Golconda fort

Golconda Fort is one of the most renowned places that is associated with the southern city of Hyderabad. Sometimes known as Golconda Qila, is a fortress and remains of a ruined city, that is located on the outskirts of Hyderabad. As per Golconda Fort history, it was called Mankal and the Golconda Fort was built by the ruler Prataparudra in the 11th century. 

The importance of Golconda Fort comes from the fact that it is surrounded by diamond mines. The Kollur Mine resulted in making Golconda a trade centre and it flourished because of some of the largest diamonds and most famous diamonds of all time. The Kohinoor Diamond, which is now under British custody, was mined in Golconda. 

Currently, in ruins, the colossal fort has 8 gates and 87 bastions. The fort later came under the Bahmani rulers, and it was further extended and fortified. After coming under the rule of Aurangzeb, the fort was left without any attention in 1687. Though the Golconda Fort was built by Prataparudra, it was extended and updated by later rules as well. 

The complex Golconda palace with remains of mosques and pavilion, is what you can witness during your visit to the fort. Even in ruins, the fort is magnificent and will leave you in awe of the design and architecture which is centuries old now. 

Golconda Fort Location

Golconda Fort history is quite rich and diverse, and it has undergone several rules in the past. It is located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, about 12 kilometres from the city centre. The entire fort occupies an area of 3 square kilometres. The Golconda Fort height is about 130 metres, which gives an excellent bird’s eye view of the nearby places. The granite hill on which the fort lies, is another 120 metres. The fort is easily accessible by road.

Language Spoken in Golconda Fort

You can speak various languages while visiting Golconda Fort or Hyderabad in general. Telugu and Urdu are the city's two official languages. However, you'll also hear a lot of Hindi and English spoken. Since Golconda ka Kila is just on the outskirts of Hyderabad, you won't encounter any language barriers if you speak one of these four languages when visiting the lake. If you struggle with any of these languages, it still should not hamper your trip to Golconda Kila, since the people around are extremely friendly. 

Currency Used In Golconda Fort

To visit the Golconda Fort, you will need Rupees as the currency. Either for buying tickets or for reaching the location via public transport or auto rickshaws, you will need rupees. For all the shops nearby, you can use the Rupees for buying. Though some of them now support UPI payments. If you use any of the UPI apps on your phone, you can make payments via them. 

Golconda Fort Is Known For

Golconda Killa in Hyderabad is known for several reasons. Primarily, it is one of the most stunning and complex fortress complexes in the country. Surrounding the fort were mines that were used for Diamonds. The Kohinoor diamond was mined in the Golconda mines. You can also experience the Golconda light show, which is exquisite, to say the least. There is even a legendary iron block that weighs 250 kilos. It is said that the iron weight was used to test the strength of the soldiers before their recruitment to the king’s army.  

The Type Of Place Golconda Fort Is

A historical fortress that has a long history associated with it. The Golconda Fort was built by ruler Praraparudra and has been there since the 11th century. After Aurangzeb took over, the fortress has mostly been in ruins. Presently, you can visit the fortress and learn about its history. Even the light and sound show depicts its royal past. The Golconda Fort ticket price is mentioned below. By paying the ticket price, you gain access to the different parts of the fortress. To make the most of your trip, it is recommended to visit anytime between September and March. 

How To Reach Golconda Fort?

For those wondering, Golconda Fort is located in which state, it is in the southern state of Telangana. And the Golconda Fort located on the outskirts of the capital city of Telangana. To visit the fort, you will first need to visit Hyderabad. The capital city is extremely well connected with the world. If you are travelling from outside India, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport links a lot of popular cities across the globe.

Now that you know Golconda in which state, you can explore other options to visit Hyderabad. You can take a train to Hyderabad as well. And road connectivity to Hyderabad is quite good as well. Depending on your convenience levels, you can choose any of these methods to reach Hyderabad.

