Lahore (Punjabi: لہور, Urdu: لاہور, pronounced is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. The city lies along the Ravi River and is situated approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Wagah (the only road border crossing between India and Pakistan). Historically the main city of the undivided Punjab, Lahore has been a center of Muslim heritage since the Data Durbar is located here.[14] It is often called the Garden of Mughals because of its rich Mughal heritage. It successively served as provincial/regional capital of the empires of the Shahi kingdoms in the 11th century, the Ghaznavids in the 12th century, the Ghurid State in the 12th and 13th century, the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century, and it was the capital of the Punjab region under the British Raj in the mid 19th and early 20th century. Mughal structures such as the Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and the mausolea of Jehangir and Nur Jehan are popular tourist attractions for the city.Lahore is also
home to many British colonial structures built in the Mughal-Gothic style, such as the Lahore High Court, the General Post Office (GPO), the Lahore Museum, and many older universities including the University of the Punjab. Lahore is often referred to as the cultural heart of Pakistan, as it is the center of Pakistani arts, films and intelligentsia. According to the 1998 census, Lahore's population was 6,318,745. A mid-2006 government estimate now puts the population at approximately 10 million.[12] This makes Lahore the fifth largest city in South Asia and the 26th largest city in the world only in terms of population count. In 2008, Lahore was ranked as a city with High Sufficiency to become a Gamma world city. It has been ranked by The Guardian as the 2nd Best Tourist Destination in Pakistan.
olds that Lahore, known in ancient times as Lavapuri (City of Lava in Sanskrit), was founded by Prince Lava, the son of Rama, while Kasur was founded by his twin brother Prince Kusha. To this day, Lahore Fort has a vacant temple dedicated to Lava (also pronounced Loh, hence Loh-awar or "The Fort of Loh") the celebrated 2nd-century Egyptian astronomer and geographer, mentions in his Geographia a city called situated on the route between the Indus River and Palibothra, or Pataliputra (Patna) mostly, in a tract of country called (Kashmir). It was described as extending along the rivers Bidastes or Vitasta (Jhelum), Sandabal or Chandra Bhaga (Chenab), and Adris or Iravati . This city may have been ancient Lahore.
ocument about Lahore was written anonymously in 982. (The Regions of the World). In 1927 it was translated into English by Vladimir Fedorovich Minorsky and published in Lahore. In this document, Lahore is mentioned as a shehr or town inhabited by infidels temples, large markets and huge orchards. It refers to two major markets around which dwellings exist, and it also mentions "the mud walls that enclose these two dwellings to make it one. The original document is currently held in the British Museum. Lahore was called by different names throughout history. To date there is no conclusive evidence as to when it was founded. Some historians trace the history of the city as far back as 4000 years ago. However, historically, it has been proved that Lahore is at least 2,000 years old. the famous Chinese pilgrim has given a vivid description of Lahore which he visited in the early parts of the 7th century AD. Lying on the main trade and invasion routes to South Asia, Lahore has been ruled and plundered by a number of dynasties and hordes.Mughal Era
Lahore touched the zenith of its glory during the Mughal rule from 1524 to 1752. The Mughals, who were famous as builders, gave Lahore some of its finest architectural monuments, many of which are extant today. From 1524 t
o 1752, Lahore was part of the Mughal Empire. Lahore grew under emperor Babur; from 1584 to 1598, under the emperors Akbar the Great and Jahangir, the city served as the empire's capital. Lahore reached the peak of its architectural glory during the rule of the Mughals, many of whose buildings and gardens have survived the ravages of time. Lahore's reputation for beauty fascinated the English poet John Milton, who wrote "Agra and Lahore, the Seat of the Great Mughal" in 1670. During this time, the massive LAHORE FORT was built. A few buildings within the fort were added by Akbar's son, Mughal emperor Jahangir, who is buried in the city. Jahangir's son, Shahjahan Burki, was born in Lahore. He, like his father, extended the Lahore Fort and built many other structures in the city, including the Shalimar Gardens. The last of the great Mughals, Aurangzeb, who ruled from 1658 to 1707, built the city's most famous monuments, the Badshahi Masjid and the Alamgiri Gate next to the Lahore Fort.
cultural capital of Pakistan, an honor it can trace back to the rule of the mighty Mughals. The Mughals left several architectural masterpieces in Lahore, such as Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens. Built and completed in 1673 by the Mug hal emperor Aurangzeb, the red sandstone Badshahi Mosque was for many years the worlds largest mosque. It can hold up to 60,000 worshippers.Lahore Fort
Origins of the fort go as far back as antiquity, however, the existing base structure was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605), and was regularly upgraded by subsequent rulers, having thirteen gates in all.[1] Thus the fort manifests the rich traditions of Mughal architecture of the famous sites inside the fort include: Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a along with the Shalimar Gardens (Lahore).
