 Golconda is a fortress and ruined city lying 11 km west of Hyderabad. The ruins of the minarets, the corridors, the bastions and the gigantic spike studded gates stand in mute testimony to a once powerful monarchy. Today Golconda also flourishes as a bustling town.
The name Golconda, in local dialect, translates to "Shepherd’s hill" (Golla: shepherd, Konda: Hill) which it was before the fortress was established.
 Built in 1143 on the territory of the Kakatiya kings of Warangal, the Golconda fortress is atop a 130 metre hill, 3 miles/ 5 km in circumference, with concentric masonry-block walls made from granite. Raja Krishna Dev of Warangal handed over the fort in 1363 to Sultan Muhammad Shah Bhamani of Gulbarga under a pact. Muhammad Shah named the fort Muhammad Nagar.
Golconda was the capital of the Qutb Shahi kingdom from 1512 to 1687. The territory of Golconda then spanned between the lower reaches of the Godavari and Krishna rivers and extended to the Bay of Bengal coast. It was annexed to the Mughal Empire in 1687 by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after he overthrew the ruling Qutb Shahi dynasty.
 Palaces, mosques, temples, bazaars, barracks, powder magazines, stables and even fields were contained in the vast tracts within the fortress, some of which still remain intact. The place was designed so entire population of Hyderabad could sustain itself when under attack.
Historically, Golconda was famous for its diamonds, derived from the conglomerate rocks of the nearby hills. The world famous Koh-I-noor diamond was a product known to have come from the quarries of Golconda.
 The main attractions here are the guard barracks, baths, Nagina bagh, Taramati mosque, Bala Hissar (Royal quarters/ citadel at a high point on a hill), Fateh Darwaza (lit. 'Victory Gate') through which Aurangzeb led his victorious army in 1687, Jama Masjid, Ramdas jail, Madanna Temple, Rani Mahal and the Baradari atop the fort.
Golconda’s elaborate system of acoustics, water supply system, palaces and factories are well known for their design. The acoustic system enables a handclap from a specific point at the gates to be heard at the Citadel (Bala Hissar) - almost a kilometre away! The water flow, carried through laminated clay pipes and Persian wheels upward toward the palaces also helped cool he rooms and chambers in the fort.
While in the Fort, make sure you pay a visit to the Khajana Buildings Museum, where a collection of stone sculptures and artifacts of the Qutb Shahi and Bahamani dynasties are exhibited.
Opens 10:30
SOUND & LIGHT SHOW AT GOLCONDA FORT (Duration : 55 Minutes)
Show Timings
Winter (Nov - Feb) 18.30
Summer (Mar - Oct) 19.00
English : Sundays and Wednesdays
Hindi : Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Telugu : Thursdays
Closed on Mondays
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