Chowmahalla Palace

Chowmahalla was the ceremonial palace of the Asaf Jahi Nizams, built from the eighteenth century around four palaces and courtyards, and it was where the Nizam received guests and held durbars. Khilwat Mubarak, the durbar hall, has a pure marble platform where the throne stood and nineteen chandeliers of Belgian crystal. A clock over the southern gate, known as the Khilwat clock, has run since the 1750s and is still wound by hand weekly by the same family line. The Nizams were among the wealthiest people in the world, and the palace displays their vehicles, including a 1911 Rolls-Royce, along with costume, weapons and photographs.

Background

The palace stands close to the Charminar, where the Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties had an earlier palace. Its name joins chow, four, and mahal, palace, words used in Urdu, Hindi and Persian, after the four palaces Nizam Ali Khan Asaf Jah II ordered when he began the present building in 1769. Those four, the Afzal, Mahtab, Tahniyat and Aftab Mahals, face one another symmetrically in a Neoclassical style and form the oldest part. The grounds once covered 45 acres, and 12 acres remain. The family, which still owns the palace, opened it to visitors in January 2005, and the restoration won a UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit award on 15 March 2010.

Source: Wikipedia, "Chowmahalla Palace"

What you'll find

• Khilwat Mubarak - the durbar hall with its Belgian crystal chandeliers.
• The hand-wound clock - running since the 1750s, wound weekly by one family.
• The vintage cars - the Nizams' vehicles including a 1911 Rolls-Royce.
• The courtyards - the four palaces around fountains and gardens.

When to go

October to March; the palace closes on Fridays. Mornings are quietest. Hyderabad summers are severe and courtyards are exposed.

Practical notes

Only part of the complex is open and some buildings remain under restoration. Photography is charged separately. The surrounding old city traffic makes access slow.

Nearby

The Charminar lies northeast; Laad Bazaar is beside it.

Key facts