Charminar, Islamic mosque and monument in Hyderabad, India
The Charminar is an Islamic mosque and monument in Hyderabad, India, with four minarets rising 48 meters (about 157 feet) and connected by wide arches. The structure is built from granite and limestone and forms a square where four main streets cross into the city center.
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah commissioned the structure in 1591 to mark the founding of his new capital. Its completion coincided with the end of an epidemic that had affected the region.
People visit the upper floor to pray, while vendors below sell spices, jewelry, and handmade textiles in busy bazaars. Visitors experience the rhythm of daily life as worshippers and shoppers move through the same open passages.
Access involves narrow staircases leading to the prayer level, making the structure difficult for visitors with limited mobility. The best visiting times are early morning or late afternoon when the light is softer and fewer people are around.
Architecture books often mention the combination of Indian and Persian style elements, but less often the winding staircases with 149 steps leading inside. At the top sits a small library with old Quranic manuscripts, usually not open to the public.
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