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{{Short description|Monument in India}}
{{Other uses|Char Minar (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Charminar
| image = Charminar Hyderabad 1.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Hyderabad#India
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| location = [[Old City (Hyderabad, India)|Old City]] of [[Hyderabad]], [[Telangana]], [[India]]
| coordinates = {{coord|17.36163|78.47467|region:IN-AP_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| religious_affiliation = [[Shia Islam]]{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}
| rite =
| region =
| state = Telangana
| province =
| territory =
| prefecture =
| sector =
| district = Hyderabad district
| circle =
| municipality = [[GHMC]]
| consecration_year = {{start date and age|1591|df=y|p=y}}
| functional_status =
| heritage_designation = [[Monument of National Importance]], [[List of World Heritage Sites in India#Tentative list of Heritage sites|UNESCO Tentative List]]
| leadership =
| patron =
| website =
| architecture =
| architect = Mir Momin Astarabadi<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/here-sleeps-the-earliest-urban-planner/article4827466.ece |title = Here sleeps the earliest urban planner|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 18 June 2013|last1 = Khan|first1 = Asif Yar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url= http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hyderabad-Tab/2016-04-05/Remembering-the-man-behind-Charminars-architecture/218943|title = Remembering the man behind Charminar's architecture | website= thehansindia.com| publisher= |date = 5 April 2016| access-date= May 24, 2023}}</ref>
| architecture_type =
| architecture_style = [[Indo-Islamic architecture]]
| administration = [[Government of Telangana]]
| founded_by = [[Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah]]
| funded_by =
| general_contractor =
| facade_direction =
| groundbreaking =
| construction_cost =
| specifications =
| capacity =
| length =
| width =
| width_nave =
| dome_quantity =
| dome_height_outer =
| dome_height_inner =
| dome_dia_outer =
| dome_dia_inner =
| minaret_quantity = 4
| minaret_height = {{convert|48.7|m|ft}}
| height_max = {{convert|56|m|ft}}
| spire_quantity =
| spire_height =
| materials = [[granite]], [[limestone]], [[mortar (masonry)|mortar]] and [[marble|pulverized marble]]
| added =
| designated =
}}
The '''Charminar''' ({{Literal translation|four [[minarets]]}}) is a monument located in [[Hyderabad]], [[Telangana]], [[India]]. Constructed in 1591, the landmark is a symbol of Hyderabad and officially incorporated in the [[emblem of Telangana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/140530/nation-current-affairs/article/kakatiya-arch-charminar-telangana-state-logo|title= Kakatiya arch, Charminar in Telangana state logo|access-date=1 July 2015|date= 30 May 2014|work=The Deccan Chronicle}}</ref> The Charminar's long history includes the existence of a mosque on its top floor for more than 434 years. While both historically and religiously significant, it is also known for its popular and busy local markets surrounding the structure, and has become one of the most frequented tourist attractions in Hyderabad. Charminar is also a site of numerous festival celebrations, such as [[Eid-ul-adha]] and [[Eid al-Fitr]],<ref>{{cite web|url= https://simplefoodreviews.com/charminar-hyderabad/|title=Charminar Hyderabad Tourism | work= simplefoodreviews.com| date= 19 April 2023| publisher= | access-date= May 24, 2023}}</ref> as it is adjacent to the city's main mosque, the [[Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad|Makkah Masjid]].

