The Charminar in Hyderabad was constructed in 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutab Shah. He built the Charminar to mark the end of plague in the Hyderabad city. Since the construction of the Charminar, the Hyderabad city has almost become synonymous with the monument. The Charminar is a massive and impressive structure with four minarets. In the evening, with illumination, the great Charminar looks even greater. With the passage of time the Charminar occupied so much importance that it became the heart of all bustling activities. It is in the bustling bazaars around the Charminar that you find the traditional nahari stalls and kulchas of Hyderabad. Hyderabad is one of those few cities, which have a fine blend of modernity and tradition.
history
Built by Quli Qutab Shah, in 1591, this impressive monument gives off a charm that is over 400 years old, and is often acknowledged as the ‘Arc de triomphe of the East’.
The Charminar gets its name from the four minarets (towers) standing in the four corners of the structure. These graceful and intricate minarets, rise to 48.7 metres from the ground, overlooking the landscape of the area. The Charminar is square structured and its minarets have four levels
Timing
The Charminar is open on all days from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
The Charminar is a square structure with each side 20 meters (approximately 66 feet) long, with four grand arches each facing a fundamental point that open into four streets. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped minaret, 56 meters (approximately 184 feet) high with a double balcony. Each minaret is crowned by a bulbous dome with dainty petal like designs at the base.
The Charminar was constructed by Qutb Shah, who had also laid its foundation, The monument was intended to serve as a Mosque and Madraasa. Mir Momin Astarabadi, the prime minister of Qutb Shah was palyed a leading role to prepare the layout plan for the Charminar along with the new capital city (Hyderabad),[12]:170 the additional eminent architects from Persia were also invited to develop the city plan. the structure is of Indo-Islamic architecture style, incorporating Persian architectural elements in the structure.
