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Hyderabad, the fifth largest metropolis of India, is the state capital of Andhra Pradesh. The city is nearly 400 years old and is noted for its rich history and culture with monuments, mosques, temples, and a rich and varied heritage in arts, crafts and dance.

Attached to the city is its twin, Secunderbad. The Husain Sagar, an artificial lake constructed during the time of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali in 1562 A.D, separates the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderbad. Covering an area of 260 km², Hyderabad has a poppulation of approximately 4 million. Urdu, Telegu and Hindi are the local languages of the indigenous population.

Hyderabad has been the meeting place of many different cultures and traditions and is known to be the city where the distinct cultural and linguistic traditions of North India and South India meet. Hyderabad also has a very good transport system. It is well connected to the outer world through its airways and railways. The public transport in Hyderabad comprises of local trains, 3-seater and 7-seater auto-rickshaws, buses and also private taxis for sightseeing.

Hyderabad is one of the most developed cities in the country and is the emerging IT and biotech hub of India. It is known as the city of pearls and lakes. The pearl market is situated near Charminar.

Ornaments made with Rice Pearls can be bought from Char Kaman or General Bazaar Market. It is famous for its traditional markets such as Laad Bazaar, Sultan Bazaar and so on. It is also a source of attraction for tourists from all parts of the world.

Hyderabad is famous for its Char Minar, Falaknuma Palace, Salar Jung Museum, Makkah Masjid, Chilkur Balaji Temple, Husain Sagar, Sanghi Temple, Snow World and Ramoji Film City.

Area : 260 sq. kms

Main Languages : Telugu, Urdu, English and Hindi

Population : 5.2 million

Location :

Hyderabad city mainly comprises the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The city is located in the west central part of Andhra Pradesh and is surrounded by Ranga Reddy district. The city is situated at a distance of 562 kms from Bangalore, 140 kms from Warangal and 276 kms from Vijaywada.

Climate :

Hyderabad has hot steppe type climate. Summers (April- June) are hot and dry. The maximum temperature reaches around 41ºC. Winters (November-February) in Hyderabad are pleasant and less chilly than north Indian regions. Winter days are warm and sunny, while nights are relatively colder. Night temperature during winters rarely drops below 10ºC. South-west monsoon comes to the city in June and remains till September.

Best Time to Visit : The best time to visit the city is from October to March.

Hyderabad The City of Nizams:

Hyderabad, the fifth largest metropolis of India, is the capital of the South India state, Andhra Pradesh. The city is perched on the top of the Deccan Plateau, 1776 ft., above sea level, spreading over an area of 260 sq. kms. Consisting of the twin towns of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the city is popular worldwide as the former seat of the Nizams of Hyderabad.

The city was founded in 1590 by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, the fourth of the Qutab Shahi kings, on the banks of Musi river. Hyderabad has been the meeting point of various cultures and traditions, which can be seen in its cosmopolitan population.

The city is 400 years old now, but it still preserves its rich history, culture and a rich and varied heritage in arts, crafts and dance. In Hyderabad, architectural marvels like magnificent forts, majestic palaces, ancient mosques and temples, present an interesting blend of the Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture. Hyderabad is the also called the 'Pearl City' because of its major dealing in pearls and precious stones.

Lad Bazaar :

Located close to the Charminar, the Lad Bazaar was founded by Ladli Begum, the wife of Mir Mehboob Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad. The colourful market is truly a shopper's paradise, one can buy traditional Hyderabadi glass and stone-studded bangles. In addition the appliquéd, skirts, bags and belts set with sparkling mirrors and tiny beads by Banjara gypsies are also sold here.

Salar Jung Museum :

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Built to match the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, this museum is an amazing amalgam of antiquity and modernity. Mir Yusuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III, is believed to be the chief architect of this magnificent congeries of art.

It is said this museum has the largest one-man collection of the world. The museum displays 35,000 exhibits drawn from the four corners of the world including wood carvings, sculptures, religious objects, Persian miniature paintings, illuminated manuscripts, armour and weaponry and clothing of the Mughal emperors and Tipu Sultan.