The Charminar is situated on the east bank of [[Musi River (India)|Musi River]].<ref>{{Britannica|id=107583|title=Charminar}}</ref> To the west lies the [[Laad Bazaar]], and to the southwest the richly ornamented Makkah Masjid.<ref name=Britannica/> It is listed as an archaeological and architectural treasure on the official list of monuments prepared by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alphabetical List of Monuments - Andhra Pradesh |publisher=[[Archaeological Survey of India]] |url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_andhra.asp |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140625052615/http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_andhra.asp |archive-date=25 June 2014 |url-status=dead |access-date=27 August 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The English name is a translation and combination of the [[Urdu]] words ''chār'' and ''minar'', translating to "Four Pillars"; the towers are ornate minarets attached and supported by four grand arches.<ref name=Britannica>{{cite encyclopedia| url= https://www.britannica.com/facts/11/788576/Charminar-as-discussed-in-Hyderabad |title= Charminar: Hyderabad| url-status= dead| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100825130946/https://www.britannica.com/facts/11/788576/Charminar-as-discussed-in-Hyderabad| archivedate= August 25, 2010 |encyclopedia= Britannica Compton's Encyclopedia| publisher= | date=| access-date= May 24, 2023}}</ref>

==History==
The fifth ruler of the [[Qutub Shahi dynasty|Qutb Shahi dynasty]], [[Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah]], built the Charminar in 1591 after shifting his capital from [[Golconda]] to the newly formed city of [[Hyderabad]].

[[File:Gulza Houz.jpg|thumb|left|Charminar, [[Char Kaman]] and [[Gulzar Houz]], photographed by [[Lala Deen Dayal]] in the 1880s]]
The [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI), the current caretaker of the monument, mentions in its records, "There are various theories regarding the purpose for which Charminar was constructed. However, it is widely accepted that Charminar was built at the centre of the city, to commemorate the eradication of plague", a deadly disease which was widespread at that time.<ref name="ASI">{{cite web|url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_ap_charminar.asp|title=Ticketed monuments-Telangana|year=2011|work=[[Archaeological Survey of India]]|access-date=19 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="I-Radio">{{cite news|url=http://english.irib.ir/subcontinent/culture/history/item/85075-india-charminar-is-in-fact-a-madrasa-and-masjid|title=India: Charminar is in fact a madrasa and masjid|date=18 November 2012|access-date=23 December 2012|publisher=[[IRIB World Service]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112091724/http://english.irib.ir/subcontinent/culture/history/item/85075-india-charminar-is-in-fact-a-madrasa-and-masjid|archive-date=12 January 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> According to [[Jean de Thévenot]], a French traveller of the 17th century whose narration was complemented with the available [[Persian language|Persian]] texts, the Charminar was constructed in the year 1591 CE, to commemorate the beginning of the second Islamic millennium year (1000 [[islamic calendar|AH]]). The event was celebrated far and wide in the [[Islamic world]], thus Qutb Shah founded the city of Hyderabad to celebrate the event and commemorate it with the construction of this building.<ref name="UNESCO">{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5573/|title=The Qutb Shahi monuments of Hyderabad-Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Charminar|date=10 September 2010|publisher=[[UNESCO World Heritage Centre]]|access-date=21 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="bilgrami">{{cite book|title=Landmarks of the Deccan|last=Bilgrami|first=Syed Ali Asgar|publisher=[[Asian Educational Services]]|year=1992|isbn=8120605438|orig-year=1924}}</ref>{{rp|17–19}}

The construction began in 1589 and was completed in two years at a cost of Rs. 9 lakhs, which was around 2 lakh huns/gold coins in those times. Upon completion, it was the [[List of tallest buildings in Hyderabad#Timeline of tallest structures|tallest structure in Hyderabad]]. It is said to weigh around 14000 tonnes with a minimum of 30 feet deep foundation. In 1670, a minaret had fallen after being struck by lightning. It was then repaired at a cost of around Rs. 58000. In 1820, some part of it was renovated by [[Sikander Jah, Asaf Jah III|Sikandar Jah]] at a cost of Rs. 2 lakh.

