Kamal Guha at 15:40, 30 October 2023

2023-10-30T15:40:46Z

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{{short description|Palace in Hyderabad, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox Historic building
| name = Falaknuma Palace
| image = Falaknuma Palace 01.jpg
| image_size = 275px
| caption = Falaknuma Palace northern view
| map_alt = A map showing location of Hyderabad in Telangana, India.
| map_caption = Location of Hyderabad in Telangana, India
| coordinates = {{coord|17.3305|N|78.4675|E|display=inline}}
| location = [[Hyderabad]], [[India]]
| owner = [[Mukarram Jah]]
| cost = {{INR|4 million|link=yes}}
| operator = [[Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces]]
| architect = William Ward Marrett<ref>{{cite web|title=Falaknuma palace|url=http://dome.mit.edu/handle/1721.3/36809|access-date=3 March 2015}}</ref>
| opening_date = 1 Nov 2010<ref>[https://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news-articles/taj-falaknuma-palace-hyderabad-opens]</ref> (as a hotel) <br /> 1893 (as a palace)
| floor_area =
| client =
| engineer =
| start_date = 3 March 1884
| completion_date= 1893
| style = [[Palladian]]
| size = {{convert|93971|m2|abbr=on}}
}}

'''Falaknuma''' is a palace in [[Hyderabad, Telangana]], [[India]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/Falaknuma-Palace-Turning-the-pages-of-history/article17366606.ece|title=Falaknuma Palace: Turning the pages of history|last=Borah|first=Prabalika M.|date=2017-02-25|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-10-10|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It originally belonged to the [[Paigah (Hyderabad)|Paigah family]], and was later owned by the [[Nizam of Hyderabad]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Business Standard |url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/affairsstate/417064/ |title=Affairs of state |publisher=Business-standard.com |access-date=2012-12-20}}</ref> It is on a hillock and covers a {{convert|32|acre|adj=on|order=flip}} area in Falaknuma, {{convert|5|km}} from [[Charminar]].

It was built by [[Sir Vicar-ul-Umra|Nawab Sir Viqar-ul-Umra]], Prime Minister of Hyderabad and the uncle & brother-in-law of the [[Mir Mahbub Ali Khan|sixth Nizam]].<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://hyderabad.clickindia.com/travel/falaknumapalace.html
|title = Falaknuma Palace
|author = Mohammed Azam Pasha
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080316040430/http://hyderabad.clickindia.com/travel/falaknumapalace.html
|archive-date = 16 March 2008
|df = dmy
}}</ref> ''Falak-numa'' means "Like the Sky" or "Mirror of Sky" in Urdu.<ref name=":1" />

==Design==
An English architect William Ward Marret designed the palace. Sir Vicar's monogram "VO" is on the furniture, walls and ceiling of the palace. It is made completely with Italian marble with stained-glass windows and covers an area of {{convert|1011500|sqft|order=flip}}.

The palace was built in the shape of a scorpion with two stings spread out as wings in the north. The middle part is occupied by the main building and the kitchen, ''Gol Bangla'', ''Zenana Mehal'', and harem quarters stretch to the south. The Nawab was an avid traveller, and his influences show in the architecture, which combines Italian and Tudor influences.

==History==
[[File:Falaknuma 1900.jpg|thumb|Falaknuma Palace, photographed by [[Lala Deen Dayal]] in 1900.|alt=|left]]
[[Viqar-ul-Umra|Sir Viqar-ul-Umra]], the [[Prime Minister of Hyderabad]], after a visit to Europe, decided to build a European styled residence for himself. The foundation stone for the construction was laid by Sir Vicar on 3 March 1884. It took nine years to complete the construction and furnish the palace. Sir Vicar moved into the ''Gol Bangla'' and ''Zanana Mahel'' of the Falaknuma Palace in December 1890 and closely monitored the finishing work at the ''Mardana'' portion.

He used the palace as his private residence until the palace was handed over to the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad around 1897–1898.

The palace was built and furnished at a cost of {{INRConvert|4|m|year=1890|lk=r}}, which necessitated borrowing money from the [[Bank of Calcutta|Bank of Bengal]]. In the spring of 1897, the sixth [[Nizam of Hyderabad]], [[Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI|Mir Mahbub Ali Khan]] was invited to stay at the palace. He extended his stay to a week, then a fortnight, and then a month, which prompted [[Viqar-ul-Umra|Sir Viqar]] to offer it to him. The Nizam accepted but paid some of the value of the palace; the Paigah family maintains that around {{INRConvert|2|m|year=1897}} was paid.

