Golconda Fort, Hyderabad

The Golconda Fort is a monument which is integral to the history of Hyderabad.Visit the fort in the afternoon and stay on for the son et lumiere(sound & light) show held in the early evening, which encapsulates the history of this city beautifully.Check to find out which show has the commentary in English.

This great fort was built in the 13th century.First the kakatiyas and later the Quli Qutb shah kings occupied this fort.The speacial feature of this fort is the advanced acoustical marvel,when you clap your hands standing below the dome at the entrance,it can be heard at the Bala Hisar which is the highest point in the fort.This was used to warn the residents of the fort about who was arriving(whether a guest or enemy)
The sound and light show(which has the voice of Amitabh Bachchan,explaining the history of the fort)is a not to be missed one.It brings history alive!
Timings are - 9.a.m. to 6p.m..There are shows in Hindi,Telugu and English

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The Golconda Fort is a must see if you are in Hyderabad. One of the coolest features of the fort is its acoustics if you clap your hand at certain places below the main entrance dome, the clap be heard clearly at the Bala Hissar, the tallest point a mile away! Lots and Lots of History here!!!

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Golkonda is a ruined city and fortress slightly more than 10 km on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Golkonda Fort is one of the most magnificent fortress complexes in India with massive 10 km long outer wall, complete with many doorways, temples, mosque within the complex.

I have not been climbing much of those forts partly due to bad health condition from pollution of Hyderabad (and few towns before that). But the fort is really amazing and I cannot imagine the glorious days those kingdoms in the past.

The fort open from 9am to 5pm. The Lonely Planet guide book has some printing error.

The Golconda fort in Hyderabad is one of the most fascinating structures which shows the ancient history of which this city is a part. The Golconda Fort was built around 400 years ago by the Qutub Dynasty and it served as their headquarters. You must pay a visit to this place to get a taste of the old world of which Hyderabad was a part once upon a time.
Click on the picture to get a better view.

You will have to visit the Golkonda fort, 10 kilometres west of Hyderabad city, to appreciate the majesty and grandeur of the 800-year-old ruins and the architectural glory of those structures, which have survived the ravage of time and rampage by Mughal vandals. One of the most magnificent fort complexes in the country, Golkonda, meaning shepherd hill, was built consecutively by three dynasties, the Kakatiyas, the Bahmanis and the Qutub Shahis, the major contribution coming from the latter. It betrays the confluence of Hindu and Muslim architectural perceptions of the times. It was the capital of the Bahmani kings first and the Qutub Shahis later for sometime, before they shifted the capital to what is now the old city of Hyderabad. The fort has now become a symbol of the composite cultural heritage of the 400-year-old city.

Golkonda Fort
This fort was built by Kakatiya kings. From this fort they ruled the nearby areas even when their capital was based in Warrangal.
This massive fort is 11 km in perimeter and its walls are 15 to 18 ft high. The whole fort is built in granite and is flanked by 70 ramparts and 8 huge gates. Previously the whole fort was surrounded by a deep gorge but slowly this was filled up. While entering from the main gate of the fort, if one claps below the dome, echoes are heard in a Darbar hall some 128 meter away.