Spread over 32 acres, the Falaknuma Palace has been christened as the Taj Falaknuma Palace and will open its gates to the public on 1 October 2010. Shaped like a scorpion with two stings spreading to the north as wings, the palace combines a blend of Italian and Tudor architecture and is made entirely of Italian marble and features opulent interiors.
The Taj Group undertook the renovation which saw most of the ornate inlaid furniture; rich handcrafted tapestries and brocades from France; intricate frescoes; 40, 138-arm Osler Belgian crystal glass chandeliers; carved balustrades supporting exquisite marble figurines on the stairway and a large dining table adorning the palace, being retained. Work also restored the entire collection of Nawab Vicar, a widely travelled connoisseur of art and architecture, to its original glory. Restoration work was supervised by Princess Esra, wife of Prince Mukkaram Jah, the grandson of the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
The Falaknuma Palace combines the old world charm with contemporary interiors. The Jade Room, where reception was accorded to visiting royal dignitaries, features Victorian-style hand painted ceiling and gilded reliefs and chandeliers, which are rejigged currently for hosting afternoon tea. The Durbar Hall is adorned with intricately carved wooden ceiling, parquet flooring, regal walnut wood furniture and handcrafted mirrors. It has been transformed for sit-down lunches, dinners and board room conferences.
The dining hall of the palace features a dining table, claimed to be the world’s largest, seating 101 guests at a time. The dining hall was famous in Nawab’s time for its ‘acoustic system’, where even whispers can be heard. Restoration work has retained the system. The Library features a walnut carved roof that is considered as a replica of the one at the Windsor Castle in London. It also features embossed camel leather chairs and the Billiard Room with a table made especially for the Nizam by Burroughes and Watts, a major manufacturer of billiards tables, cues and accessories in London.
The Taj Falaknuma Palace features 60 luxurious rooms, including seven royal suites and the grand presidential suite that was once the private chambers of the Nizam with a private pool and a personal butler; two restaurants; an outdoor pool and the Jiva Grand spa.
Built in 1893 by the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad, Vicar-ul Umra, the palace was later presented to Hyderabad’s sixth Nizam Mir Mehboob Ali Khan. The Palace once played host to legends such as King George V and Russian Czar Nicholas II.
