Golconda Fort
గోల్కొండ కోట
A granite hill fort on the Deccan Plateau that was once a diamond trading center. A clap at the gate can be heard all the way up at the hilltop pavilion.
Golconda Fort was first built under the Kakatiya dynasty. In the 16th and 17th centuries the Qutb Shahi dynasty expanded it into a fortress about 10 km in circumference, and famous gems, including the Koh-i-Noor diamond, once changed hands here. Clapping beneath the Fateh Darwaza gate produces a sound that carries to the hilltop pavilion about 120 meters up, which is the fort's best-known attraction. The climb to the top takes about an hour and involves many steps, so wear non-slip shoes and bring water. Entry costs around 25 rupees for Indian visitors and 300 rupees for foreigners, and it is open roughly 9:00 to 17:30. In the evenings there is a sound-and-light show in English and Hindi, for which tickets are sold separately.
Opening hours
09:00–17:30; evening light and sound show
Nearby sights
- Qutb Shahi Tombs
- Taramati Baradari
- Jagannath Temple, Hyderabad
- Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park
- Durgam Cheruvu & Cable Bridge
- Nehru Zoological Park
- Sudha Cars Museum
- Birla Mandir