CHARMINAR

A landmark of Hyderabad, the Charminar is like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but topped by a mosque. Four minarets point skyward, linked by an arch with four openings. While it is possible to climb to the^1st floor via one of the towers, the mosque, located on the^2nd floor, cannot be visited.

The reasons for the erection of this emblematic building in 1591 differ. Some say it was to celebrate the eradication of the plague that had decimated the city. Others claim that Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutab Shah wanted to mark the move of his capital from Golconda to Hyderabad. Jean de Thévenot, a ^17th-century French explorer, reports in his diary that the arch was built to celebrate the entry of the Hegira into its second millennium.

The site chosen for the construction of the Charminar is also emblematic. Right in the heart of the city at the time, it stands at the crossroads of the trade routes from Golconda - the ancient capital - and the port of Machilipatnam. Each of these streets abuts one of the building's four monumental arches. The building is topped by four minarets with double balconies and a small bulbous dome. You can climb the 149 steps to the^1st floor via one of the staircases concealed in each of the towers, but apart from the view over the market and the large mosque next door, which can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers, there's absolutely nothing to see inside. Admiring the Charminar from the outside is far more impressive!