Located two kms from the Golconda Fort amidst picturesque landscaped gardens, known as Ibrahim Bagh, is the royal cemetery of the Qutub Shahi kings. Characterized by an ostentation display of arches, domes, minarets and columns, most of the tombs are a marvel of Indo-Persian and Deccan architectural style. A living testimony of the glory and grandeur of Golconda and its kings, the tombs still retain their original glory despite the combined assault of time, weather and man. Built on square base surrounded by pointed arches , most of the tombs form a large cluster. While the larger tombs are double storied the smaller ones have single a storey. From the plinth to the peak, the mausoleums are marked by symmetry in arches and arcades. Each tomb stand on a wide quadrangular terrace approached on all sides by flights of steps. Rising from 9 to 15 meters above the terrace, each tomb has a sarcophagus in the center which lies over the actual burial vault.
During the Qutb Shahi period, these tombs were held in such great veneration that criminals who took refuge there were granted pardon. But after their reign, the tombs were neglected until Sir Salar Jung III ordered their restoration in the early 19th century. A pretty garden was laid out, and a protective wall was built to ward off vandals.
