The Charminar is to Hyderabad what the Taj Mahal or the Eiffel Tower is to Agra or Paris, respectively. With four minarets and open arches, this towering monument cum mosque has a 400-year history and is the best symbol of the city's historical and architectural legacy. It is a prominent attraction for visitors to Hyderabad because it is located in the heart of the city and is surrounded by a bustling market. The Charminar is undoubtedly one of the heritage monuments you must visit once you have checked out of your Hyderabad hotels for a day of sightseeing.
History of Charminar
Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth Sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, built the Charminar more than four centuries ago. After relocating his headquarters from Golconda to Hyderabad, a newly founded city, he ordered the construction of this enormous mosque in 1591.
There are a number of explanations as to why Qutub Shah built this massive mosque in the heart of his new capital. Some historians believe the Sultan was obliged to relocate his capital due to a cholera epidemic that killed thousands of his citizens at the time. He prayed to the Almighty and promised to build a mosque if his people's suffering ended. Once cholera was eradicated from the city, the Charminar was built to honor this promise.
Another school of thought holds that Quli Qutub Shah built the mosque and founded Hyderabad to commemorate the commencement of the second Islamic millennium year, a momentous event in the Islamic world at the time. Charminar, which means 'Four Towers' in Urdu, was given to the monument because it was ornamented with four towering minarets on each of its four sides.
The edifice, which has a history as long as the city of Hyderabad, has withstood the test of time, but it has also been damaged and renovated along the way. The minaret on the southwest was destroyed by lightning under the governorships of Asaf Jahi and Qutb Shahi, although it was later reconstructed. In 1824, the monument received a new coat of plaster at a cost of about one lakh rupees. Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, put four clocks from London to the four arches in 1889.
The monument is currently under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India, which is responsible for its protection and upkeep.

Charminar Architecture
The majestic building, designed by Mir Momin Astarawadi, an Iranian architect based in Hyderabad, depicts the Indo-Islamic style of architecture with Persian elements. The structure weighs roughly 14,000 tonnes and is built of limestone, granite, crushed marble, and mortar.
The Charminar is a precisely square-shaped edifice with each side measuring 20 meters. The structure is distinguished by four great arches and four superb minarets situated in the four corners. Each minaret is four stories tall, stands 56 meters tall, has a double balcony, and is topped with a dome-shaped construction. There are 149 steps leading to the monument's upper floor, from which you can obtain a bird's-eye view over the city and surrounding marketplace.
Stucco embellishments, elaborate balustrades, and balconies adorn the Charminar. On a section of the open top of the structure, there is also a mosque. During Sultan Qutb Shahi's reign, one section of the Charminar's roof was utilized as a mosque, while the rest was used to hold the court.

Charminar: Today
The Charminar is now not only one of the most important historical sites in Hyderabad, but also one of the most well-known landmarks in the country. It is bordered by a bustling market known as Chudi Bazar or Laad Bazar, where you can feel the city's pulse. The centuries-old mosque atop the Charminar is still in use today. Several festivals, including Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, are held at this historic site.

Lesser Known Facts about Charminar 
The Charminar is also known as the "Arc de Triomphe of the East" because of its architecture, which is comparable to that of Paris' famous Arc de Triomphe.
The four minarets of the Charminar, according to popular belief, were built to represent the four khalifas or prophets of Islam.
It is thought that an underground tunnel connects the Charminar with the Golconda Fort, which was intended to serve as an escape route for the royal family in the event that the city was besieged. The tunnel's exact position, however, is unknown.
As a tribute to this spectacular monument, Lindt chocolatier Adelbert Boucher created its replica using chocolate in 2010, which weighed about fifty kilograms.
In 1687, when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb invaded the city, he ordered the destruction of most of the buildings but spared the Charminar because of the mosque located on its top floor.
There is a train that is named after the Charminar – the Charminar Express – that operates between Chennai and Hyderabad.
The structure is featured on the Emblem of Telangana.
Lindt chocolatier Adelbert Boucher made a chocolate copy of the monument in 2010, weighing over fifty kilograms, as a tribute to this magnificent structure.
When the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb attacked the city in 1687, he ordered the destruction of most of the structures, but the Charminar was spared because of the mosque on the top floor.
The Charminar Express is a train that runs between Chennai and Hyderabad and is named after the Charminar.
The structure is depicted on the Telangana State Emblem.

Things to Do in Charminar Area
The Charminar district, which encompasses the area surrounding the minarets, is home to some of Hyderabad's best street food and shopping. The following are some of the best restaurants and shops in the Charminar area:
Bangles, jewelry, and dupattas can be found at Laad Bazar.
Perfume Market for native perfumes Pathar Gatti for pearls
Chicken 65, warqi paratha, and rumali roti are available at Akbar Fast Food Corner.
Mutton biriyani, haleem, kheer, and Hyderabadi biriyani are all served at Pista House.
Nimrah Café and Bakery specialises in Iranian chai, Osmania cookies, and sulemani.
Haleem, kebabs, falooda, nihari, paya, and qubani ka meetha are all available at the Shadab Hotel.
Mutton haleem, boti kebabs, khichdi kheema, phirni, mutton biriyani, Hyderabadi chicken biriyani are all available at Shah Ghouse.

Once you've had your fill of admiring the magnificent Charminar, head to one of these establishments to eat and shop, or continue your exploration of Hyderabad's ancient sites. Finally, finish your day with a bite of the legendary Hyderabadi biryani, which will leave you wanting more.