FALAKNUUMA PALACE

Hyderabad boasts of many magnificent palaces among these, the Falaknuma palace is a remarkable edifice which stands atop a 200 ft. high hillock.It is located 5 km. from Charminar.Built by Nawab Vikar-Ul-Ulmara, the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad, it is a stupendous palace. It is believed that the Falaknuma palace was gifted to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mehboob Ali Khan.
The palace was constructed over a period of seven years. It covers a total area of 9,39,712 sq.mt. The palace is laid out in the shape of a scorpion with two stings spread out as wings on the north. The middle part is occupied by the main building and the kitchen and harem quarters stretch to the south.

The Falaknuma palace is a rare blend of Italian and Tudor architecture.The palace has a library with a walnut carved roof, a replica of the one at Windsor Castle. The library has one of the finest collections of the holy Quran in India.The Falaknuma palace has other unique things like the Venetian chandeliers.The dining hall of the palace could seat 100 guests on a single table. The aesthetic furniture, rosewood chairs and tableware made of gold and crystal make Falaknuma Palace a attractive tourist location.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.

There is a story that the palace has proved to be fatal to those who have resided there for a long period. The scorpion-like structure is believed to be the cause of all deaths.