Architecture of Lahore - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Architecture of Lahore reflects the history of Lahore

Lahore

Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...

and is remarkable for its variety and uniqueness. There are buildings left from the centuries ago rule of the Mughal Dynasty, the Sikh Empire, as well as from the era of the British Raj

British Raj

British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...

, whose style is a mixture of Victorian

Victorian architecture

The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...

and Islamic architecture

Islamic architecture

Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....

often referred to as Indo-Gothic. In addition, there are newer buildings which are very modern in their design. An interesting point about Lahore's architecture is that unlike the emphasis on functional architecture in the west, much of Lahore's architecture has always been about making a statement as much as anything else. Lahore art has always been popular worldwide and thus it lures tourists from all over the world.

The old city houses a number of Lahore architecture, which have a strong influence of the Mughal style. Department of archaeology has excavated many architectural remains of the buildings that were built during the rule of Rama of Ayodhya. Thus it can be said that though most of the buildings of Lahore carry Muslim heritage, there are a few structures, which have the influence of other religions such as Sikhism

Sikhism

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...

, Hinduism

Hinduism

Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...

, Jainism

Jainism

Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...

and Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...

.

However, Lahore architecture also includes the thirteen gates, through which one can enter the city from various directions. Some of the gates are known as Raushnai Gate, Masti Gate, Yakki Gate, Kashmiri Gate, Khizri Gate, Shah Burj Gate, Akbari Gate and Lahori Gate. Some of the other significant buildings of Lahore built during the Mughal rule are Jahangir’s Quadrangle, Maktab Khana, Khilwat Khana, Picture Wall, Kala Burj and Hathi Paer.

Lahore architecture consists of a few mosques as well. An atypical style of all the major buildings was that they were surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Walled City

Like all ancient cities, Lahore also has two faces, the old and the new. It is situated next to the river Ravi, which helped the city develop economically, demographically and culturally. Trade, food and communication, were all made possible due to the strategic location of the city. The old city is the reminiscent of the past glory of Lahore and the new city gives a prospectus of its bright and prosperous future. The city is built in the shape of a parallelogram and the area within the walls is about 461 acres (1.9 km²). This walled city is slightly elevated hence protecting it from destruction and any outside invasion. It was Akbar who, during his stay in Lahore, built a brick wall around the city to protect it. Since the walls had decayed overtime, when Ranjit Singh came into power afterwards he rebuilt these walls and added a deep broad ditch around. This ditch was further filled with fine gardens, and encircled the city on every side except the north. Access to the city was possible through the thirteen gateways.

Surviving Gates


Name	Picture	Description
Bhati Gate Bhati Gate The Bhati Gate is located within Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Bhati Gate entrance is located on the Western wall of the Old City. It is one of the two oldest entry points into the Walled City which controlled the only major north-south thoroughfare during Ghaznavid period...		The entrance to the "Bhati Gate" is located on the western wall of the old city. The area inside the gate is well known throughout the city for its food. Just outside of "Bhati Gate" is the Data Durbar, the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Ali Hajweri (also known as Data Sahib Ganjbaksh). Every Thursday evening Naat Naat A Na`at is a poetry that specifically praises the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Many of the famous scholars in the earlier days of Islam wrote Naat. People who recite Naat are known as Naat-Khua'an or Sana'a-Khua'an.-History:... Readers and Qawawals (who perform Qawwali Qawwali Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular in South Asia, particularly in the Punjab and Sindh regions of Pakistan, Hyderabad, Delhi, and other parts of northern India... ) gather here to read Naat Naat A Na`at is a poetry that specifically praises the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Many of the famous scholars in the earlier days of Islam wrote Naat. People who recite Naat are known as Naat-Khua'an or Sana'a-Khua'an.-History:... and perform religious Qawwali Qawwali Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular in South Asia, particularly in the Punjab and Sindh regions of Pakistan, Hyderabad, Delhi, and other parts of northern India... .
Delhi Gate Delhi Gate The Delhi Gate is located within Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Delhi Gate was built during the Mughal period and is one of thirteen gates of the Inner City. The area near the gate is a historical place, in which a number of old buildings, havelis and markets are located...		The "Delhi Gate" was once the main and only road that led from Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... to Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... . The gate was built during the Mughal era Mughal era The Mughal era is a historic period of the Mughal Empire in South Asia . It ran from the early 15th century to a point in the early 18th century when the Mughal Emperors' power had dwindled... . Although the gate suffered greatly in the 1947 riots, it has since been renovated and today is in its former glory.
Kashmiri Gate		The "Kashmiri Gate" is so named because it faces the direction of Kashmir. Inside the gate, there is a shopping area called "Kashmiri Bazaar" and a girls' college. This college, built upon an old haveli belonging to a shah, is a beautiful example of Mughal architecture.
Lohari Gate Lohari Gate The Lohari or Lahori Gate is located within Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Lahori and the bazaar behind it comprises the oldest arterial route in the Walled City built by Akbar the great. Qutbuddin Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of the Subcontinent is buried just outside this...		The "Lohari Gate" is very close to "Bhati Gate." Like many other gates, it was built to keep enemies out. Although it is now surrounded by shops and stalls, it still has great architectural significance. In Urdu, loha means "iron," and the gate is named Lohari because many lohars (blacksmith Blacksmith A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut... s) workshops were based just outside this gate.
Roshnai Gate Roshnai Gate The Roshnai Gate is one of the thirteen gates within the Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Its extended height and width is testament to its use by emperors' caravans of elephants.- External links :*...		The "Roshnai Gate," also known as the "Gate of Lights," is located between the Lahore Fort Lahore Fort The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore... and the Badshahi Mosque Badshahi Mosque The Badshahi Mosque or the 'King's Mosque' in Lahore, commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and completed in 1673, is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world... . As the gate was one of the main entrances into the city, it was constantly visited by Omerahs, courtiers, royal servants and retinues. In the evenings, the gate was lit up, hence its name. The gate was also referred to as the "Gate of Splendour." It is the only gate that is in good condition and still retains its original looks.
Shairanwala Gate Shairanwala Gate The Khizri Gate or Sheranwala Gate is one of the 13 gates of Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Shairanwala Gate is one of the four gates which once opened on the river front north of the Walled City. It was named after Khawaja Khizr, the patron saint of running waters and rivers...		The "Shairanwala Gate," also known as the "Gate of the Lions," was made by Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:... . After its completion, Singh placed two live lions (or Shers) in cages at the gate as a symbolic gesture to warn any invader.