The Nizam used the palace as a guest house for the royal guests visiting the kingdom of Hyderabad. The list of royal visitors included [[George V|King George V]], [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], [[Edward VIII]] and [[Nicholas II of Russia|Tsar Nicholas II]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/feb/20/taj-falaknuma-palace-nizam|title=Jewel in the crown: a palace fit for a Nizam|date=20 Feb 2011|work=The Guardian|access-date=8 June 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/nizam-and-his-diamond-paper-weight/article22815646.ece|title=The story of a Hyderabad Nizam and his diamond paper weight|last=Seshan|first=K. S. S.|date=2018-02-21|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-10-19|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The palace fell into disuse after the 1950s. The last important guest was the President of India, [[Rajendra Prasad]], in 1951.<ref name=":1" />

The palace was then restored after being leased by the [[Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces|Taj Group of Hotels]]. The restoration, which began in 2000, took ten years, and was managed by [[Princess Esra]], the first wife of [[Mukarram Jah]]. Now, the hotel is again used to host guests in Hyderabad, such as [[Aga Khan IV]], [[Ivanka Trump]] and [[Narendra Modi]].

==Palace architecture==
[[File:Interiors, Falaknuma Palace - 1.jpg|thumb|right|The reception room of the Palace.]]
One of the highlights of the palace is the state reception room, where the ceiling is decorated with [[fresco]]es. The [[ballroom]] contains a two-ton manually operated organ said to be the only one of its kind in the world <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/hyderabad-s-falaknuma-palace-where-pm-modi-ivanka-trump-will-dine-10-points-1780669|title=All About Hyderabad's Falaknuma Palace Where PM Modi, Ivanka Trump Will Dine|last=Taneja|first=Richa|date=27 November 2017|work=NDTV|access-date=7 June 2018}}</ref>[[File:Falaknuma Palace - Entrance - 2.jpg|thumb|left|The entrance to the Palace.]]The palace has 60 rooms and 22 halls. It has considerable collections of the [[Nizam of Hyderabad|Nizam's]] artifacts including paintings, statues, furniture, manuscripts, books, an extensive [[jade]] collection, and Venetian [[chandelier]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.tourism-of-india.com/falaknuma-palace.html | work=tourism-of-india | title= Architecture of Falaknuma Palace | access-date =7 June 2018}}</ref>

It has a library with a carved walnut roof, a replica of the one at [[Windsor Castle]]. The library houses more than five thousand books.<ref name=":0" /> It has an extensive collection of English, Urdu and Persian books as well as copies of the [[Quran]], and rare [[Edition (book)|first editions]].<ref name=":0" />

[[File:Falaknuma Palace 09 - Dining table.jpg|thumb|right|The dining hall]]
The dining hall can seat 101 guests.<ref name=":1" /> The chairs are made of carved rosewood with green leather upholstery.

Burroughs and Watts from England designed two identical billiards tables, one of which is in [[Buckingham Palace]] and the other in the palace's billiards room.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/taj-falaknuma-palace-review-one-with-the-sky-one-with-royalty/article23029712.ece|title=Taj Falaknuma Palace review - One with the sky, one with royalty|last=Mamotra|first=Anyushi|date=2011-01-24|work=The Hindu Business Line|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190208112815/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/taj-falaknuma-palace-review-one-with-the-sky-one-with-royalty/article23029712.ece|archive-date=2019-02-08|url-status=live}}</ref>

The palace was the private property of the Nizam family, and not normally open to the public, until 2000.

== Renovation into a luxury hotel ==
In 2000, [[Taj Hotels]] started renovating and restoring the palace.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_ratan-tata-to-meet-k-rosaiah-on-november-7_1460400 |title=Ratan Tata to meet K Rosaiah on November 7 – Money – DNA |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=2010-10-31 |access-date=2012-12-20}}</ref> The renovated hotel was opened in November 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cook |first=Sharell|title=Falaknuma Palace Hyderabad Opens as a Luxury Taj Hotel |url=http://goindia.about.com/b/2010/11/09/falaknuma-palace-hyderabad-open-as-a-luxury-taj-hotel.htm |access-date=9 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101114/main6.htm |title=Regal splendour & luxury at Rs 5 lakh a night! | first=Suresh | last=Dharur | newspaper=The Tribune | location=Chandigarh, India |access-date=23 September 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.smh.com.au/travel/touched-by-royalty-20101206-18m2u.html Sydney Morning Herald article]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150216052453/http://www.tajhotels.com/luxury/grand-palaces-and-iconic-hotels/taj-falaknuma-palace-hyderabad/overview.html Taj Falaknuma]
* [https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/feb/20/taj-falaknuma-palace-nizam Nizam used to have enough pearls to pave Piccadilly]
{{Hyderabad topics}}
{{coord|17.330955|78.467504|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title}}

[[Category:Hyderabad State]]
[[Category:Heritage structures in Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Palaces in Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Royal residences in India]]
[[Category:Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces]]
[[Category:Heritage hotels in India]]
[[Category:Hotels established in 2010]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1889]]
[[Category:Hotels in Hyderabad]]
[[Category:Palaces of Nizams of Hyderabad]]
[[Category:Neoclassical architecture in India]]

Falaknuma Palace - Revision history

Kamal Guha at 15:40, 30 October 2023