Hussain Sagar Lake :

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This beautiful lake was built by Hussan Shah Wahi on a tributary of the Musi river. The artificial lake connects the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Along the bandh of the lake are 33 life-size statues of eminent personalities. Major attraction of the lake is the gigantic statue of Lord Buddha; the 18m high and 350 tonne monolithic statue stands amidst the lake.

Hussain Sagar Lake-Hyderabad’ s Riviera

Hussain Sagar the beautiful and placid lake located in the heart of the City, constitutes a continuum between history and the contemporary. Popularly known as Tank Bund, it has acquired trappings and environs that enhance its appeal to tourists as well as the denizens of the twin cities.

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With numerous parks, recreation spots, temples, statuary, and a host of other tourists attractions, it has emerged as the most sought after tourist destination in the City.
Extending 24 kilometres, it built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali on a tributary of the Musi River during the time of that great builder Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah, in 1562, to meet the water and irrigation needs of the city.

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Necklace Road - A Glittering Garland of Hussain Sagar Lake

A new artery known as the Necklace Road links Lumbini park in Hyderabad with the Sanjeeviah park in Secunderabad. Necklace Road is the most popular boulevard and very scenic, its magnetism increased by a three-kilometer- long row of flowerbeds and lush green lawns running from north to south. On the west is a long protective and ornamental railing parallel to a row of wrought iron benches for romance-prone couples to forget time and mundane world.

The Necklace Road and the Tank Bund are great spectacles in the night and turn into rendezvous for relaxation and leisure. The Necklace Road is now much sought after by trade and industry for holding consumer melas and by the government to stage frequent cultural shows and programmes which are open to public.

Flanked by the Hyderabad Boat Club in the south and the Secunderabad Sailing Club in the north, Hussain Sagar becomes the annual venue for sailing events and regattas every year. One can see several rowboats and yachts gracefully navigating in the lake.

NTR Gardens:

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A leisure and entertainment centre adjoining the Hussain Sagar Lake, the NTR Gardens houses a Memorial of Late Shri N.T. Rama Rao, former Chief Minister, with an exemplary piece of architecture.

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The sprawling gardens, set up in an area of 36 acres, offers a serene atmosphere and yet provides recreation facilities such as Machan Tree, Japanese Garden, Car Café, Souvenir Shops, Fruit Restaurant and Children’s playing area. A mono rail system takes children around the Garden. It’s an amusement park with a difference…see it to believe it.

Indira Park:

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A recreation centre for children is situated near lower Tankbund. It is an excellent place for spending evening hours amid greenery and chirping of birds. The Park has a small lake with boating facility. It also has a rose garden with flowering, bushy trees. Adjacent to the park there is skating facility for children.

World’s Largest Monolith Statue of Buddha

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The piece deresistance of the entire land and waterscape of Hussain Sagar is the 18-metre high and 350-tonne monolith of Gautama Buddha, in the middle of the lake, standing on what is known as the Rock of Gibraltar. Two beautifully decorated floating decks shuttle between the statue and the Lumbini Park, every day, several times and are equipped to stage cultural and musical shows. Another boating point is likely to come up at the Sanjeevaiah Park also. The boat rides are the most exciting experience of the tourists because they cover the most scenic spots around the lake like the Secretariat, the Raj Bhavan, Sanjeeviah Park, the Lumbini Park, Shri Venkateswara temple and the majestic Buddha statue.

Birla Temple:

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Hussain Sagar lake radiates in the night the reflection of the Shri Venkateswara temple built by the Birlas on a hillock close to the Secretariat. The temple is a quarter century old and built of white marble and represents several schools of architecture. Though the South Indian school is prominent in the construction of the rajagopuram. Utkal styles of temple architecture marks the tower over the main shrine called the Jagadananda vimanam. The towers over the temples for the Lord’s consorts Padmavathi and Andal are again in the South Indian style. The temple has a 42-feet high flagstaff and the main idol of the Lord is 11 feet tall.

