Lahore - Gheos Worldguide

Lahore

Lahore has been inhabited since the beginning of the Calendar Era. The city rose to prominence in the 10th century, when the Walled City was constructed. It reached its peak between the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 18th century, during the times of the Mughal Empire and it became one of the world's largest cities.

After that, it slowly declined. In 1947, Lahore became the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province. Nowadays, it is the country's cultural and educational center and the place that is visited by the majority of Pakistan's tourists.

Lahore has numerous interesting monuments, mostly from the Moghul and colonial periods. The city also boasts many nice parks and gardens, as well as countless bustling bazaars.

There are innumerable interesting tombs, mosques and mausoleums in Lahore and the list would be too long to mention them all here. The following sites are the city's most important ones, but not the only ones. Information on all the attractions is available in the city itself.

Points of interest

Lahore's Old City, or Walled City is a crowded area with many congested, narrow streets. There are markets, hawkers, small shops, rickshaws and pony carts. It is a wonderful area to stroll around and enjoy all the sights, smells and the cacophony of noises. It was founded in the 1st century and its walls were built in the 10th century. The are countless monuments and historic buildings in the Old City and it is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Gates
- The Bhāṭī Būhā (بھاٹی بُوہا, Bhati Gate) is one of the historic 13 gates of the Walled City. the gate is located in the western wall and it is one of the Walled City's oldest gates.
- Ciṭṭā Būhā (چِٹّا بُوہا, Chitta Gate) was erected in 1650. The gateway is adjacent to the Well of Dina Nath and the shrine of Syed Sūf. It served as the city's main entry point, until the Delhi Gate was constructed 100 m to the east.
- Dillī Būhā (span class="punjabi">دِلّی بُوہا, Delhi Gate) was destroyed by the British in 1857, but it was rebuilt in the 19th century. In 2015, it was restored. It is also known as the Akbari gate and said to be the most beautiful gate in Lahore.
- The Kaśmīrī Būhā (کشمیری بُوہا, Kashmiri Gate) was built in the 16th century. It got its name, as it faces in the direction of Kashmir.
- The Lohari Gate, or Lahori Gate, is one of the 13 gates in the walls of the Old City.
  - Lohari Mandi (Lohari Market) is a bazaar, located inside Lohari gate.
- Maseeti Gate was built in 1566.
- The Mochi Darwaza (موچی دروازہ, Mochi Gate) is located inthe south of the Old City between the Akbari and Shah Alam gates.
- The Mori Gate is located between the Lohari and the Bhati gates. It is the smallest of the Old City's gates.
- The Roshnai Gate (روشنائی دروازہ, Gate of Lights) is one of the 13 gates that provided entry to the Old City. It got its name, as it was illuminated during the night to aid travellers. The gate faces the Hazuri Bagh garden.
- The former Shah-Alami Gate was named after one of the sons of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Shah Alam I. During the independence riots of 1947, the gate was destroyed.
- The Shairanwala Gate (شیرنوالا گیٹ, Lions Gate) was originally known as the Khizri Gate, but because Maharaja Ranjit Singh placed two live lions in cages at the gate, it soon became known as Lions Gate.
- Taxali Darwaza (ٹکسالی دروازه, Taxali Gate) was built between 1575 and 1585. It is also known as the Taxal, or royal mint.
- The Yakki Gate was named after the martyr saint Zakki, but the name got distorted into Yakki.
Other buildings
- Akbari Mandi is a 16th-century grain market that still operates to this day. It is located close to the Delhi Gate, which is also known as the Akbari Gate.
- Śā'ī Qilā (شاہی قلعہ, Lahore Fort) is a citadel that is located at the northern end of the Old City. It was originally completed in the 11th century as a mud-brick fortification, but in 1566, it was rebuilt in a more robust form. During the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, it was reinforced and enlarged several times. Inside the fort are several palaces, halls and parks.
  - The fort's Alamgiri Gate was built in 1674, during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb.
  - Ath Dara was built during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and used as his court.
  - The Loh Temple (لو مندر), or Lava Temple, is a domed Sikh temple.
  - Mai Jindan Haveli is thought to be a Moghul temple.
  - The Naag Temple is a Sikh temple.
  - The Naulakha Bazaar (نولکھا بازار) was established in 1633. It got its name from the amount it had cost to build it, 900,000 rupees. In Punjabi naulakha means 'worth 9 lakhs rupees'. Nowadays, if someone refers to something precious, they call it naulakha.
  - Shah Burj Gate.
- The śāhī Masīt (شاہی مسیت, Badshahi Mosque) was constructed between 1671 and 1673.
- The Begum Shahi Mosque (بیگم شاہی مسیت) was built between 1611 and 1614.
- The Chuna Mandi Bazaar is the location of the Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das.
- Dātā Darbār (داتا دربار, Data Darbar) is an Islamic Sufi shrine that was built in the 11th century to house the remains of Islamic scholar Ali al-Hujwiri, who is colloquially known as Data Sahab.
- Fakir Khana (فقیر خانہ) is a museum that is owned by the Fakir family. They have collected more than 20,000 items since the museum's openeing in 1901, making it the largest privately owned museum in South Asia. The museum is located near the Bhati Gate.
- The Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das (گردوارہ جنم استھان گورو رام داس) was built atop the site that is traditionally believed to be the location of the birthplace and childhood home of Guru Ram Das, the 4th Sikh guru. It is located in the Chuna Mandi Bazaar.
