Page 672 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

670  SOUTH INDIA

2 Golconda Archaeological Museum (the
old Treasury), and through
Sprawling across a boulder-strewn plateau, Golconda the bazaar, once a famous
(“Shepherd’s Hill”) Fort was the citadel of the Qutb Shahi centre for cutting and polishing
dynasty, which ruled the Hyderabad region from 1518 to diamonds. Beyond are the
1687. The earlier 12th-century mud fort that stood here two massive arches of the
Habshi Kaman Gate, with
was transformed between 1518 and 1580 into a splendid rooms on top. These used
fortified city of grand palaces, mosques and gardens by to house a drummers’ gallery
successive Qutb Shahi rulers. Golconda Fort was also and the sultans’ Abyssinian
famous for its great hoard of diamonds, mined nearby; guards. This gate leads to
these included the celebrated Kohinoor diamond, now part the middle fortification wall.
of the British Crown jewels. The colossal ruins of Golconda To its north is the austere,
domed Jama Masjid, built in
cover an area of 40 sq km (15 sq miles). 1518 by Sultan Quli Qutb Shah,
the founder of the dynasty; he
T Golconda Fort was murdered here while at
This great fortress is protected prayer by his son Jamshed in
by three formidable lines of 1543. Beyond is the ceremonial
defence. The first, an outer arch, the Bala Hisar Gate,
fortification made of enormous decorated with various Hindu
blocks of granite, encircles the motifs, including yalis (fantastic
citadel and its entire township. leonine beasts). This is the
The middle wall surrounds entrance to the inner citadel,
the base of the hill, while the known as the Bala Hisar
innermost one follows the Complex, where the royal
contours of the highest ridge. palaces, assembly halls,
Visitors enter through the Fateh workshops and an armoury are
Darwaza (“Victory Gate”), on located. North of the Bala Hisar
the east side, which has a Hindu is a walled enclosure, begun
deity carved above its arch. in 1652, and planned as an
Huge iron spikes are studded extension to the inner fort.
into the gate to prevent it from Hathion ka Jhaad (“Elephant
being stormed by elephant Tree”), in the Naya Qila, is an
Bala Hisar Gate, entrance to the royal cavalries. From the Fateh Darwaza, extraordinary 700-year-old
complex at Golconda Fort the road curves past the baobab tree (Adansonia

Plan of Qutb Shahi Tombs Shahtam Talab
Golconda Fort

• Premamati's • Banjara Gate Hathion •
Mosque ka Jhaad
•
Taramati's Naya Qila
Pavilion

Bala Hisar
Gate
Mahakali Temple • • Jama Masjid
•
• •
Durbar Hall Habshi Kaman Gate
Rani Mahal Langar House
• • Cheruvu
Archaeological
0 metres 200 Museum
• Mecca Gate •
0 yards 200 Fateh Darwaza
Nau Mahal

For hotels and restaurants in this region see p703 and p719

670-671_EW_India.indd 670 26/04/17 11:50 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm