Hello friends,
I visited Hyderabad a long time ago, but the memory of looking at the luxurious lifestyle of the Nizams stayed in my memory. Here is one of the living monuments to the opulent lifestyle that the Nizams led throughout their regime.
A banner with the Chwomahalla Palace, Hyderabad. ( all the photos shown in the post are clicked by me)
The Chowmahalla Palace, situated in the heart of the city, very close to the legendary Charminar, is a place that will give you a real glimpse of their rich lifestyle. Chowmahalla is an abbreviation for “char mahals,” or “four palaces,” of the Nizam of Hyderabad, India. It is also one of the UNESCO heritage sites and won many accolades for cultural heritage conservation.
Photo 01 - A layout map available for thr tourist guidance at the entrance. (photo by me)
This was the official palace during the Nizam dynasty, and it took many generations to complete it. The construction of the palace started in the 1750s and was almost completed in the 1860s. The palace is built like a fort with numerous palaces inside and a beautiful garden or courtyard in front, giving it a spacious, serene feeling.
Photo 02 - A view of the inside of the palace mesuem from courtyard.
The palace is now used as a museum, and the majority of these mahals are currently being transformed into galleries that showcase the exquisite collections of the Nizams. This includes, artefacts, statues, paintings, photos, crockery, chandeliers, horse drawn buggies, vintage cars, etc.
Photo 03 - A antinque historical cannon displayed in courtyard.
Photo 04 - A unique statue carved in marble.
Photo 05 - A photos and paintings collection section.
Also, they have an exclusive section for displaying the collection of Rolls Royces. This is said to be the finest in the world. Most of the vehicles were imported from Europe and had exquisite interior decor.
Photo 06 - One of the priceless collection of Rolls Royce cars.
Photo 07 - Details of the car.
We didn’t have ample time, so we visited a few. My favourites in those sections were the Rolls Royce and chandeliers. The European-made chandeliers were designed to complement the opulent interiors of the palaces. Some of them are almost touching the ground.
Photo 08 - Some of the chadeliers are almost touching the ground.
Photo 09 - Another view of the chandeliers.
The clock tower also known as “Khilawat clock” is another exclusive attraction for the visitors and it is now renovated. It has been “keeping the time” for nearly 250 years and is said to be maintained by a special family. That’s really amazing!
Photo 10 - A view of the clock tower from courtyard.
How to reach:
Hyderabad is vastly connected to the world by air. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is almost 20 km away.
To the location: It is very much close to Charminar (the iconic mosque of Hyderabad) and Mecca Masjid (Mecca Mosque) in old Hyderabad.
Railway stations: Hyderabad Deccan railway station is almost 5 km (approx. 3 miles) away. And the Secunderabad railway junction is 10 km (approx. 6 miles) away.
Metro station: Osmania Medical college and Malkapet metro stations are approx. 4 km (2.5 miles) away by driving respectively.
Since Hyderabad is a big metro city, an IT hub, many types of hotels, homestays etc are available for visitors.
Time to visit:
10am to 5pm all days except Friday
Entry fees:
Rs. 50 for Adults and Rs 10 per child
Rs. 200 per person for Foreign Tourists
Rs 50 for still camera and Rs 100 for videocam.
Other famous landmarks around:
Photo 11 - Bonus!! A view of Charminar situated very close to this place.
I hope you like my post. Please fee free to share your photos and experience here if you have visited earlier.
Cheers!