The Charminar was constructed at the intersection of the historical trade route that connects the city to international markets through the port city of Machilipatnam.<ref name="Lauren&Jaffrelot">{{cite book|title=Muslims in Indian cities: trajectories of marginalisation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z7J8ITgtkosC|last1=Gayer|first1=Lauren|last2=Lynton|first2=Christophe Jaffrelot|publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]|year=2011|isbn=9780231800853|access-date=21 December 2012}}</ref>{{rp|195}} The [[Old City (Hyderabad, India)|Old City of Hyderabad]] was designed with Charminar as its centrepiece.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/371808/Mecca-Mosque|title=Mecca Mosque|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=3 November 2011}}</ref> The city was spread around the Charminar in four different quadrants and chambers, segregated according to the established settlements. Towards the north of Charminar is the [[Char Kaman]], or four gateways, constructed in the cardinal direction.<ref name="UNESCO" /><ref name="Lauren&Jaffrelot" /><ref name="aponline">{{cite web|title=Qutb Shahi style (mainly in and around Hyderabad city)|url=http://www.aponline.gov.in/Quick%20links/HIST-CULT/architecture_qut.html |website= aponline.gov.in |publisher=[[Government of Telangana]]| year=2002|access-date=21 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110075247/http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/architecture_qut.html|archive-date=10 January 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Marika">{{Cite thesis |title= Golkonda through time: A mirror of the evolving Deccan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q8zERtJWtSUC|last=Sardar|first=Marika|publisher=[[New York University]]| year=2007|id=UMI Number:3269810|access-date=21 December 2012}}</ref>{{rp|170}} Additional eminent architects from [[Persia]] were also invited to develop the city plan. The structure itself was intended to serve as a mosque and [[madrasa]]. It is of [[Indo-Islamic architecture]] style, incorporating [[Persian architecture|Persian architectural]] elements. A sample of Charminar is said to have been created at Dabirpura/Nagaboli graveyard before the actual construction.

Qutb Shah was also among the early poets of [[Dakhani|Dakhani Urdu]]. While laying the foundation of Charminar, he performed the prayers in Dakhini couplets, which are recorded as follows:<ref name="Masud">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v4UKJFLZVcEC |title=Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah, volume 216 |publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |year=1996 |isbn=8126002336 |access-date=21 December 2012}}</ref>{{rp|4}}<ref name="prayers">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article3475754.ece|title=Final abode of Mohd. Quli Qutb Shah and six others.|date=31 May 2012|access-date=23 December 2012|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai, India}}</ref>
{|
|-
|
<div style="padding-left:2em">
<poem>
:::Dakhini Urdu
{{Nastaliq|میرا شہر لوگوں سے مامور کر
راكهيو جوتو دريا میں مچھلی جيسے}}
</poem>
</div>
||
:::Translation into Telugu
: నదిలో చేపలని ఎలా నింపావో
: ఈ నగరాన్ని కూడా అలా నింపు దేవుడా<ref name="Masud" />{{rp|4}}<ref name="prayers" />
||
:::Translation into English
:Fill this city of mine with people as,
:You filled the river with fishes ''O Lord''.<ref name="Masud" />{{rp|4}}<ref name="prayers" />
||
:::Hunterian Transliteration
:Mere shahr logon se mamoor kar,
:Rakhiyo joto darya mein machhli jaise.<ref name="Masud" />{{rp|4}}<ref name="prayers" />
||
:::Translation into Hindi
: मेरा शहर लोगों के मामूर कर,
: राख्यों जो तो दरया में मछली जैसी
|}

=== Mughal rule ===
Charminar was later captured and became an icon of [[Mughal Empire]], the [[Asaf Jah I]] was the custodian of the famous structure.

80,000 [[Sepoy]] units loyal to the Mughal Empire lived within the "garrison of the Charminar" and often viewed it as a sister of the [[Taj Mahal]]{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}.