Mughal Architecture

The Mughals ruled a population dominated by non-Muslims, mostly Hindus. Indigenous religions and traditions were tolerated and respected by the Mughal rulers. They were also incorporated into the arts, literature, music and architecture of the Mughal dynasty. During the 300-year rule of the Mughals, their attitudes towards indigenous cultures varied. With Akbar’s arrival, there was a fusion of Hindu and Muslim styles and they are depicted in the various architectural innovations that he undertook.

Mughal architecture was the product of Indian, Islamic, Timurid and even European styles. The Mughal artists used these borrowed forms, in terms of symbolism and style, to fit in their own distinct style of architecture. According to Abul Fazl, the court chronicler, the Mughal forts and palaces were much more than imperial residences, they served as emblems of power and wealth, designed to dazzle the native rajas who attended their emperor’s courts. Mughal emperors often demolished earlier structures to make space for new ones. Although they were proud of their heritage, each sought to mould the court in their own manner, and give his own reign a unique character. Apart from the forts and palaces, the two other most important types of Mughal buildings were the mosques and tombs. Both were used to provide a place of worship for Muslims.

Grand Islamic tombs had become popular at the time of the Mughals. These tombs commonly had entrances without doors, so that the interior was open to the outside air, and it had been suggested that this arrangement was devised to satisfy the law while evading its real meaning. Such attempts to reconcile artistic talent with religious tradition portray Islam as being devoid of artistic aspirations.

By an architectural point of view, therefore, Lahore is essentially a Mughal city, its golden period being by and large the period of Mughal rule. The Emperors added much to the city of Lahore making it a beautiful and cultured city. Today, no architectural work can be compared to the grand style of the Mughals. They have left an unprecedented mark that cannot be matched no matter how hard one tries.

Sikh Architecture

Sikh Architecture, is a style of architecture

Architecture

Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...

that is characterized with values of progressiveness, exquisite intricacy, austere beauty and logical flowing lines. This form of architecture was initially developed within Sikhism

Sikhism

its style is used in many non-religious building due its beauty. 300 years ago, Sikh architecture was distinguished for its many curves and straight lines, Shri Keshgarh Sahib and the Golden Temple

Harmandir Sahib

The Harmandir Sahib also Darbar Sahib , also referred to as the Golden Temple, is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab . Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev...

are prime examples and history of a gurdwara.
Apart from buildings of religious order, Sikh architecture has secular types of forts, palaces, bungas (residential places), colleges, etc. The religious structure is the gurdwara, a place where the Guru dwells. A gurdwara is not only the all-important building of the Faith, as masjid or mosque of the Islamic faith and mandir or temple of the Hindu religion, but it is also, like its Islamic and Hindu counterparts, the keynote of Sikh architecture.

The Samadhi of Ranjit Singh is the mausoleum

Mausoleum

A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...

of the Sikh

Sikh

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...

ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Punjab)

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...

. It is located near the Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort

The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore...

and Badshahi Mosque

Badshahi Mosque

The Badshahi Mosque or the 'King's Mosque' in Lahore, commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and completed in 1673, is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world...

in Lahore

Lahore

, Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

. Construction was started by his son, Kharak Singh on the spot where he was cremated

Cremation

Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....

, and was completed by his youngest son, Duleep Singh

Duleep Singh

This article is about Maharaja Dalip Singh. For other uses, see Dalip SinghMaharaja Dalip Singh, GCSI , commonly called Duleep Singh and later in life nicknamed the Black Prince of Perthshire, was the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire...

in 1848. The tomb exmeplifies Sikh architecture, it is gilded fluted domes and cupola

Cupola

In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....

s and an ornate balustrade round the top. Ranjit Singh

Ranjit Singh

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...

's ashes are contained in a marble urn in the shape of a lotus, sheltered under a marble pavilion inlaid with pietra dura

Pietra dura

Pietra dura or pietre dure , called parchin kari in South Asia, is a term for the technique of using cut and fitted, highly-polished colored stones to create images. It is considered a decorative art...

, in the centre of the tomb. Two small monuments to the west of the main mausoleum commemorate Ranjit Singh

Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Punjab)

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...

's son Kharak Singh and grandson Nau Nihal Singh

Nau Nihal Singh

Maharaja Nau Nihal Singh was a Sikh ruler of the sovereign country of Punjab and the Sikh Empire. He was the son of Maharani Chand Kaur and Maharaja Kharak Singh, himself eldest son and heir of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Sher-e-Panjab and the Grandson of Datar Kaur.After the death of Ranjit Singh,...

, and their wives.

British Architecture

Under British rule (1849–1947), colonial architecture in Lahore combined Mughal

Mughal architecture

Mughal architecture, an amalgam of Islamic, Persian, Turkish and Indian architecture, is the distinctive style developed by the Mughals in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries in what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It is symmetrical and decorative in style.The Mughal dynasty was...

, Gothic

Gothic Revival architecture

The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...

and Victorian

Victorian architecture

styles.
Under British rule, Sir Ganga Ram (sometimes referred to as the father of modern Lahore) designed and built the General Post Office, Lahore Museum, Aitchison College, Mayo School of Arts (now the NCA), Ganga Ram Hospital, Lady Mclagan Girls High School, the chemistry department of the Government College University, the Albert Victor wing of Mayo Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram High School (now Lahore College for Women) the Hailey College of Commerce, Ravi Road House for the Disabled, the Ganga Ram Trust Building on Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, and the Lady Maynard Industrial School. He also constructed Model Town, a suburb that has recently developed into a cultural center for Lahore's growing socioeconomic elite.

The General Post Office and YMCA buildings in Lahore commemorated the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria, an event marked by the construction of clock towers and monuments all over British India. Other important British buildings included the High Court, the Government College University

Government College University

Government College University, Lahore is a co-educational public university located on The Mall in Lahore, Pakistan...

, the museums

Lahore Museum

Lahore Museum , established in 1894, is located in The Mall, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Rudyard Kipling's father, John Lockwood Kipling, was one of the famous curators of the museum. Over 250,000 admissions were registered in 2005.-Attractions:...

, St. Anthony's College

St. Anthony's High School (Lahore)

St. Anthony's High School is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore in Pakistan. It is ranked among the best educational institutions in Punjab. It is situated at Lahore's historical road, The Mall....

, the National College of Arts

National College of Arts

The National College of Arts Lahore, usually referred to by its acronym NCA, is a famous old college in Lahore, Pakistan.Like all old institutions, the National College of Arts, has a historical tradition. Much of its present tone was set long ago when it was known as the Mayo School of Arts...

, Montgomery Hall, Tollinton Market, the University of the Punjab

University of the Punjab

University of the Punjab , colloquially known as Punjab University, is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The University of the Punjab is the oldest and biggest University of Pakistan. The University of the Punjab was formally established with the convening of the first meeting of its...

(Old Campus) and the Provincial Assembly. Even today, Mall Road retains a variety of Gothic and Victorian style buildings built during the British Raj. At one end of The Mall

The Mall (Lahore)

The Mall in Lahore, Pakistan , is one of the city's main roads, and, along with the Grand Trunk Road, one of its most famous as well...

stands the university, one of the most prestigious universities of Pakistan. The British also launched the city's first horse-racing club in 1924, starting a tradition that continues today at the Lahore Race Club

Lahore Race Club

Lahore Race Club, in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, is a club concerned with the sport of horse racing, established in 1924 when Lahore was part of the Punjab Province of British India....

