Char Minar
Hyderabad, India
The Char Minar ("Four Minarets") was built in 1591/999 AH by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah (r. 1580-1611/987-1019 AH) and is considered Hyderabad's primary monument. It is a square structure standing at the intersection of two streets leading to the four quarters of the original city, with an archway on each of its sides. The upper level has an arcaded balcony and pierced stone screen, with a mosque on the western side. Western-style clocks were added to each face in 1899/1316 AH. Each corner has a 48.77 m tall minaret topped with domed finials.

Sources:

Khalidi, Omar. A guide to architecture in Hyderabad, Deccan, India. Cambridge, Mass: Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, MIT Libraries, 2008. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/69102.

Merklinger, Elizabeth Schotten. Sultanate architecture of pre-Mughal India, 150-151. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 2005.

Michell, George"Hyderabad." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, accessed May 23, 2014http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T039675.
Location
Hyderabad, India
Images & Videos
Associated Names
Events
1591/999 AH
Style Periods
Dimensions
h: 56.69 m (each side); w: 30.48 m (each side)
Variant Names
Charminar
Variant
Building Usages
public monuments
Materials/Techniques