Badshahi Mosque (Punjab)

 

Badshahi Mosque was constructed by Mughal Emperor, Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir, in April 1673 in front of Alamgiri Gate of Lahore Fort. Its work was supervised by Muzaffar Hussain, also known as Fadai Khan Koha, brother of Aurangzeb. It is the third-largest mosque in Pakistan and has a capacity of 60,000 people at a time.

The main courtyard and steps to the main gate have been constructed by using Sang-e-Abri. The main hall, the Prayer Chamber, is composed of seven compartments. Three of those compartments have domes finished in chaste white marble. The interior of the hall is beautifully embellished with stucco tracery fresco work of Central Asian, Indo-Greek, and Indian architectural elements. There are four minarets at each corner of the mosque with the same design as the mosque design, which is the real beauty of the mosque. The height of each minaret is 176 feet including the white marble cupolas on the top. On the main entrance gate, there are eighty Dalans, rooms for accommodation and other purpose, on both sides of the mosque.

In Sikh and British regime, the mosque was severely damaged by removing its stones, demolishing its eastern Dalans, its artwork, etc. Then the mosque was restored to its original design and shape from 1939 to 1960 by Nawab Zain-Yar-Jang Bahadur.

It is situated at the distance of 3 km from Lahore Railway Station on G. T. Road in front of Lahore Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan.

About Lahore

Lahore, the capital city of Punjab, is the most populous and second-largest city in the northeast part of Punjab province in Pakistan on the border with India at Wagha. It is located on the bank of River Ravi at a height of 213 meters above sea level.

It is linked with the rest of Pakistan and accessed by all types of transportation. It is the major city to access all of the cities and towns of Punjab province. It has the largest railway station in Pakistan. Allam Iqbal International airport is used for all types of international and local flights.

Historical Places in Lahore

Lahore is the historic cultural hub of the Punjab region and was served as the capital city for a number of years under the Mughal emperors, the Sikh Empire under the rule of Ranjit Singh, and provincial capital in British rule. It is famous for a number of historic buildings and parks, i.e. Shalimar garden, Shahi fort or Lahore fort, Badshah mosque, etc. These historical buildings are now managed by Unesco world heritage to preserve them for the next generation. Sheesh Mahal is one of the beautiful architectural Mughal construction with mirror and tile work, and it attracts a number of tourists from all over the world. Historical G.T. Road, constructed by Sher Shah Suri in the 16th century, was used to establish a link between Calcutta and Kabul. Lahore museum has a splendid collection of historical linkages of Lahore and the sub-continent. Minar-e-Pakistan was a beautifully constructed building in memory of the Pakistan Resolution on 23 March 1940. Allam Muhammad Iqbal, who gave the idea of Pakistan, was buried near Badshahi mosque.

It is also known as a walled city in the times of the Mughal Empire. Some remains of those walls and splendid gates still attract a number of tourists to Lahore, Pakistan. Shahi fort was served as the front-end defense of the city.

The City of Lahore also attracts a number of visitors from all over the country as well as foreign tourists to visit a number of beautiful parks and gardens in the city. Jallo Park, race-course park, and Jinnah garden are the most famous parks.

It is also famous for the largest number of educational institutes in Pakistan. The University of Punjab is one of the main universities there, which produces a number of graduates every year. A number of great leaders before the independence of Pakistan had studied in the Government College, Lahore.

Nowadays, Lahore is represented as a modern city, with organized towns, restaurants, and shopping centers, in Gulberg, Model Town, and other societies. People love to enjoy visiting these shopping centers and normally take dinner in restaurants late at night.

Lahori people are cooperative and polite in manner. They welcome outsiders with great hearts and enjoy offering them meals. They are not conservative and respect the opinion of others. Most of the people living there have belonged to the surrounding cities, so they are not actual residents of Lahore. The actual residents of Lahore are living inside the walled city or other old colonies around the walled city.

Ideal time to visit Lahore

Spring season is the ideal time to visit the city. At that time, visitors can enjoy thousands of various color flowers everywhere, especially in public parks. The fragrance of these flowers can be felt in the atmosphere, which attracts a number of local visitors too. Local tourists from the surrounding cities can arrange a one-day tour with their families. Fully luxurious hotels and restaurants are available for tourists from other cities as well as foreigners.