==Structure==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Minaret of the Charminar.jpg|A minaret of the Charminar
File:Charminar in detail.jpg|Details
File:Clock of the Charminar.jpg|Clock of the Charminar, installed by the 6th Nizam [[Mir Mahbub Ali Khan]]
File:The interior view of Charminar.jpg|Interior
File:Mosque on Second Floor.jpg|Second Floor
File:Panoramic morning view.jpg|Street view
File:Charminar in Night.jpg|At night
File:Minarets of the Charminar.jpg|Two minarets
File:Charminar in tri-color lightings.jpg|Charminar lit up in the colors of the Flag of India
File:Charminar - May 2023.jpg|Charminar - May 2023
</gallery>
The Charminar masjid is a square structure with each side being {{Convert|20|m|ft}} long. Each of the four sides has one of four grand arches, each facing a fundamental point that opens directly onto the street in front of it. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped {{Convert|56|m|ft}} high minaret, with a double balcony. Each minaret is crowned by a bulbous dome with dainty, petal-like designs at the base. Unlike the minarets of [[Taj Mahal]], Charminar's four fluted minarets are built into the main structure. There are 149 winding steps to reach the upper floor. The structure is also known for its profusion of stucco decorations and the arrangement of balustrades and balconies.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/060730/dmag8.htm |title= Grandeur and grace| website= Dawn.com |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070610113243/http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/060730/dmag8.htm |archivedate=10 June 2007 |publisher= | access-date=}}</ref>

The structure is made of granite, limestone, mortar, and pulverised marble, weighing approximately 14,000 tones apiece.<ref name="TOI History">{{cite news|title=Is it Charminar's 425th birthday today?|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Is-it-Charminars-425th-birthday-today/articleshow/54752076.cms|newspaper=The Times of India |last=Papri |first=Paull|date=9 October 2016|access-date=9 October 2016}}</ref> Initially the monument was so proportionately planned that when the fort first opened, one could see all four corners of the bustling city of Hyderabad through each of its four grand arches, as each arch faced one of the most active royal ancestral streets.

A mosque is located at the western end of the open roof. The remaining section of the roof served as a royal court during the Qutb Shahi times. The actual mosque occupies the top floor of the four-storey structure. A vault which appears from inside like a dome supports two galleries within the Charminar, one over another. Above those is a terrace that serves as a roof that is bordered with a stone balcony. The main gallery has 45 covered prayer spaces with a large open space in front to accommodate more people for Friday prayers.

The clock on the four cardinal directions was added in 1889. There is a vazu (water cistern) in the middle with a small fountain for [[Ablution in Islam|ablution]] before offering prayer in the Charminar mosque.<ref>{{cite web|title=Charminar Mosque |url= http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_ap_charminar.asp| work=asi.nic.in |publisher= |access-date=24 November 2012}}</ref>

==Surrounding area==
[[File:A typical charminar evening.jpg|thumb|280px|Panorama of Charminar complex, showing the Charminar, [[Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad|Mecca Masjid]] and [[Nizamia General Hospital|Nizamia Hospital]]]]
The area surrounding Charminar is also known by the same name. It is within the ambit of the [[Charminar (Assembly constituency)|Charminar constituency]].

===Makkah Masjid===
{{main|Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad}}

The monument overlooks another grand mosque called the [[Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad|Makkah Masjid]]. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the 5th ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, commissioned bricks to be made from the soil brought from [[Mecca]], the holiest site of [[Islam]], and used them in the construction of the central arch of the mosque, hence its name.

===Bazaars===
{{main|Laad Bazaar}}
[[File:Hyderabad bazaar (6111054896).jpg|alt=A very busy colorful street with many people walking along rows of little shops|thumb|Laad bazaar street scene in the year 2000]]
A market named [[Laad Bazaar]] is around Charminar. It is known for its jewelry, especially bangles. The nearby [[Pathargatti]] boulevard is also an important business street known for its pearls. In its heyday, the Charminar market had some 14,000 shops. The Bazaars surrounding Charminar were described in the poem "[[In the Bazaars of Hyderabad]]" by [[Sarojini Naidu]].

