Inside Hyderabad’s ₹200 Crore Falaknuma Palace: Scorpion-Shaped Royal Retreat With ‘World’s Longest Dining Table’

Perched nearly 2,000 feet above Hyderabad, the magnificent Falaknuma Palace — whose name translates to “mirror of the sky” in Urdu — offers a glimpse into the grandeur of Hyderabad’s Nizams. In a YouTube video shared on August 21 by Curly Tales and Mashable India, actors Dino Morea and Zoya Afroz took viewers on a tour of the historic estate, now operated as the Taj Falaknuma Palace.

The palace’s story began in 1884, when Nawab Sir Viqar-ul-Umra, then prime minister of Hyderabad and brother-in-law of the Nizam, commissioned British architect William Ward Marrett to design an extraordinary residence.

A Palace Shaped Like a Scorpion

Built in a blend of Italian and Tudor architectural styles, Falaknuma was designed from above in the shape of a scorpion, with its two ends resembling outstretched stingers.

The enormous cost of construction and furnishing reportedly placed Sir Viqar-ul-Umra under considerable financial strain. When the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, visited the completed palace in 1897, he was so impressed by its grandeur that Sir Viqar offered it to him.

The Nizam accepted the palace, reimbursed its construction costs and turned it into his royal retreat. Today, the 60-room property is preserved as a luxury heritage hotel operated by Taj Hotels and is reportedly valued at around ₹200 crore.

Inside Falaknuma Palace

The tour highlighted some of Falaknuma’s most celebrated rooms and collections, including its spectacular dining hall. The 108-foot-long rosewood table is believed to be among the world’s longest dining tables and is surrounded by 101 green chairs beneath elaborate chandeliers.

The dining room was also designed with acoustics in mind. Palace lore holds that the Nizam could speak softly at one end of the table and still be heard clearly by guests seated at the other end.

The palace’s grand staircase, carved from Italian marble, is lined with statues and portraits of European royalty and prominent figures from Hyderabad’s history.

Its library features a walnut ceiling modelled on the library at Windsor Castle. The room also houses rare manuscripts and first editions collected over generations.

The billiards room contains one of only two tables of its particular design. According to palace lore, the other is located at Buckingham Palace.

Another highlight is the Jade Room, which once hosted prominent dignitaries and served as a showcase for the Nizam’s collection of jade, jewellery and other valuable objects. Stained glass, frescoes and intimate seating add to the room’s distinctive character.

The tour also offered a look at the private quarters, including the Begum Suite, which combines rich textiles, European furnishings and traditional Deccan craftsmanship.

More Than a Heritage Hotel

Falaknuma Palace has retained more than its architecture and royal artefacts. It continues to recreate elements of its historic culture for guests.

At dusk, the palace hosts a Nawabi Qawwali Mehfil on its terrace, featuring Sufi devotional music against the backdrop of Hyderabad’s illuminated skyline.

That combination of preserved architecture, royal history and living cultural traditions has helped Falaknuma remain more than a museum or luxury hotel — it continues to present the atmosphere and traditions of the Nizam-era court.