Hyderabad is the capital city of Andhra Pradesh. Its twin city, Secunderabad, is located 10 km north, and the large Golconda Fort is located about 8 km west.
Hyderabad was formerly a state about the size of France. Between the 15th and 19th centuries it was ruled by Muslim leaders known as Nizams, even though the Hindu population was predominant. At that time Hyderabad was a center for some of the greatest jewelry design and art work in all of India.
Hyderabad is still world famous for its art, jewelry, poetry, and architecture. The wealth and grandeur of the collections in Hyderabads museums can easily rival or even outclass some of the greatest museum collections in Europe.