=== Char Kaman and Gulzar Houz ===
{{Main|Char Kaman|Gulzar Houz}}

[[File:Char Kaman.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Char Kaman]] seen from the top of the Charminar]]
Arches in four directions of Charminar are known as [[Char Kaman]]. These were built along with the Charminar in the 16th century. These are the ''Kali Kaman'', ''Machli Kaman'', ''Seher-e-Batil ki Kaman'' and ''Charminar Kaman''. At the centre of these arches is a fountain called the [[Gulzar Houz]]. The Char Kaman are in dire need of restoration, and protection from encroachments.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Char-kaman-in-Old-City-faces-monumental-neglect/articleshow/9169234.cms|title=Char kaman in Old City faces monumental neglect - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.thehindu.com/mp/2004/03/10/stories/2004031000490300.htm|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160101224338/http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2004/03/10/stories/2004031000490300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-01-01|website=[[The Hindu]] |title=Glory of the gates|date=2004-03-10|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref>

== Influences ==
In 2007, [[Hyderabadi Muslims]] living in Pakistan constructed a small-scaled quasi replica of the Charminar at the main crossing of the [[Bahadurabad]] neighbourhood in [[Karachi]].<ref>{{cite web| first= M. Rafique |last= Zakaria| url= http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/070422/dmag3.htm |title= Charminar in Karachi| work= [[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]]| date= 22 April 2007| publisher= | access-date= }}</ref>

[[Lindt & Sprüngli|Lindt]] chocolatier Adelbert Boucher created a scaled model of the Charminar out of 50 kilograms of chocolate. The model, which required three days' labour, was on display at The [[Westin]], Hyderabad, India on 25 and 26 September 2010.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/09/25/stories/2010092553140000| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110225104059/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/09/25/stories/2010092553140000| archivedate= February 25, 2011| title= A Charminar to drool and eat| website= Hindu.com| publisher= | date= | access-date= }}</ref>

The [[Charminar Express]] is an express train named after the Charminar, which runs between [[Hyderabad Deccan railway station|Hyderabad]] and [[Chennai Central railway station|Chennai]].<gallery caption="Other appearances of Charminar">
File:PK Karachi asv2020-02 img88 Charminar Chowrangi.jpg|A replica of the Charminar built in the [[Bahadurabad]], [[Karachi]], Pakistan
File:Silver one rupee coin from the princely state of Hyderabad featuring the iconic Charminar Gate.jpg|Silver [[one rupee coin]] from the [[Hyderabad state|princely state of Hyderabad]], featuring the Charminar
File:Five-rupee note from Hyderabad anoyher side.jpg|Five [[Hyderabadi rupee|Hyderabadi Rupee]] note issued during the reign of [[Asaf Jah VII]]
</gallery>The Charminar also appears on coins and banknotes of the defunct [[Hyderabadi rupee|Hyderabadi Rupee]], the currency of the erstwhile [[Hyderabad State]].

As an icon of the city of [[Hyderabad]] as well as the [[Telangana]] State, the structure also appears on the [[Emblem of Telangana]], along with the [[Kakatiya Kala Thoranam]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/south/story/telangana-to-have-new-logo-194930-2014-05-29|title=Exclusive: Telangana to have unique logo |website= [[India Today]] |date=29 May 2014 |language=en|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2014/may/31/telangana-state-emblem-looks-simple-yet-profound-619441.html|title=Telangana State Emblem Looks Simple Yet Profound|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref>

==Charminar Pedestrianisation Project (CPP)==
The Charminar Pedestrianisation Project is an initiative aimed at transforming the area around the iconic Charminar monument in Hyderabad, India into a pedestrian-friendly zone. The project was proposed by the government of Telangana in 2016 and is part of a larger effort to improve the city's urban infrastructure. The Charminar is a historic monument that attracts millions of visitors each year, but the surrounding area is congested with traffic and is not conducive to walking. The Pedestrianisation Project seeks to address this issue by creating a car-free zone around the monument and improving the overall pedestrian experience.

