Taj Falaknuma Palace is perched 2,000 feet above the city of Hyderabad and is considered a jewel amongst the clouds. This palace originally belonged to Paigah Hyderabad State and was later owned by one of Hyderabad’s Nizam, Mohammed Abeed. The palace is spread across 32 acres and located in Falaknuma area which is 5 kilometers from Charminar. The palace was constructed by a nobleman from the Paigah family, Sir Nawab Vikar-Ul Umra, Prime Minister of Hyderabad and the uncle & brother-in-law of the sixth Nizam. In Urdu, the word Falaknuma means “Mirror of Sky” or “Like the Sky”. It took four million rupees to build and furnish the Falaknuma Palace.
After a visit to Europe, Vikar-Ul Umra decided to build a residence for himself in European style. This beautiful palace was designed by British architect William Mard Marret. The foundation stone for the construction was laid on March 3rd, 1884 and it almost took 10 years to complete and furnish the palace. In December 1980 Sir Vicar moved into the Zanana Mahel and Gol Bangla of the Falaknuma Palace. He used the palace as his private residence and handed over to the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan around 1897–1898. The palace was used as a guest house by the Nizams for the royal guests which included King George V, Queen Mary, Edward VIII and Tsar Nicholas II. The last important guest was Rajendra Prasad, the President of India, in 1951.
In 2000, Falaknuma Palace was leased to the Taj Group of Hotels by Prince Nizam Mukkaram Jah Bahadur for renovation and converted it into a luxury heritage hotel of Hyderabad. The restoration process took 10 years and was looked after by Princess Esra Jah, the first wife of the VII Nizam. After restoration, the notable personalities who visited the palace include Aga Khan IV, Ivanka Trump and Narendra Modi. The heritage hotel was opened with 60 rooms on 1 November 2010 and also retains its original Japanese, Rajasthani and Mughal gardens created by the Nizam. A one of its kind in the world, a 2-ton manually operated organ is found in the ballroom.
The palace is built entirely from Italian marble which reflects a rare blend of Tudor and Italian architecture. It has the shape of a scorpion, the zodiac sign of the Nizam. The main building is located at the center, on the north, you will have to find two stings of the palace spread out like wings and on the south is the kitchen and the harem quarters. The palace entrance exhibits some ornate fountains and old artillery models. Apart from a private wing for the hotel, the palace has 220 rooms and 22 halls. The first phase of renovation preserves the inherent history of the palace with a magnificent 101-seat dining room and the original Nizam suite. It was the first palace in India to have one of the largest telephone, refrigerators, a musical organ, petrol pumps for vintage car fuelling and electrical systems.
The Falaknuma Palace is built with many types of wood, 32 kinds of Italian marble and 10 types of leather. It has a Mughal influence and Louis XIV-style décor with ivory figurines and statues. The palace also boasts a rare collection of treasures, rosewood furniture and paintings compiled by the Nizam. One of the main attractions at the palace is the Marble Hall. The palace’s jade collection is a priceless possession and one of the finest, estimated to be worth $120m. The palace also has a library with a collection of 6,000 valuable books and manuscripts. The stained glass windows of the palace allow a spectrum of colours into the interiors.
The dining hall with its huge table and chairs with rosewood carvings and have green leather upholstery can accommodate 101 guests at one time. This gigantic table 108 feet in length, 2.7 feet in height and 5.7 feet in breadth. The cutlery is in gold and crystal. The palace houses the largest collection of 4 Venetian chandeliers. This royal hotel not just offers grand staying opportunities but also has a tea room, hookah lounge, two restaurants for everyone, Jiva Spa, business and wedding spaces, fitness center, and more.
Taj Falaknuma Palace Entry Fee;
Entry only via Telangana Tourism – NIZAM PALACES TOUR Weekend half-a-day tour (only Saturday and Sunday)
Tour Option A: Entry Tickets, Tea & Snacks, A/c Transport, Tour Guide
Rs.3,100 per adult and Rs.2480 per child
Tour Option B: A/c Transport, Tour Guide
Rs.2,000 per adult and Rs.1,600 per child
The tour starts at;
- 1:00 PM from Tourism Plaza in Begumpet
- 1:20 PM from Hotel Taj Krishna in Banjara Hills
- 1:45 PM from Hotel Golconda in Masabtank
- 2:30 PM arrive at Chowmahalla Palace (30 mins Tour)
- 4:00 PM arrive at Falaknuma Palace (90 mins Tour + Hi-tea)
- 6:45 PM arrive at Golconda Fort (75 mins with Sound & Light Show)
- 9:00 PM Tour ends – Drop at respective pick-up points.