Char Kaman

Char Kaman consists of four historical arches built in 1592 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, located directly south of Charminar in Hyderabad's Old City. These monumental gateways originally demarcated a central piazza called Jilu Khana and served as ceremonial entrances to the royal palace complex. Each arch faces one cardinal direction and is approximately 60 feet tall, constructed in Indo-Islamic architectural style.

Visitors can view four grand historical arches surrounding Gulzar Houz, an octagonal fountain at the center of a busy public square. The arches are street-level monuments visible from the road, situated in the bustling Old City area with active traffic and markets. Each arch has three floors that originally housed chambers for royal guards. The structures can be admired while walking through the area or viewing from nearby streets.

Built in 1592 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, one year after the completion of Charminar. The arches were designed by architect Mir Mu'min Astarabadi and originally marked the entrances to the old city of Hyderabad. They demarcated the Jilu Khana, a royal vestibule where noblemen would leave their retinue before proceeding to audience with the sultan. The arches are large enough to allow elephants with canopied litters to pass through.

The four arches represent important heritage structures from the Qutb Shahi period and are notified as heritage structures by INTACH. Each arch has distinct names: Machli Kaman (North), Kali Kaman (East), Sher-e-Batil-Ki-Kaman (West), and Charminar Kaman (South). The central Gulzar Houz fountain historically provided drinking water to attendants and soldiers.