Hyderabad is a heritage city which still shows evidence of the rich glorious past. The vintage monuments, ancient structures, palaces and buildings everything speaks for its grandeur. What makes Hyderabad even more enticing is the rule of the Nizams and the kind of contribution they had made in terms of building monuments and palaces. Furthermore, their rule enriched the city with examples of art and architecture that even stands tall in today’s world. One such place is the Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad.
It is one of the places that people surely visit whenever they are in Hyderabad. The elegance of this palace and the rich history ingrained in its formation makes it one of the most popular sightseeing places in Hyderabad. If you are planning to visit Hyderabad anytime soon or if you stay there this is one place that you should definitely visit. In this article I will mention every piece of information about the Chowmahalla Palace. This article would be helpful for you if you are planning a visit to this article because you will find everything about the location here. So keep on reading.
Chowmahalla Palace
Location of Chowmahalla Palace:
Khilwat, 20-4-236 Motigalli, Hyderabad, Telangana
Chowmahalla Palace entry fee: The Chowmahalla Palace tickets cost Rs. 50 for adults and Rs. 10 for children below 12 years of age. For Foreigners the ticket price is Rs. 200. Video cameras are charged Rs. 100 and still cameras are charged Rs. 50 extra.
Timings: The Chowmahalla Palace timings are 10 am to 5 pm on all days except Fridays. Fridays are closed.
How to reach Chowmahalla Palace
The Chowmahalla Palace is very close to Charminar which is located at the city centre. It is not a hard task to access this area. You can take trains to the Nampally or Hyderabad Stations. Also there are multiple buses plying in that area. You can also drive through or take a cab or rented car to reach the spot.
History of Chowmahalla Palace
Chowmahalla literally means Four Palaces. The Urdu word Chow means four and Mahalat or Mahalel means Palace or Palaces. From there the palace got its name because there are 4 palaces inside. The construction of this palace was started by Nizam Salabhat Jung in 1750. Later during the period of 5th Nizam of Hyderabad Afzar-ud-daulah in between 1857 to 1869 the construction was completed. Originally the palace sprawled across 45 acres from Laad Bazaar in the north to Aspan Chowk in the south. However at present the total area of the palace is around 12 acres. In 2005 this palace was restored and then opened for public viewing.
Architecture of Chowmahalla Palace
It is said that the Chowmahalla Palace looks similar to the Shah Palace of Tehran in Iran. There are two courtyards in the Chowmahalla Palace. Each of them is further divided into southern and northern courtyards. There are 4 palaces in the southern courtyard like Aftab Mahal, Afzal Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal, Mahtab Mahal. The Aftab Mahal is the biggest Mahal which is a two storied structure. Another part is the Afzal Mahal which has beautiful glass doors and windows. But entry to the Afzal Mahal is however not allowed. One can only peek through the windows to see what is inside.
Moving on, the northern courtyard has a Bara Imam. It comes with a long corridor with rooms on either side. In those times these were used for administrative purposes. There is a Shise-Alat which means mirror image as well which is like a chamber where guests and important officials were received. Furthermore there is a Roshan Bungalow which was named after Roshan Begum. She was the mother of the sixth Nizam. Another intriguing thing is the Khilwat Clock found inside the Clock Tower. This is one of the oldest features of this palace and this clock is continuously ticking from the time of the construction of this palace. Next is the Council Hall where you will find many personal collections of rare books and manuscripts of the Nizams.
Read more on : Ramoji Film City Hyderabad Ticket Price, Timings, Entry Fee
However, the grandest area of the place is the Durbar Hall. You can find a platform made of marble there where the Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. The centre or heart of the palace is known as the Khilwat Mubarak. This palace was once the other name for grandeur. For the grandness and the charm of this palace, comparisons are drawn between the Chowmahalla Palace and the Enchanted Gardens of Arabian Nights. It is also believed that once there were almost 7000 attendants for this massive palace at one point of time. Another thing that attracts the visitors here is the sprawling lawn with lush greenery that looks splendid. Also there is one fountain just in front of the palace that looks majestic in its appearance.
What’s more?
The highlight of this palace is the intricate stone carvings on the walls and ceilings. These carvings speak for its artistic brilliance and fine craftsmanship. From massive glass chandeliers to various galleries with artefacts, the palace has a lot to offer to its visitors. These galleries showcase furniture, crockery, utensils, currency notes and coins, clothes etc. Also different weapons used during the ancient times are displayed here that are very interesting to look at. The displays at the palace are well maintained and there are descriptions for them too which is helpful to the visitors for a clear understanding.
There is a separate section for the Quran known as the Quran section in the Palace. You will find different Qurans like the Handwritten Qurans, miniature Qurans printed in metals like gold, Naskh script etc. The Japanese technique of restoration is used to preserve all these handwritten Qurans.
Display of the Chowmahalla Palace cars is another thing that attracts the visitors here. Many vintage cars from back in the day are displayed here.
Things to do at Chowmahalla Palace
Photography
A place like Chowmahalla Palace is like a paradise for photographers. Every corner has so much detail which the photographers would love to capture. And still the Chowmahalla Palace photos would not be able to do justice to how beautiful it looks in reality. For a photo buff this can be a great spot to click great pictures of them as well. You can click many aesthetic pictures with the old structure in the background. The pictures clicked here can look effortlessly Instagram worthy just because of the backdrop. So don’t forget to click a lot of them.
Explore
A place like this calls for exploration. You can take a stroll anywhere inside the campus and admire the beautiful structure. You can also go to the canteen here and enjoy some quick snacks. Also sitting on the benches here under the trees can give you the much needed relaxation. You can very well take some time off to refresh yourself inside the complex and then again explore the area.
Shopping
There is a shop where you can buy some souvenirs inside the palace. They do have a good collection of items ranging from showpieces, decorative items, traditional jewelleries, pearl necklaces, bangles etc. Even though the prices of the items are a bit on the higher side, the collection would tempt you to buy something or the other. So you can surely check out the shop here.
Things to remember before visiting Chowmahalla Palace
Chowmahalla Palace is a great and popular spot as a wedding venue as well. If you can afford the Chowmahalla Palace wedding cost which can be somewhat near about Rs. 250000, then you can think of hosting an event here.
There is enough space for parking of vehicles inside the main gate of the palace.
The restrooms and washroom facilities are available here.
Even though cameras are allowed inside, photography and videography is prohibited inside the Quran Section.
Also you must keep in mind that tripods are not allowed inside the palace.
The canteen here is small but it is good for quick bites. So you can get some refreshment there.
Places like Chowmahalla Palace hold up the beauty of the days gone long back. The art and architecture of a place like this surely speaks for the richness that the palace has witnessed during the glorious days of its existence. You can get a lot of insight about the history, historical premise and historical events from a visit to the Chowmahalla Palace. The palace is very well maintained and all the spots inside the palace hold a lot of stories and history attached to it.
And you need to check out the grand palace with your own eyes because certainly the Chowmahalla Palace photos don’t do justice to how elegant the palace looks from upfront. So mark your itinerary with a visit to this palace whenever you are in Hyderabad next time. Do let me know if this article was helpful in planning your trip to this amazing palace in the heart of the city. Also let me know if you have ever been to Hyderabad or if you stay there already. I would love to know that from you.