- The Haveli of Nau Nihal Singh (نونہال سنگھ دی حویلی) is officially known as the Government Victoria Girls' High School. The mansion was built in 1836-1837 and its façade are lavishly decorated.
- The Hazuri Bagh Baradari (حضوری باغ بارہ دری) is a white marble baradari. It is located at the center of the Hazuri Bagh Park.
- The Mazar-e-Iqbal (مزارِ اقبال, Tomb of Allama Iqbal) is the final resting place of Muhammad Iqbal. It is located in the Hazuri Bagh Park.
- The Nīvī̃ Masīt (نیویں مسیت, Neevin Mosque) was completed in 1460. Its name translates as 'low lying mosque', a name it got because its prayer hall sits below street level. The mosque is also known as the Jamia Karimia Mosque (جامعہ کریمیہ مسجد). It is located in the vicinity of the Chowk Matti square and the Lohari Gate.
- The Picture Wall.
- Raṇjīt Singh dī Samādhī (Samadhi of Ranjit Singh) was completed in 1848. It houses the funerary urns of the former Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
- Sarak-e-Khorak - Roshnai Buha (سڑک خوراک - روشنائی دروازہ, Fort Road Food Street) is lined with numerous small cafés and food stalls, where traditional street food is sold.
- The Shah Alam Market is usually referred to as Shalmi. It is located near the place where the Shah-Alami Gate once stood and it is one of the largest markets in Lahore. It comprises more than 25 bazaars.
- The Shāhī Ha'mām (شاہی حمام, Shahi Hammam) opened in 1635. The baths were built to maintain the Wazir Khan Mosque. The baths are no longer used as hammam. They were restored between 2013 and 2015, as they are the last remaining Mughal-era hammam in Lahore. The Shahi Hammam is located just inside the city walls, adjacent to the Delhi Gate.
- The Sunahirī Masīt (سنہری مسیت, Golden Mosque) is also known as the Talai Mosque. It opened in 1753 and it is located within the bazaar and so the ground floor of the mosque is occupied by shops and the actural mosque sits on a platform, some 3.4 m (11 ft) above street level. Its minarets collapsed in an earthquake at the beginning of the 20th century and were subsequently rebuilt.
- The Wazir Khan Mosque (مسجد وزیر خان) was built between 1634 and 1641 as part of the complex that also includes the Shahi Hammam. It is located on the Wazir Khan Chowk square. The mosque is considered to be the most ornately decorated Mughal-era mosque.
- Wazir Khan Chowk (وزیر خان چوک) is a town square in front of the Wazir Khan Mosque.
The Mall is an area in Lahore that has been constructed by the British. It includes are numerous English-style parks and many buildings boast British architecture.
- The Ajā'ib Ghar Lāhōr (عجائب گھر لاہور, Lahore Museum) opened in 1865 in the Tollinton Market building. In 1894, the collection was moved to its current location in The Mall. It is the largest museum in Pakistan. The collections include ancient Buddhist art, as well as artefacts from the Indus Valley Civilisation, the Mughal Empire, the Sikh Empire and the times of the British Raj. The museum building was constructed in the syncretic Indo-Saracenic architectural style.
- The Zamzama Gun was cast in 1757. The cannon is also known as Kim's Gun and Bhangian di Top. The famous cannon features in writer Kipling's book Kim. The gun stands at the entrance to Lahore Museum.
The Aitchison College is a beautiful, old public school, where Imran Khan used to be a pupil.
The Anarkali Bazaar (اناركلى بازار) has existed since at least the 1800s. It is home to the Valmiki Temple.
- Valmiki Mandir (والمیکی مندر, Valmiki Temple) is a Hindu temple that is dedicated to Hindu sage and legendary poet Valmiki. The temple already existed around 800. In 1992, it was looted and burned, but it has been restored.
- The Wazir Khan Baradari (وزیر خان بارہ دری) was built in 1634-1635. The 2-storey baradari is located in the Anarkali Bazaar, between the National College of Arts and the Tollinton Market.
The Arfa Karim Tower.
The Grand Jamia Mosque Lahore (گرینڈ جامع مسجد) opened in 2014. It has room for 70,000 worshippers and it is located in the south of Lahore.
The Gurdwara Dera Sahib (گوردوارہ ڈیرا صاحب) was built to commemorate Guru Arjan Dev, the 5th guru of Sikhism. The gurdwara is located at the spot where the guru was martyred in 1606.
King Edward Medical University (KEMU) (کنگ ایڈورڈ میڈیکل یونیورسٹی) was established in 1860.
The Lahore High Court (عدالتِ عالیہ لاہور) was established in 1882.
Lahore Junction Railway Station (لاہور جنکشن ریلوے اسٹیشن) was built by the British between 1857 and 1860. It is located on Empress Road just outside the Old City.
Lakar Mandi Bazaar.
Landa Bazaar (لنڈا بازار) is also known as Lunda Bazaar. It is the place where second-hand goods are sold, mostly clothing.
Mīnār-e-Pākistān (مینارِ پاکستان) was erected between 1960 and 1968. It is located in the Greater Iqbal Park, at the location, where the first official call for a separate and independent homeland for the Muslims in the Indian subcontinents was made.
The Mausoleum of Sultan Qutb-ud-Din Aybak.
The National College of Arts (NCA) was estavlished in 1875.
The Summit Minar was erected to commemorate the 2nd Islamic Summit Conference, which was held in Lahore in 1974. The obelisk is 47 m (155 ft) tall.
The Tollinton Market was the original location of the Lahore Museum.
The Tomb of Anarkali (مقبرۂ انارکلی) was completed in 1615.
The Tomb of Asif Khan (مقبرۂ آصف خان) was constructed between 1641 and 1645. It is grave of Mughal statesman Mirza Abul Hassan Jah, who was known as Asif Khan.
The Tomb of Jahangir (مقبرۂ جہانگیر) was built in 1637 in the Shahdara Bagh Park to the northwest of the Old City. Jahangir was a Mughal emperor.

