Golkonda Forte

Golkonda also known as Golla konda (shepherd's hill)  city of south India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda (c.1518–1687), is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.  The region is universally famous for the mines that have

produced the world  famous and coveted gems, including The Hope Diamond, Idol's Eye, The Koh-I-Noor and Darya-i-Noor.

In the 13th century Golkonda Fort was built by the Kakatiyas. It was built in 945 CE-970 CE. In the 16th century, Golkonda was the capital city of the Qutb Shahi kingdom, near Hyderabad.  

The important builder of Golkonda was Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah Wali, the fourth Qutub king of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty. Ibrahim was following in the spirit of his ancestors, the Qutub Shahi kings, and a great family of  builders who had ruled the kingdom of Golkonda from 1512.

Their first capital, the fortress stronghold of Golkonda, was rebuilt for defence from invading Mughals from the north. They laid out Golkonda's splendid monuments, now in ruins, and designed a perfect acoustical system by which a hand clap sounded at the fort's main entrance  the grand portico, was heard at the top of the fort, situated on a 300-foot (91 m)-high sandstone  hill. This is one of the attractive features of this fort.
The Golkonda Fort complex and its surrounding spreads across 11 km of total area, and discovering its every corner is a tough task. A visit to the fort reveals the architectural beauty in many of the pavilions, gates, entrances and domes. Divided into four district forts, the architectural valour still gleams in each of the apartments, halls, temples, mosques, and even stables. The graceful gardens of the fort may have lost their fragrance, for which they were known 400 years ago, yet a walk in these former gardens should be in your schedule when exploring the past glories.

Golkonda's mines yielded few diamonds. Actually, Golkonda was the market place of the diamond trade, and gems sold there came from a number of mines. The stronghold city within the walls was famous for diamond trade. However, Europeans  supposed that diamonds were found only in the fabled Golconda mines.
One of the most interesting look of Golconda Fort is its system of acoustics. The sounds of hands clapped at the entry gate can be heard clearly at 'Bala Hissar', the highest point, a kilometre away.

One of the famous forts of India, an added attraction here is an enchanting sound & light show in the evenings.  You can enjoy Golconda Fort with the sound and light, the show that brings the legend of Golconda to life. People gather to see and hear this show in the evening.

Timings: 09.00 am - 5.00 pm (Closed on Monday)
Entry Fee: Rs. 10 for Indian Nationals, Rs. 100 for Foreign Nationals
Video: Rs. 25
Contact: +91 40 23512401
Sound & Light Show (Organised by APTDC):
Timings: All days 1st Show 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm (Nov to Feb); All days 2nd Show 8:15pm to 9:15 pm (Mon, Wed, Fri - Telugu Show; Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun - Hindi Show)