Golkonda Fort Hyderabad

Golkonda Fort Overview

Golkonda Fort is a massive fortress, whose ruins stand proudly even today, displaying the glory of its rich past and some untold sagas of the city's history. The place oozing charm is a must visit.

Situated 11km from Hyderabad, Golconda Fort once served as the capital of ancient Golconda Kingdom. However, the fort became renowned and prospered under the rule of Qutub Shahi Dynasty. Being witness to several powerful dynasties and ruler, it has been world famous since ancient times for producing some of the finest gems the world has ever seen including Koo-i-noor, the Hope Diamond. Golkonda Fort comes to life with the light and sound show which takes place during the evening when the snippets from its past are shown giving a clear view of its rise and fall. With its fascinating history, the place is definitely worth a visit.

 

How to Reach Golkonda Fort : Reaching this impressive structure is quite easy with the help of the great transportation system of the Hyderabad. One can easily hire a auto rickshaw, bus, taxi or radio cab. 

Sound and Light Show at Golconda Fort (organized by APTDC)

Timings: 1st show: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (November - February), 2nd show: 8:15 PM - 9:15 PM (Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Telugu show, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: Hindi show)
1st show: 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (March - October)
Entry Fees: VIP Entry - INR. 100 (Adult), INR 75 (Child); Non-Executive - INR 50 (Adult), INR 30 (Child) 

History of Golconda Fort : The Golconda fort was erected in the year 1143 under the Kakatiya Dynasty. However, it rose to prominence when it came under the rule of Qutub Shahi Dynasty during the 16th century i.e. when Quli Qutub Shah declared his independence from the Bahmani Sultanate in 1518. The fort since then expanded from a mud fortress to a lofty structure to having a 10 km outer wall. After a failed attempt in the year 1686, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was finally able to breach the impregnable fort in 1687 after a long nine-month siege. 

Architecture of Golconda Fort  : Golconda Fort is a grand structure built on a hill of altitude 400 feet with a circumference of 7 km. Displaying the beautiful fusion of Hindu-Islamic style of architecture, its wall comprises of 8 gates and 87 bastions each one reaching the height of 50-60 feet. There are three powerful consecutive fortification walls each within the other. The first line of the wall contains town, the second line is a double wall that runs around the foot of the hill on which the citadel stands. The third line is further up the hill lying within the second comprised of masonry and natural boulders. Situated with the citadel are the dwellings of the queens and princesses and homesteads of their retainers. 

Facts about Golconda Fort : The mines of Golconda Fort is known to produce some of the most coveted and popular gems ever known in the world such as Idol's Eye, the Hope Diamond, Darya-i-noor and the famous Koo-i-noor.