Kondapalli Fort, dating back to 14th century, is constructed on a hillock near Vijayawada. The fort with a three-storied rock tower is assumed to be built by Prolaya Vema Reddi, the founder of Reddy kingdom of Kondaveedu. Some historians claim that the fort was as old as 7th century and was built by King Krishna Deva Raya. The fort got renovated later under the control of the Qutub Shahis.
Built by the Rashtrakutas, Nizamabad Fort is the pride of the city as well as the district. In 1311 AD, this Fort was occupied by Allauddin Khilji, followed by the Bahamanis, Qutub Shahis and eventually by Asaf Jahis. Dating back to the 10th century, the colossal fort is encircled by fortifications and bastions. Today, its spacious halls and summer house reflect the Asaf Jahi style of architecture.
Udayagiri Fort which is Located about 100 km (62 mi) from Nellore. Udayagiri Fort commanding at a height of 3079 feet. Boasts of great natural beauty. The hill side has lush vegetation and beautiful waterfalls. The ruined fort is attracting the Tourists in a big way. However, the access is only by steps and there is no road to the Fort. During the rule of the Gajapathis and the Vijayanagar Rulers, this Town grew to great splendour. The ruins of 365 Temples found in the Town reflected the sculputure and architecture of various periods.
Located in the heart of Kurnool & supposedly built by the Rajas of Vijayanagaram, Konda Reddy Buruju was a part of Kurnool fort & was used as a prison. One revolutionary Konda Reddy attained martyrdom in this prison. Since then the place is known as Konda Reddy Buruju. Other interesting places to see in & around Kurnool are the Gol Gumbaz, Church, Shirdi Sai Baba temple and Jagannatha Gutta.
The fort, once a strong hold of the Vijayanagar empire, stands in ruins upon the hills. The Jama Masjid in this town is a classic example of Islamic architecture.
Situated on the right banks of River Pennar, Gandikota village is renowned for its Fort. Gandikota Fort is beautified with the picturesque beauty of nature and wild forest, thereby making it one of the tourist attractions of Kadapa. The history of the Fort dates back to 112 A.D. Historical records suggests that the Fort was prominent during Kakatiya, Vijayanagara and Qutub Shahi periods.
Purana Haveli is the main residence of Mahbub Ali Pasha, the Nizam VI. One of the neo-classical structures, it is a sprawling complex built during the mid-nineteenth century. That the Nizam lived a lavish life can be seen from the Massarat Mahal, situated on the eastern wing of the building. It houses the Nizam’s wooden wardrobe, a giant 73-square-meter room having two closets and an elevator. The two closets are of two levels, and the mechanical elevator is used to reach the top level of the closets.
The Golconda Fort is situated due west of Hyderabad. The fort was founded as early as the twelfth century by the Kakatias. The Qutub Sahi kings converted this fort into a mighty fort with granite walls and ramparts that extend to around 5 kilometers in circumference. The perimeter of this massive fort measures around 11 kilometers, with 15 to 18-foot-high walls. There are as many as 70 ramparts besides 8 huge gates.
Golconda was once the market city for its diamond trade. Darya-e Nur, meaning ‿sea of light‿, measuring 185 carats and housed now in Iran, was mined here. Many other famed diamonds—including the Kohinoor Diamond, Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond, the Hope Diamond, and the Regent Diamond—are believed to belong to the mines in this region.
Falaknuma Palace is located 5 kilometers due south of Charminar. The palace is located on a 2000-foot-high hill. Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra built this palace and Nizam VI purchased this palace from Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra in 1897. The latter used this palace as a royal guest house. The grandson of Nizam VII, Nawab Mukarramjah Bahadur, owns this palace now.
With lavishly decorated interiors and built by an Italian architect, this palace stands as a witness to the late nineteenth century architectural taste of Hyderabad. The palace is modeled like a scorpion whose two “stings‿ are spreading out towards north. The palace has as many as 220 lavishly designed rooms as well as 22 halls.
Chowmahalla Palace is near the Charminar. It comprises of four palaces. The Asif Jahi dynasty made this palace as their seat. The official guests as well as royal visitors were entertained here. The heart of the Chowmahalla Palace is called Khilwat Mubarak, and houses the Clock Tower, Council Hall and Roshan Bungalow. Roshan Bungalow was named after the sixth Nizam’s mother, Roshan Begum.
The palace was restored and opened to public in January 2005. After five years of documentation and restoration work, the first courtyard regained its former glory.