Imax Theatre:

Prasad’s IMAX, India’s 3 rd IMAX Theatre is located in the heart of the city on the banks of the Hussain Sagar Lake. It is a fully integrated family entertainment center. Spanning an area of 2,35,000 sq ft., this centrally air conditioned facility is a high tech, one stop recreation hub providing the people of Hyderabad with a unique and exciting experience, like never before.

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Featuring the world’s most powerful film projector, the facility houses South India’s first Imax theatre. IMAX is a brand that is recognized worldwide. The facility possesses a 6-channel sound system with an output of 12,000 watts of digital surround sound. The Prasad’s IMAX Theatre has food outlets, coffee bars, gift shops etc.. setting a new benchmark in entertainment. The center also houses a five screen state of the art multiplex with a combined capacity of 1800 seats.

Hyderabad’s first food court, located in this complex, provides a sumptuous spread of multi-cuisine food interspersed with fast food counters.

Snow World:

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Snow World is the World’s Biggest and India’s 1 st Snow Theme Park. Spread over 17,000 square feet area, Lower Tank Bund Road, behind Indira Park, it is yet another landmark in twin cities.

Snow World has an indoor "Cryo Zone" full of attractions from a natural snowscape, with alpine forest, igloos, and simulated figures of penguins and polar bears.

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Snow World has achieved yet another milestone by introducing Snow Fall, in thissouthern Indian city of Hyderabad, where there has never been a snowfall. This is the first of its kind of Snow Fall introduced by any Snow Theme Park or Snow Dome anywhere in the world All these snow wonders are made possible by artificially producing snow using state of the art technology supplied by Woomera Snow Guns Ltd., Australia. The snow is produced with pure mineral water.

Eat Street Food Joint:

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The Eat Street food outlet at People’s Plaza, Necklace Road is a fun place for the entire family, to enjoy all varieties of ‘chaat’ and delicious snacks in the enchanting lakeside ambience.

Parasailing & Boating Facilities at the Lake:

Boating and water sports are a regular feature in the Hussainsagar. The host of boating facilities on the lake, include the prestigious Bhagmati and Bhageerathi luxury cruisers. Both are ideally suited for get-togethers and meetings and Bhagmati has a beer bar-cum-restaurant.

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Added to this, is providing new facilities like parasailing, speed boats, motor boats, 48 seater launch and more.

Birla Mandir (Venkateswara Temple) :

Overlooking the placid waters of the Hussain Sagar lake, the stunningly beautiful temple is perched atop the Naubat Pahad Hill. Built out of white marble, the temple architecture is a combination of the traditional north and south styles. Birla Mandir is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity of the temple at Thirumala-Tirupathi .

Nehru Zoological Park :

Located near the Mir Alam Tank, the park provides shelter to a teeming wildlife population. The park is well known as the first Lion Safari park in South Asia. One of the largest zoos in India, the park has attractions like prehistoric animal section and toy train-Hassan Ali

Excursions Golconda Fort :

This marvellous monument is located at a distance of 11 kms from Hyderabad. Situated on the outskirts of Hyderabad City, the historic fort dates back to 13th century. The city was ruled by Kakatiays of the 13th century, and was also the capital of the Qutab Shahi in the 16th century. Built on a 120 metre high granite hill, the fortress sprawls over 5 kms and is surrounded by 15 ft to 18 ft walls. One of the most remarkable features of this fort is its system of acoustics, whereby the sounds of hands clapped in the grand portico can be heard in the Durbar Hill, located atop of the hill.

How To Reach:

By Air : Hyderabad Airport is well connected to all major cities of the country. A few international flights also connect the city with other countries.

By Rail : The city has two main railheads namely Hyderabad and Secunderabad, which are connected to all the important cities and towns of India.

By Road : The city lies at the intersection of two National Highways- N.H 7 & 9, so it is well linked to the major towns and cities of Andhra Pradesh and other parts of the country.