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Falaknuma Palace
Also known as: Falak-numa
Built by Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra and later bought by the sixth Nizam. Scorpion-shaped plan, Italian marble, a 101-seat dining table. Now a Taj hotel; grounds are guest-only.
History & Story
Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra designed Falaknuma in the shape of a scorpion, visible only from above, with the private wing as the stinger and the guest quarters as the claws. The sixth Nizam borrowed the palace for a royal visit in 1897 and simply never returned it, compensating the Paigah family with a lesser estate. King George V and Queen Mary stayed here in 1906; the 101-seat dining table, one of the longest in the world, still carries original Nizam-era crockery. The palace was restored by Taj Hotels and opened to guests in 2010.
Key Events
1893
Palace completed for Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra
1897
Nizam VI acquires the palace; Paigah family compensated
1906
King George V and Queen Mary's visit
2010
Opened as Taj Falaknuma Palace hotel after restoration
Key People
N
Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra
builder; Paigah noble and former Prime Minister of Hyderabad
N
Nizam VI Mahbub Ali Khan
acquired it from the Paigah family in 1897
K
King George V
stayed here during the 1906 royal tour of India
Location & Getting There
Area / Locality: Falaknuma
Coordinates: 17.33410° N, 78.47000° E
Access: hotel guests