Chowmahalla Palace

Chowmahalla Palace, near the Charminar in Hyderabad, was the seat of the Asaf Jahi Nizams, who ruled from 1720 to 1948, and their official residence. The name means four palaces. Work started in the mid-18th century, with Nizam Ali Khan ordering the four palaces in 1769, and it was completed under Afzal ad-Dawlah between 1857 and 1869. Once spread over 45 acres, it now covers 12, and it is run as a museum while still owned by the family.

The southern courtyard, the oldest part, holds the four neoclassical palaces, Afzal, Mahtab, Tahniyat and Aftab Mahal, with Ionic and Corinthian columns around a pool and garden. The northern court has the Bara Imam corridor and its mirror image, with Mughal domes and Persian stucco. At the heart is the Khilwat Mubarak, the pillared durbar hall with a marble platform for the royal seat, lit again by 19 Belgian crystal chandeliers. The clock over the main gate has been ticking since 1750 and is still wound by hand every week.