The project involves the construction of wider sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and improved lighting, as well as the installation of street furniture and landscaping to create a more attractive and welcoming environment for visitors. The plan also includes the development of a dedicated parking area for visitors to the Charminar, which will be located outside the pedestrian zone.

The project has been met with some controversy, as it involves the relocation of several street vendors and businesses that currently operate in the area. However, proponents of the project argue that the benefits of creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment around the Charminar will outweigh any short-term disruptions.

Overall, the Charminar Pedestrianisation Project represents an important effort to improve the urban infrastructure of Hyderabad and create a more attractive and accessible environment for visitors to one of the city's most iconic landmarks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/charminar-pedestrianisation-project-getting-closer-to-reality-now/article19970347.ece|title=Charminar Pedestrianisation Project getting closer to reality now|first=Serish|last=Nanisetti|date=2 November 2017| website= thehindu.com}}</ref> Later during January 2017, the new [[Government of Telangana]] introduced a 14-member French Delegation to take over the project to assess the feasibility in developing the monument as an eco-friendly tourism and heritage destination.<ref name="auto1">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1R1HBQAAQBAJ&q=charminar+pedestrianization+project+2006&pg=PT63 |title=Mediated Citizenship: The Informal Politics of Speaking for Citizens in the Global South |first1= Bettina von| last1=Lieres|first2=L.|last2=Piper|date=8 October 2014| publisher=Springer|isbn=9781137405319|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="siasat.com">{{cite web| url= https://archive.siasat.com/news/french-delegation-visits-charminar-pedestrian-project-1116111/|title=French Delegation Visits Charminar Pedestrian Project |work= The Siasat Daily |date=23 January 2017}}</ref> The team has inspected surrounding areas such as the Gulzar house, Makkah Masjid, Lad Bazar, and Sardar Mahal.<ref name="auto">{{cite web| url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/charminar-pedestrianisation-project-yet-to-see-light-of-the-day/article8425148.ece|title=Charminar Pedestrianisation Project yet to see light of the day|first=Serish|last=Nanisetti|date=2 April 2016| website= thehindu.com}}</ref><ref name="telanganatoday.com">{{cite web |url= https://telanganatoday.com/charminar-pedestrian-project|title=Charminar Pedestrianisation Project gathers pace| website= telanganatoday.com| publisher= |date=13 November 2017| access-date= }}</ref><ref name="auto1"/><ref name= "siasat.com"/>

==UNESCO World Heritage Site tentative list==
[[File:The Charminar on a cloudy day.jpg|thumb|Charminar on a cloudy day]]

Charminar, along with the [[Qutb Shahi]] Monuments of [[Hyderabad]]: the [[Golconda Fort]], and the [[Qutb Shahi Tombs]], were included in the "[[List of World Heritage Sites in India#Tentative list of Heritage sites|tentative list]]" of [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]. The monument was submitted by the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO on September 10, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5573/|title=The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Charminar |website=whc.unesco.org| publisher= [[UNESCO]] World Heritage Centre}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Layout/Includes/EDU/ArtWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=EDU&BaseHref=TOIM%2F2012%2F06%2F24&ViewMode=HTML&PageLabel=22&EntityId=Ar02201&AppName=1 |title=Prestige or Preservation? |website= Times of India |access-date=3 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622005212/http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Layout/Includes/EDU/ArtWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=EDU&BaseHref=TOIM%2F2012%2F06%2F24&ViewMode=HTML&PageLabel=22&EntityId=Ar02201&AppName=1 |archive-date=22 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Temple structure ==

