Charminar
Often called "The Arc de triomphe of the East", Charminar was
built by Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah, the erstwhile Qutub Shahi Sultan of
Golconda, in 1591. It was the centre of attraction of the magnificent
capital city of Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah. In spite of it being dwarfed
by present day buildings, the Charminar has not lost its erstwhile
majesty and continues to attract travellers. Presently, Charminar stands
with pride, at the centre of the old city.
Architecture
Charminar is a squarish structure with four towers in the four corners
of the square, each of whose sides is 20 metres in length. Every side
opens into a plaza through giant arches, which overlook four major
thoroughfares and dwarf other features of the building except the
minarets. Each arch is 11 metres wide and rises 20 metres to the
pinnacle from the plinth. The minarets soar skywards by 24 metres from
the roof of Charminar. Each minaret has four storeys, each looking like
a delicately carved ring around the minaret. Some Anglophiles call
Charminar the Arc de Triomphe of the East. From the ground to the apex,
the minarets cover a length of 48.7 metres.
