Historic Qutb Shahi Tombs Eye on UNESCO Tag

Hyderabad: After the Ramappa Temple, Telangana might have another entry on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the form of the Historic Qutb Shahi Tombs.

It may be recalled that the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, in partnership with Heritage Telangana and co-funding by the Tata Trusts, has been working to restore the structures at the Qutb Shahi Tombs complex to their past grandeur. Successfully conserving several monuments, the team is hopeful that once the entire restoration project is completed, they can begin the efforts to get the site recognized by UNESCO.

There are a total of 80 monuments, including 40 mausoleums, 23 mosques, seven baolis (Step-wells), a hamaam, pavilions, tanks, wells, garden structures and enclosure walls. To maintain the grandeur of each of the structures, and respecting the UNESCO emphasis to retain the authenticity of the monument, all the work is being carried out by master craftsmen working with stone and lime.

In the first phase of conservation, emergency repair works on the structure such as “badi Baoli” and Fatima’s Tomb and conservation works on structures on the southwest quadrant such as the grand mausoleum of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah has been completed. 

In the Second phase and third phase works are on around tombs of Muhammad Qutb Shah, Hakims and the Commander, Premamati and Taramati, Hayat Bakshi Begum, Great Mosque, present entrance zone and Abdullah Qutb Shah’s mausoleum.  The restoration work undertaken here is not just to beautify the monuments, but to strengthen the structures on the premises the World Heritage site tag would be next on the agenda.