A temple by the name of [[Bhagyalakshmi temple|Bhagyalakshmi Temple]] sprouted up at the base of Charminar in the 1960s. The [[Archaeological Survey of India]]—which manages the Charminar—has declared the temple structure as an unauthorised construction.<ref name="RTI_ASI">{{cite web|title=RTI response from ASI hosted on a website |url= http://twocircles.net/2013apr05/controversial_bhagya_laxmi_mandir_hyd_‘unauthorized’_structure_built_after_1959_asi.html#.Vl8A9N-rQU0 |website= twocircles.net |publisher=Two Circles| access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref> The [[Telangana High Court|Hyderabad High Court]] has stopped any further expansion of the temple.<ref name="TOI_trust_denies_2012">{{cite news | url = https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Trust-denies-expansion-of-Bhagyalakshmi-temple/articleshow/17121490.cms | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131115220430/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-07/hyderabad/34971669_1_communal-tension-temple-structure-temple-trustees | url-status = live | archive-date = 2013-11-15 | title = Trust denies expansion of Bhagyalakshmi temple | date = 2012-11-07 | newspaper = [[The Times of India]] | access-date = 2012-11-07 }}</ref> While the origin of the temple is currently disputed, the current structure that houses the idol was erected in the 1960s. In 2012, ''[[The Hindu]]'' newspaper published an old photograph showing that the temple structure never existed.<ref name="hindu2">{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/a-note-on-the-charminar-photograph/article4119747.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=A note on the Charminar photograph | date=21 November 2012}}</ref><ref name="hindu1">{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/as-protests-roil-charminar-hyderabads-heritage-slowly-vanishes/article4116422.ece?homepage=true | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | first=A. | last=Srivathsan | title=As protests roil Charminar, Hyderabad's heritage slowly vanishes | date=20 November 2012}}</ref> The Hindu also released a note asserting the authenticity of the photographs, and clearly stated that there was no temple structure in photos taken in 1957 and 1962. Additionally, it showed photos that provide evidence that the temple is a recent addition: a temple structure can be seen in photos taken in 1990 and 1994. Also, a temple is seen in a photograph taken in 1986, which is kept in the Aga Khan Visual Archive, [[MIT Libraries]]' collections, United States, but not in the earlier ones.<ref name="hindu2" />

== See also ==
* [[Nizams of Hyderabad]]
* [[History of Hyderabad, India|History of Hyderabad]]
* [[Hyderabad State|Kingdom of Hyderabad]]
* [[Tourist attractions in Hyderabad]]
* [[Hyderabad city]]
* [[Telangana State]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Hyderabad}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wiaMXm4QVuM Clip of Old Charminar]
* [http://gigapan.com/gigapans/19862 Panoramic image of Charminar along with Old City of Hyderabad]; published in Earth Platinum Atlacharmin
* {{cite web| url= https://www.siasat.com/is-the-charminar-charkaman-central-square-incomplete-without-the-palaces-2145852/ |title= Is the Charminar-Charkaman Central Square incomplete without the palaces?| website= siasat.com| publisher= | date= 3 June 2021}}
* {{cite web| url= http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?283075 |title= Mushroom Minarette| first= Madhavi| last= Tata| website= OutLookIndia.com| publisher= |date= 2012-12-03| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20130506160921/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?283075| archivedate= 2013-05-06}}
* [https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/birth-hyderabad-and-how-charminar-survived-might-aurangzeb-50594 Complete history] at thenewsminute.com

{{Hyderabad topics}}
{{Mosques in India}}
{{Qutb Shahi Monuments}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Telangana]]
[[Category:Hyderabad State]]
[[Category:Cultural heritage of India]]
[[Category:World Heritage Tentative List for India]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1591]]
[[Category:Buildings on the Indian Archaeological Register]]
[[Category:Mosques in Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Qutb Shahi architecture]]
[[Category:16th-century mosques in India]]
[[Category:Mosques completed in the 1590s]]
[[Category:Mosque buildings with minarets in India]]
[[Category:Sunni mosques in India]]
[[Category:Monuments of National Importance in Telangana]]

Charminar - Revision history

JerryGuerrero at 18:17, 16 March 2026