Golconda Fort

Reflecting the glorious history of Golconda, a ruined city of Andhra Pradesh, Golconda Fort is an imposing structure. Its history dates back to the 12th century when it was initially built out of mud by the Kakatiya rulers. Later it was transformed into a fascinating granite structure by the Qutub Shahi rulers in the 16th century. Both its history and architectural beauty deserve a special mention. Located on 120 m high granite hill, the fort is a must-see attraction of Andhra Pradesh. The exterior and interior of the fort reflect the grandeur of the era of Nawabs.

The fort derived its name from a Telugu word ‘Golla Konda’ meaning ‘Shepherd’s hill’. According to the legend, once a shepherd boy found an idol on the hill. After hearing this news the erstwhile Kakatiya ruler decided to build a mud fort on the holy site where the idol was discovered. The fort complex houses four distinct forts encompassing 87 semi circular bastions (some still mounted with canons) right gateways, four drawbridges, temples, mosques, halls and royal apartments. The outer wall of the fort is 10 km long.

Among all the gateways the Fateh Darwaza, also known as Victory gate, deserves a special mention as it is dotted with huge iron spikes which were meant for defense purpose during that time. They were meant for stopping elephants from entering the fort. The fort also has acoustic effects. If you clap your hands at a particular point below the dome at this gate, the sound reverberates and can be heard clearly at the 'Bala Hisar' pavilion, which is the highest point around 1 km away. This technique was also used for defense purpose, as a warning signal during an attack by the enemy.

Another interesting attraction of the fort is the secret underground tunnel which begins at the Durbar Hall and culminates at the foot of a hill. Also, visit the majestically carved tombs of the Qutub Shahi kings which are located within the fort complex. To acquaint tourists with the glorious history of Golconda a light and sound show is organized in the fort by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism in three languages, including Hindi, Telugu and Urdu.

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