CHARMINAR
Charminar may be a monument and a mosque, considered synonymous with the history of Hyderabad city. Mohammed QuliQutb Shahi, the fifth sultan of the Qutub Shahi dynasty had built the monument to commemorate the top of a deadly plague menace that had gripped the town then. Charminar springs from two distinct words Char and Minar, which suggests four towers.
The monument is found within the heart of old city and it's believed that Hyderabad was measured in four directions from Charminar for administrative purposes.A visit to Hyderabad is incomplete without visiting this grand centerpiece. a number of the historians say that it had been built it in honor of his wife, Bhagmathi. Each of the edges measure 20 meters while the minarets are located at a height of 48.7 meters from the bottom level.
Each side of Charminar opens into a plaza like structure where the enormous arches overlook the main thoroughfares. it's a transparent square structure that measures 31.95 mts. on all sides while imposing arches span a distance of 11mts. There are 149 circular steps inside each minaret and one among them is open for tourists to climb and luxuriate in a wide ranging view of the town . It also houses the oldest mosque in Hyderabad with prayer spaces for the devout to worship.It is known that the Islamic architecture of these times is marked by arches, minarets, and domes. Charminar is legendary for its decorations and arrangement of impressive balustrades and balconies.
The floral design is executed delicately and stands as a masterpiece to the mixture of Mughal and Hindu architecture.The four clocks in four cardinal directions were added within the year 1889. the bottom of Charminar features a water cistern located at center which consists of alittle fountain for ablutions, before the faithful offer prayers within the mosque. Charminar is the culture of old city in Hyderabad.