Once you are in Hyderabad, you would want to know how to reach Golconda Fort. If you have your vehicle, you can easily drive to the fort, which is approximately 12 kilometres from the centre of the city. The Golconda Fort location is about 9 kilometres from the famous Hussain Sagar Lake. You can use the public transport system of Hyderabad as well, which will take you to the fort. Alternatively, you can take autorickshaws to the fort as well. 

Interesting Facts About Golconda Fort

The following are some Golconda information that you must know before visiting the fort. There are a lot of interesting things about the fortress. Here are some of the most prominent ones.

• There are quite a few secrets of Golconda Fort. One of them is secret tunnels under the fort, from the durbar to the palaces. These tunnels were built as escape routes if the fort was sieged back in the day. However, these have never been found out.
• Another fascinating thing about Golconda kota is its association with diamonds. Some of the most famous diamonds such as Kohinoor, Hope Diamond, Darya-e Nur, Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond, and Regent Diamond were owned by the sultans of Golconda. 
• The fort had inspired three other places with a similar name. Golconda is the name of a mining town in Arizona since it also had mines that were like the ones found near Golconda Fort. Though it is a ghost town now. Sarahsville in Illinois was later renamed Golconda in 1817. And similarly, Nevada also has a town named Golconda, which is a ghost town now. 
• Sri Jagadamba Maha Kali temple on the top of the fort is also known as Golconda temple. It is said that the king Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah was quite famous among his subjects and that he was even called Malkabhiram by Hindus. 
• The Naya Qila part of the fort has an African Baobab tree, which is now more than 400 years old.
• The mines near the fort are so famous that Golconda, meaning to native English speakers, is a rich mine. The name is used as a symbol of wealth. 

Why is Golconda Fort Recommended?

Apart from being a fortress and an ancient ruin, there are a lot of other compelling reasons to visit the Golconda Fort. Golconda history is quite interesting, and you will learn a lot about Golconda and its history when you visit the fort. Here are some of the major attractions when you visit the Golconda location. 

• Naya Qila - Often considered an extension of the original fort, the Naya Qila is 1 kilometre from the main location. If you want to visit the Naya Qila, it is open between 9 AM and 5 PM.
• Qutb Shahi Tombs - Golconda Fort distance is just 1.6 kilometres from the Qutb Shahi Tombs. The tombs are a collection of mosques and mausoleums that the Qutb Shahi dynasty built. There are a lot of beautifully crafted dome-shaped tombs that are built on elevated platforms, helping them stand out. 
• Golconda Fort architecture is a blend of Hindu-Islamic styles. The fort is known for the royal apartments that it has, massive parade grounds and a lot of mosques and halls. It was built on the top of a hill, to make the lives of royals easier during summers. 
• Legends say the Golconda history is linked to a shepherd. A shepherd found an idol in the place of what now is the Golconda Fort. The Kakatiyan king was informed of the same and a fort was built around the idol, and it was known as “Golla Konda”. In Telugu, it means Shepherd’s Hill. 

Operating Hours

Golconda Fort timing for visitors is from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM every day, including weekends and public holidays. If you are planning to get inside Golconda Fort, you must reach the fort between these times. 

However, please note that the Golconda fort timing can vary, and it's always a good idea to double-check the current timings before planning your visit. You can contact the local authorities or tourism office for the most up-to-date information regarding the Golconda Fort timing.

If you want to enjoy the sound and light show at the fort, there are different shows and timings that you can make the most of. On all days, the Golconda Fort light show is its first show in English. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the second show is in Telugu.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays the second show is in Hindi. The timings for the first show are at 6:30 PM and that of the second show is 7:45 PM between the months of November and February. For the rest of the year, the first show starts at 7 PM and the second show starts at 8:15 PM.

Golconda Fort ticket counter for the light and sound show opens at 5:30 PM every day. The Golconda Fort entry fee along with the prices of the ticket are mentioned below. However, if you do not want to stand in a queue and buy the tickets, you also have the convenience of buying Golconda Fort tickets online.

Ticket Prices

You will need to pay the Golconda Fort entry ticket price to enter the fort and spend time. Here are the charges for Golconda Fort tickets.