Hill Fort Palace

Hill Fort Palace, also known as Ritz Hotel, is a royal palace located in Naubhat Pahad, Hyderabad, Telangana. The property is now owned by Government of Telangana, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation.

Residence (1915–1955)
Hill Fort Palace was built in 1915 by Nizamat Jung, who served as chief justice in the government of Nizam, India. His stay in the palace was for 15 years. The architecture is in style of Trinity College, Cambridge.

In 1929, after he went on Haj, Jung wanted to live a simpler life. The palace was then purchased by Asaf Jah VII for his son Prince Moazzam Jah, and then designated as the official residence of the chairman of the City Improvement Board.

Government takeover and Ritz Hotel (1955–1997)
In 1955, Hill Fort Palace was taken over by Indian government after Operation Polo. The Ritz Hotel Company leased the palace in the 1980s. The hotel was operating till the late 1997.

Abandoned (1997–present)
Today, the structure is dilapidated and in urgent need of restoration.

In 2022, an expert committee submitted a report recommending the demolition of the palace to the High Court. In a PIL verdict, the high court ordered the state government to commence restoration work at the palace.

Location
The palace is located in the heart of the city near Naubat Pahad spread over 6 acres.