The city of Hyderabad, located in the heart of Deccan Plateau has a legacy of more than five hundred years and is considered as one of India’s popular heritage destinations. The region has been ruled by many dynasties, for more than a thousand years.

Telangana state, with its numerous tourist attractions is a wonderful destination with many heritage structures and the magnificent Golconda fort is one such rare structure. The ancient fort of Golconda once flourished as wealthy capital of the Golconda Sultanate. The history of Golconda fort which dates back to several centuries is located in the suburbs of Hyderabad city. Golconda was once the principal capital of the Qutub Shahi kings. Known initially as Mankal, it was built on a hilltop in 12th Century, as a mud fort by the Rajas of Warangal. Later it was fortified between 14th and 17th centuries by the Bahmani Sultans, followed by the Qutub Shahi dynasty. It was also known as Shepherd’s Hill, meaning Golla Konda in Telugu.

According to legend, a shepherd noticed a religious idol on this rocky hill, which was conveyed to the ruling Kakatiya king. The king constructed a mud fort around this holy spot and after a period of 200 years, Bahmani rulers took possession of this place. Later the Qutub Shahi rulers extended the structure into a massive granite fort with several kilometers in circumference, along with other extensive fortifications. The Qutub Shahi rule ended in the year 1687 when Mughal emperor Aurangzeb invaded the fort.

Architectural Highlights of the Fort

The Golconda fort still features mounted cannons, four drawbridges, eight gateways, and majestic halls, magazines, stables etc. The outermost enclosure is called FatehDarwaza meaning Victory gate, after Aurangzeb’s army marched successfully through this gate. The inner fort contains ruins of palaces, mosques and a hill top pavilion, which rises about 130 meters high. This offers a bird’s eye view of other structures. The outer fort occupies an area of three square kilometers, which is 4.8 kilometers in length.

The walls of the fort range from 17 to 34 feet which is marked by 87 semi-circular bastions, some of them reaching 60 feet in height. The fortress rests on a granite hill 120 meters high while huge crenellated ramparts surround this structure.The breathtaking fort of Golconda leaves the tourists mesmerized, transporting them back to the historic era, due to the monumental significance of the centuries-old fort. One of the majestic forts of Telangana, Golconda fort has been a witness to history from the time when many kings had ruled and several epic battles were fought. The ramparts, cannons, the engineering marvels and other structures here are a delight to visit.

The tourists exploring this spectacular fort can experience rare acoustical effects, which is one of the engineering marvels at Golconda. Clapping your hand at a certain point near the entrance reverberates clearly at the hill top pavilion, almost one kilometer away. This is believed to have served as a warning note to the fort’s inhabitants of any impending danger.

Telangana Tourism organizes regular sound and light shows at the amazing Golconda fort. The impressive and popular sound & light show at Golconda fort shows the grand history of the rulers of various dynasties. The Sound and Light Show at the Golconda Fort attracts a large number of tourists who witness the events showing the past of the fort using by means of sound and light effects. The annual Bonalu Festival, which is celebrated with pomp and fervor during Ashadamasam in the city, begins with a ceremonial offering at the Jagadambika Temple, located within the premises of the fort. The festivities organized here, is therefore called ‘Golkonda Bonalu’.

How to Reach

Golconda fort is located at a distance of nearly 11 km from Hyderabad and is well accessible by road through Mehdipatnam locality. The nearest railway station is Hyderabad Deccan (Nampally) and the closest airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad.

Where to Stay

Telangana Tourism operates Plaza Hotel in Begumpet. Located at distance of nearly 12 km from Golconda Fort, the Plaza hotel is ideal for tourists visiting the city of Hyderabad. Haritha Taramathi Baradari Resort located nearly 4 km from Golconda Fort, is an attractive accommodation choice in Hyderabad. The resort also has an Open Air Auditorium, which is ideal for corporate gatherings and private events.