Hyderabad Sightseeing - Falaknuma Palace

One of the finest palaces of Hyderabad, the Falaknuma Palace is located atop a hill at an elevation of 2000 ft earning its name the Mirror of the Sky .

This beautiful palace consisting of 220 extravagantly decorated rooms and 22 spacious halls was built by an Italian architect for the fifth Paigah Emir and later bought over by Nizam VI who used it as a guest house for royalty.

Feel the grandeur of royalty as you walk down the halls decorated with 40 of the largest and most exquisite Venetian chandeliers. The Nizam was an avid traveler, and the palace has some of the finest collections of paintings, statues, furniture, manuscripts and books from around the world. The Jade collection and the Collection of Holy Quran are considered to be very unique. Explore the scorpion shaped wings of the palace and discover ornate fountains and treasures of a bygone era.

A magnificently carved walnut roof covers the library and is said to be a replica of the one at Windsor Castle. Feel the opulence of royalty in the huge dining hall where the tableware is made of gold and crystal and which can accommodate 100 guests on a single table. The ballroom contains a two-ton manually operated organ, said to be the only one of its kind in the world. The treasures in the Palace are a feast for the eyes and a visit is well worth it.