Location : Hyderabad, 5 km. from Charminar
Best Time to Visit : October to March
Unique Feature : Jade collection
Visiting : Occasion basis
One of the finest palace in Hyderabad, Falaknuma Palace, located in
Falaknuma, 5km.from Charminar, built by Nawab Vikar-ul-Ulmara, the
then Prime Minister of Hyderabad.
An Italian architect was designed this palace and the foundation
for the construction was laid on 3rd March 1884. The palace took 9
years to complete the construction, totally made with Italian marble
and it covers a total area of 9,39,712-sq-metre. It was purchased by
Nizam VI in 1897 and was used as a royal guesthouse has a commanding
view of the entire city. It was sure that the Falaknuma palace was
gifted to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mehboob Ali Khan by the
generous Nawab. Falaknuma houses a large collection of rare
treasures collected by the Nizam including paintings, statues,
furniture, manuscripts and books. The Jade collection of the Palace
is considered to be unique in the world.
One of the highlight's of the palace is the state reception room,
whose ceiling is decorated with frescoes and gilded relief's. The
ballroom contains a two-ton manually operated organ said to be the
only one of its kind in the world. This apart the palace has as many
as 220 lavishly decorated rooms and 22 spacious halls. The palace
has some of the finest treasures collected by the Nizam.
The famed dining hall of the palace could seat 100 guests on a
single table. The furniture is also very aesthetic. The chairs are
carved rosewood with green leather upholstery. The tableware was
made of gold and crystal to which fluted music was added. The ground
floor of the palace houses the living quarters. The marbled
staircase leads to the upper floor. It has carved balustrades which
supports marble figures with candelabra at intervals. On the walls
of the landing are excellent oil paintings of the Asaf Jahi family,
past ministers and notable personages, the whole forming a very
interesting historical picture gallery which adds greatly to the
imposing effect of the staircase.
Since the palace was the private property of the Nizam family till
very recently, visitors weren't allowed. Occasionally, however, the
venue is opened for public view. The Taj group has taken over the
palace now, and work is afoot to convert it to a 5-star hotel by the
year 2001.
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