Parks and recreation

The Śāhdrā Bāġ (شاہدرہ باغ, Shahdara Bagh) was laid out in 15th century. It contains the Tomb of Mughal emperor Jahangir.
The Bagh-e-Jinnah (باغِ جناح, Jinnah Garden) was established in 1862 as the Lawrence Garden and was originally named after Sir John Lawrence, who was the British Viceroy to India. After Pakistan independence in 1947, the park was renamed Bagh-e-Jinnah. The park serves as a botanical garden, as it is home to almost 500 different plant species. Also located within the park:
- The Quaid-e-Azam Library.
- The Darussalam Library.
- The Tomb of Peer Sakhi Abul Faizul Hassan, a saint, commonly known as Baba Turat Muraad Shah.
Changa Manga (چھانگا مانگا) is a man-made forest that comprises a wildlife preserve. The park was established in 1866 and it is located 74 km west of Lahore.
The Greater Iqbal Park (گریٹر اقبال پارک was orginally created in 1892 and it surrounds the Old City on 3 sides. The park was named after poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal. The park includes an artificial lake and the Minar-e-Pakistan monument.
The Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park (گلشن-اقبال پارک) is one of the largest parks in Lahore.
Hazuri Bagh (حضوری باغ) is a garden adjacent to the Lahore Fort. The garden was laid out at the beginning of the 19th century.
- The Hazuri Bagh Baradari (حضوری باغ بارہ دری) is a white marble baradari. It is located at the center of the Hazuri Bagh.
- The Mazar-e-Iqbal (مزارِ اقبال, Tomb of Allama Iqbal) is the final resting place of Muhammad Iqbal.
Jallo Park was established in 1978. The wildlife park is located 7 km (4.3 mi) east of Lahore.
Jilani Park (ریس کورس پارک) features an artificial waterfall. The park was named after general Ghulam Jilani Khan.
Lahore Zoo Safari Park opened in 1981.
Mochi Bagh is the park that faces the Roshnai Gate.
The Model Town Park is located in the gated neighborhood of Model Town. The park was laid out in 1985.
Nasir Bagh Lahore.
The Śālamār Bāġ (شالمار باغ, Shalamar Gardens, or Shalimar Gardens) are a Mughal garden complex. The gardens were laid out in 1641-1642 and are a UNESCO world heritage site. They are located some 5 km (3.1 mi) east from the Delhi Gate. The Shalamar Gardens were designed to mimic the Islamic paradise of the afterlife, as it is described in the Qur'an.
The town of Wagah (واہگہ) is located 32 km (20 mi) from Amritsar. It is famous for the Wagah border ceremony that takes place there every day. It is an important border crossing between India and Pakistan.

There are a wide variety of hotels, café and restaurants in Lahore. The city has air, rail and road connections with all major towns in Pakistan. For shorter distances minibuses are an excellent choice, while trains and air-conditioned coaches are best for longer trips. Lahore is 270 km southeast of Islamabad, not far from the border with India.