of the city and the surrounding marketplace.

The Charminar is decorated with stucco decorations and lavish balustrades and balconies. There is also a memorial situated on a portion of the open roof of the structure.

Places near Charminar to visit:-

• Gulza Houz – about 230m
• Laad Bazaar – about 450m
• Char Kaman – about 600m
• Nizam Museum – about 1km
• Mecca Masjid – about 1km
• Chowmahalla Palace – about 1.4km
• Salar Jung Museum – about 2km