Charminar, the impressive square monument is one of the major attractions in Hyderabad, the capital city of the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. A magnificent edifice, it's a landmark in the city and marks its 400 years of history. Often called "The Arc de triomphe of the East", the Charminar, is an impressive square monument with four minarets. The top storey of the monument has a mosque, which has 45 covered prayer spaces and also some open space. This oldest surviving mosque in the city of Hyderabad, can be reached by climbing a total of 149 steps. The monument looks more beautiful, when it is illuminated with colourful lights in the evening.

The Charminar is a massive arch built by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, the erstwhile Qutub Shahi Sultan of Golconda, in 1591, to commemorate the end of the plague in the city. The history of Hyderabad starts with the formation of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. Due to the scantiness of water and recurrent epidemics of plague and cholera, the monarch built the novel city with the Charminar as it center with four great roads fanning out in four important directions.

Enormous in its size, this imposing monument of India was built with granite and lime-mortar. It basically depicts the Indo-Saracenic tradition- an assimilation of the Hindu and the Muslim traditions, which has woven the magnificent Deccan culture. It illustrates the essence of Islamic architecture with its use of arches, minarets and domes in a harmonic whole. The four arched gates and the four towering minarets of this building reflect its Islamic lineage but the overall rendering of the building reflects a strong local influence.
Charminar derives its name from four intricately carved minarets, The four graceful minarets literally meaning 'Four Minars', soar to a height of 48.7 meters each, above the ground. Each of the four arches is decorated on its sides with a row of small arched niches. The arch is illuminated every evening, further enhancing the beauty of this enchanted monument.
According to Mir Moazzam Husain, a long time official of the UNESCO and a keen student of this historic city, “these minarets may even symbolize the first four khalifs of Islam, but I cannot vouch for this interpretation with any degree of certainty.” At the western end of the roof of Charminar is a beautiful mosque; the oldest in Hyderabad, and the rest of the roof was used as a court in Qutub Shahi times. Atop the great monument are 45 prayer spaces for the devout where they can offer worship in an atmosphere un spoilt by the bustle of the city. East of this space is a spacious verandah with small and large arches in the middle. The first floor has beautiful balconies from where one has a fantastic view of the historic city and its later accretions. This mosque is the oldest surviving mosque in the city of Hyderabad.  The mosque gives a panoramic view of the sprawling and amorphous city.
The commercial bazaar is situated close to Charminar. The market is major attraction for the tourists as well as buyers. The colourful shops sell items like glass bangles, pearls, jewelleries, traditional Muslim gear and Mughla delicacies.

Air:- Begumpet airport is located at a distance of 15 Kms from Charminar. The airlines operate flights from major cities of country to Hyderabad. The taxis are available from the airport to the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Rail:-Hyderabad and Secenderabad railway stations are well-connected to major towns and cities of the country.

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