Must-see attractions in Hyderabad

  • Interior of royal bath

    Golconda Fort

    Hyderabad

    Hyderabad's most impressive sight, this monumental fort lies on the western edge of town. In the 16th century the Qutb Shahs made Golconda a fortified…

  • India, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad. The Charminar, or four minars, is no longer a mosque but remains one of Indias best known buildings.

    Charminar

    Hyderabad

    Hyderabad’s principal landmark and city symbol was built by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 to commemorate the founding of Hyderabad and the end of…

  • Qutb Shahi Tombs

    Hyderabad

    The subject of one of India's most ambitious heritage projects, these magnificent domed granite tombs form part of a huge archaeological park that is…

  • Chowmahalla Palace

    Hyderabad

    This opulent 18th- and 19th-century palace compound, the main residence of several nizams, comprises several grandiose buildings and four garden…

  • Paigah Tombs

    Hyderabad

    The aristocratic Paigah family, purportedly descendants of the second Caliph of Islam, were fierce loyalists of the nizams, serving as statespeople,…

  • Dargah Yousufain Sharifain

    Hyderabad

    This is perhaps the most famous dargah (Sufi shrine) in Hyderabad, the resting place of two Sufi saints. Qawwali singers and musicians gather here every…

  • Lamakaan

    Hyderabad

    This noncommercial 'inclusive cultural space' is an open centre that hosts plays, films, musical events, exhibitions, organic markets and lectures; some…

  • British Residency

    Hyderabad

    This palatial Palladian residence, built in 1803–06 by James Achilles Kirkpatrick, the British Resident (official East India Company representative) in…

  • Moula Ali Dargah

    Hyderabad

    Out on the city's northeastern fringes, the dramatic rock mound of Moula Ali hill has long-distance views, cool breezes and at the top, up 500 steps, a…

  • HEH The Nizam’s Museum

    Hyderabad

    The Purani Haveli was a home of the sixth nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan (r 1869–1911). He was rumoured to have never worn the same thing twice: hence the 54m…

  • Mecca Masjid

    Hyderabad

    This mosque is one of the world’s largest, with 10,000 men praying here at major Muslim festivals, and also one of Hyderabad's oldest buildings, begun in…

  • Badshahi Ashurkhana

    Hyderabad

    The 1594 Badshahi Ashurkhana (literally Royal House of Mourning) was one of the first structures built by the Qutb Shahs in their new city of Hyderabad…

  • Buddha Statue & Hussain Sagar

    Hyderabad

    Set magnificently on a plinth in the Hussain Sagar, a lake created by the Qutb Shahs, is a colossal stone statue of the Buddha (18m tall). The Dalai Lama…

  • State Museum

    Hyderabad

    This sprawling museum is in a fanciful Indo-Saracenic building constructed by the seventh nizam as a playhouse for one of his daughters. It hosts a…

  • Birla Mandir

    Hyderabad

    The ethereal Birla Mandir, constructed of white Rajasthani marble in 1976, graces Kalapahad (Black Mountain), one of two rocky hills overlooking the lake…

  • Salar Jung Museum

    Hyderabad

    This vast collection was amassed by Mir Yousuf Ali Khan (Salar Jung III), who was briefly grand vizier to the seventh nizam. The 39 galleries include…

  • Mir Alam Mandi

    Hyderabad

    On the east side of Patthargatti, the (mainly) wholesale vegetable market of Mir Alam Mandi has all kinds of fresh produce sold by market traders. There…

  • Birla Science Centre

    Hyderabad

    The Birla Science Centre comprises a museum of science, dolls and archaeology, plus a planetarium. Displays are somewhat dated, but the Dinosaurium has…

  • Dargah Hazrat Shah Khamosh

    Hyderabad

    This large dargah (Sufi shrine), dedicated to Sufi saint Hazrat Shah Khamosh, dates from the late 19th century and is an unusual blend of Islamic and…

  • Nehru Centenary Tribal Museum

    Hyderabad

    This museum exhibits photographs, dioramas of village life, musical instruments and some exquisite Naikpod masks. It’s basic, but you’ll get a glimpse…

  • Taramati Baradari

    Hyderabad

    According to legend, this elegant pavilion atop a hill 4km from Golconda Fort was built by Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah for his courtesan, Taramati, whose…

  • Kalakriti Art Gallery

    Hyderabad

    One of the city's best contemporary galleries, Kalakriti hosts excellent exhibitions by some of India's leading artists, and collaborative programme's…

  • Health Museum

    Hyderabad

    A throwback to a 1950s classroom, this well-maintained museum houses a bizarre collection of medical and public-health paraphernalia, including a scary…

  • Ramoji Film City

    Hyderabad

    The home of 'Tollywood' (the Telangana/Andhra Pradesh film industry) is a massive attraction for domestic tourists. Films and TV shows in Telugu, Tamil…

  • National Fisheries Development Board

    Hyderabad

    Clad in stainless steel, this fish-shaped structure dates from 2012 and looms over the highway to the airport. It's a regional office of the National…

  • Ananda Buddha Vihara

    Hyderabad

    There are terrific views of the city from this monastery and temple complex; try to visit for sunset. The complex was built in 1976 and the main temple…

  • Mehboob Chowk

    Hyderabad

    Laad Bazar opens into Mehboob Chowk, a square with a 19th-century clock tower and mosque, shops selling antiquarian books and antiques and a livestock…

  • Legislative Assembly

    Hyderabad

    This grand neoclassical landmark – a colossal construction of turrets, domes and arches – dates from 1913, in a design that fuses Persian and Rajasthani…

  • Sudha Cars Museum

    Hyderabad

    Crazy creations here include cars and bikes in the shape of a sofa and stiletto shoe, among other wacky designs. And they all work. The museum is 3km west…

  • State Library

    Hyderabad

    This beautiful building, dating back to 1891, has 500,000 books in Urdu, Sanskrit, Telegu and English in reading rooms that are as atmospheric as they are…

  • Lumbini Park

    Hyderabad

    Lumbini Park is a pleasant place to enjoy sunsets and the popular musical fountain (6.30-8pm). There's also a nightly laser show (₹50) at 7.15pm and 8…

  • Nirmala Birla Gallery of Modern Art

    Hyderabad

    This skilfully curated collection of modern and contemporary art includes paintings by superstars Jogen Chowdhury, Tyeb Mehta and Arpita Singh.

  • Gulzar Houz

    Hyderabad

    The Charkaman (Four Arches) area is named after four Qutb Shahi arches on and off Patthargatti, focused on the Gulzar Houz fountain.

  • Spanish Mosque

    Hyderabad

    Constructed in 1906, this highly ornate mosque is Moorish-meets-Deccan in style, with an array of minarets, balconies and columns.

  • High Court

    Hyderabad

    A landmark structure built by the seventh nizam in Indo-Saracenic style on the south bank of the Musi River.

  • Mahankali Temple

    Hyderabad

    Elaborately carved temple located in a market area that draws many pilgrims. No photos allowed.

  • Osmania General Hospital

    Hyderabad

    Built by the seventh nizam in Indo-Saracenic style, this landmark was completed in 1919.