The climate of Andhra Pradesh is wet during the monsoon season from late June to early October. The winter from late October to early February is mild, with temperatures that rarely go below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. In the hot summer season from late February to early June, the temperature can go up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
The airport of Hyderabad is Rajiv Ghandi International Airport (HYD), with daily flights to Frankfurt and Dubai and flights several times a week to Amsterdam, Singapore and other major destinations. It has flights to most major destinations in India as well, with flights several times a day to Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. India has one of the most extensive rail networks in the world, which connects Hyderabad to other Indian cities. The Andra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation and several other bus companies serve destinations in Andhra Pradesh as well as locally in Hyderabad.
Travel in the city is by bus and, for longer trips, the local commuter train system.
There are also autorickshaws, ubiquitous in Indian cities, which can be flagged down for local taxi transport in the city.
The city was founded in 1591 and the capital was moved from nearby Golconda, now a part of Greater Hyderabad city. Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah built the Charminar, a mosque with four minarets, which today is the symbol of the city. The local princes ruled the city independently as "allies" of the British. When India gained independence, this was the only part of the peninsula that was invaded by the Indian army to ensure its inclusion in India, since the local rulers favored Pakistan.
The historic buildings are one of the main attractions of Hyderabad. The Charminar is the symbol of Hyderabad. It was constructed at the center of the city in 1591. The Golconda Fort is older than the city and contains not only fortifications but also royal palaces and factories. The mosque of Mecca Masjid was completed in 1694 and is one of the largest mosques in southern India. The main arch was finished with bricks from Mecca. Outside the city, the Qutb Shahi Tombs are the burial places of the original rulers of the area. The graves feature a variety of architectural styles, reflecting when they were constructed.
The Andhra Pradesh State Archaeological Museum was built by the last prince of Andra Pradesh in 1920. It has an extensive collection of religious art and antiques. The Nizam's Silver Jubilee Museum is housed in a palace owned by the last of the Nizams, who had been the rulers of Hyderabad since 1750. The palace is now a museum of the gifts the last Nizam received during the silver jubilee celebrations in 1937 and includes several classic cars and a collection of silver models of all the important buildings in the city. The Salar Jung museum is home to an art collection created by one man, Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III. The museum contains a mix of various types of art, from Chinese porcelain to swords, daggers and Persian carpets.
The 300-acre Nehru Zoological Park has over 250 species of animals and birds kept in conditions that mimic as closely as possible their natural habitats. It was the first zoo to create moated enclosures for animals. It also contains the Lion Safari Park, the Natural History Museum and a children's train. One of the largest parks in the city is the KBR National Park, which holds remnants of the forest that used to cover this part of India, and has 100 different species of birds. The Botanical Gardens cover 120 acres and are divided in different sections including timber trees, ornamental plants, fruit trees and medicinal plants.
