The Qutb Shahi dynasty was established by Sultan Quli Qutb Shah in AD 1518 and came to an end in AD 1687. The Qutb Shahi rule commenced with the building of the Golconda Fort and the adjoining area, now the Qutb Shahi Heritage Park, served as a necropolis to the dynasty. Here, during the 169 year rule were buried the monarchs and other prominent nobles and the 80 monuments found here today include 40 mausoleums, 23 mosques, seven baolis (step wells), a hamam, pavilions, tanks, wells, garden structures and enclosure walls.

In January 2013, a MoU was signed between the Department of Archaeology Museums, now Heritage Telangana, the Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority, Aga Khan Foundation and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture to undertake conservation works on all monuments and undertake holistic  landscape development of the 106 acre Qutb Shahi Heritage Park. Following the MoU, the TATA Trusts pledged support for the conservation of 10 major monuments and more recently, the Ministry of Tourism (Government of India) has announced support for landscape development works and construction of an Interpretation Centre.

On World Heritage Day, 18 April 2018, the first phase of conservation and landscape restoration works - comprising 25 monuments and adjoining gardens - were completed and after five years of painstaking work the area opened for public access.