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Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat (4 Palaces), is a palace of the
Nizams of Hyderabad state. It was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and
was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad while they ruled
their state. The palace remains the property of Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram
Jah, heir of the Nizams.
In Persian, Chahar means four and in Arabic Mahalat (plural of Mahal)
means palaces, hence the name Chowmahallat / four palaces, or four
palaces.
All ceremonial functions including the accession of the Nizams
and receptions for the Governor-General were held at this palace.The prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit award for cultural heritage
conservation was presented to Chowmahalla Palace on March 15, 2010.
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UNESCO representative Takahiko Makino formally handed over the plaque
and certificate to Princess Esra, former wife and GPA holder of Prince
Mukarram Jah Bahadur.
History
While Salabat Jung initiated its construction in 1750, it was completed
by the period of Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V, the V Nizam ensured its
completion between 1857 and 1869. It is believed to be modelled on Shah
of Iran's palace in Tehran.
The palace is unique for its style and elegance. Building of the palace
began in the late 18th century and over the decades a synthesis of many
architectural styles and influences emerged. This palace consists of two
courtyards, southern courtyard and northern courtyard. They have elegant
palaces, the grand Khilwat (the Dharbar Hall), fountains and gardens.
The palace originally covered 45 acres (180,000 m2), but only 14 acres
(57,000 m2) remain today.
Southern Courtyard
This is the oldest part of the palace, and has four palaces Afzal Mahal,
Mahtab Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal. It was built in the
neo-classical style.
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Northern Courtyard
This part has Bara Imam, A long corridor of rooms on the east side
face the central fountain and pool that, once housed the
administrative wing. and Shishe-Alat meaning mirror image.
It has Mughal domes and arches and many Persian elements like the
ornate stucco work that adorn the Khilwat Mubarak. These were
characteristic of buildings built in Hyderabad at the time.
Opposite to the Bara Imam is a building that is its shishe or mirror
image. The rooms were once used as guest rooms for officials
accompanying visiting dignitaries. |
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Khilwat Mubarak
This is heart of Chowmahalla Palace. It is held in high esteem by the
people of Hyderabad, as it was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The
grand pillared Durbar Hall has a pure marble platform on which the
Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. Here the Nizams held their
durbar and other religious and symbolic ceremonies. The 19 spectacular
Chandeliers of Belgian crystal recently reinstalled to recreate the lost
splendor of this regal hall.
Clock Tower
The clock above the main gate to Chowmahalla Palace is affectionately
called as Khilwat Clock. It has been ticking away for around 250 years.
An expert family of clock repairers winds the mechanical clock every
week.
Council Hall
This building housed a rare collection of manuscripts and priceless
books. The Nizam often met important officials and dignitaries
here.Today it is venue for temporary exhibitions from the treasures of
the Chowmahalla Palace Collection that of a bygone era.
Roshan Bangla
The sixth Nizam is believed to have lived here and the building was
named after his mother Roshan Begum.
The present Nizam (Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, Pretender) and his
family decided to restore the Chowmahalla Palace and open it to the
public in January 2005. It took over 5 years to document and restore the
palaces of the first courtyard to its former glory.
Getting There
The nearest airport
to this attraction is
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (IATA: HYD, ICAO: VOHS), also
known as Hyderabad International Airport, or simply RGIA.
It is an
international airport serving the metropolis of Hyderabad located at Shamshabad,
about 22 km (14 mi) south of Hyderabad.
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