. Other renowned buildings are Punjab Assembly

Provincial Assembly of the Punjab

The Provincial Assembly of the Punjab is a unicameral legislature of elected representatives of the province of Punjab, which is located in Lahore in eastern Pakistan...

Hall, Lahore High Court

Lahore High Court

The Lahore High Court is based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was established as a high court on March 21, 1919. The Lahore High Court has jurisdiction over Punjab...

, General Post Office (GPO), Lahore Museum

Lahore Museum

, Punjab University

University of the Punjab

, Tollinton Market and the Lahore Railway Station

Lahore Railway Station

The Lahore Railway Station in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan was built by British colonists between 1859-1860 at the cost of half a million Rupees. It is of typical grand British architecture in South Asia during the British Raj period...

Mosques

Religion throughout history has influenced the fabric of Muslim society and we find its imprint on art and culture as well. The city of Lahore which has been the seat of learning could not escape the impact of Islam. This impact we find in several architectural monuments specifically the Mosques built during the supremacy of Muslims over this area. Some of these Mosques were built by women and courtiers for the purpose of spreading knowledge. The most famous Mosque built during the Moghul period has been the Badshahi Mosque. Others include the Masjid Sara-I-Shahjahani, built by Emperor Shah Jahan and situated next to Emperor Jahangir’s tomb; Taxali Gate Mosque; Mosque of Mullah Mohammad Saleh Kamboh, situated near the Mochi Gate; Sunehri Mosque, built during the last phase of Mughal rule; Masjid Sardar Jahan, the earliest mosque of Jahangir’s period and situated inside the Lahori Gate; and the Zenana Masjid in the Fort built near the Ladies Quadrangle and was meant exclusively for the ladies living nearby.

Gardens

Since the beginning Lahore has been famous for its beautiful gardens and parks. Its ideal location on the banks of the Ravi provided an opportunity to the rulers and lovers of beauty to plan gardens to satisfy their aesthetic taste. During the Moghul period, most of the gardens were planned around mausoleums of rulers or saints or were laid by the royal courtiers. The gardens in some cases were used as farm houses or summer resorts. Many Emperors would camp in these gardens while on their visit to Lahore or when they were in transit. We are not certain whether these gardens were also used by the public at that time or not. Some of the gardens laid down during the Mughal period include-the Dilkusha garden, the Shalimar garden, the Chaubujri garden, the Naulakha garden and the Gulabi garden.

Tombs

Lahore is the city where mortal remains of the most romantic and artistic of all the Emperors of this sub continent exist. It is the city where the prettiest and most intelligent of all the Mughal queens, Nur Jahan lies in eternal sleep in a city which she loved the most. Here too lies the romantic legendary figure, Anarkali. Besides royalty there are a number of great people who have left an imprint on the pages of history and are now a proud heritage of Lahore. Among the administrators we can name Asif Jah, brother of Nur Jahan, and also a famous architect of his times, Ali Mardan Khan. Lahore is equally proud of religious leaders and saints. Their tombs are daily visited by thousands of their disciples and the living influence of their teachings is still being felt today.

Modern Architecture

In modern Lahore, the traditions of architecture in Lahore have been changing. The dome, minaret, the arch, the intricate mirror work and the extravagant use of ornaments which were features of the Mughal style, have now gone out of fashion. Furthermore, the changing patterns of economy, industrialization and increase in population have contributed a great deal in revolutionizing the entire basis of architectural forms. Due to changing lifestyles and trends, there has been an ever increasing tendency to adopt Western and American forms of architecture. However, there is no parallel between the classical Mughal architecture and that of modern structures. Mughal architecture by far surpasses contemporary architectural designs. In modern days, parts of Bahria Town Housing Scheme in Lahore are themed on ancient Egyptian culture. There are many other architectural notables, including themes for different locales that make Bahria a very interesting and well conceived scheme to visit and live in. Lahore Alhamra Arts Council

Alhamra Arts Council

Alhamra Arts Council is a name in the World of Architecture in Pakistan. It is a heart of Pakistani architecture because it shows all the traditions and Architecture of Pakistan....

is also a piece of Architecture in Lahore, it gives modern and old all traditions of Pakistan

Pakistan

. It is the work of Aga Khan

Aga Khan Award for Architecture

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is an architectural prize established by Aga Khan IV in 1977. It aims to identify and reward architectural concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of Islamic societies in the fields of contemporary design, social housing, community...

in Lahore.

Walled City

Surviving Gates

Mughal Architecture

Sikh Architecture

British Architecture

Mosques

Gardens

Tombs

Modern Architecture

See also