Hyderabad is nearly 400 years old and is known for its natural beauty, mosques and minarets, bazaars and bridges, hills and lakes. Its is located on the Deccan Plateau about 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level. The Musi River runs through the city. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are twin cities, but both cities have grown so much that now they have become one big metropolis. The total population in the metropolitan area is around 6.5 million making it among the most populated metropolitan areas in India.
Hyderabad has several lakes, the most famous is Hussain Sagar Lake, also known as Tank Bund. Constructed in 1562, it is a man made lake that separates the twin cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Hussain Sagar Lake is also famous for the 19 meter (56 feet) high statue of Buddha in the middle of the lake. Some of the other lakes include Lotus Pond, Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, Durgam Cheruvu and Shamirpet.
Hyderbad is full of monuments, mosques and temples, but the icon of Hyderabad is the Charminar (four minarets) located in the Old City. It was built in 1591 and the four towers rise to a height of 48.7 m (177 ft) above ground. There is a mosque with 45 prayer spaces located inside in the upper storeys. Some of the other attractions include the Falaknuma Palace, a stunning peace of architecture; Chowmahalla Palace built in 1750; the Golconda Fort, a gigantic complex with inner and outer wall measuring 10 km, one of the most famous forts in India; the Mecca Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India; the Chilkur Balaji Temple 20 km from the city; and the Singhi Temple.
The Old City is composed of a maze of disorienting alleyways that expand outward from Charminar. The famous Chudi Bazaar (Lad Bazaar) across from the Charminar is a chaotic tumble of goods, people, animals and vehicles. The Chowmahalla Palace and the Mecca Masjid are both easily accessed from Charminar. Necklace Road, Sultan Bazaar and Abids are worth taking some time to wander about. In the markets and alleyways you can buy almost anything from hand-sequined saris to freshly slaughtered goats.
The modern Hyderabad now competes with Bangalore and Chennai for the crown of India's IT capital; Microsoft, Google and Oracle have their India headquarters here. Many people therefore go to Hyderabad on business, and there are plenty of hotels at all levels, and lots of restaurants around the city.
