Lahore

Lahore

Lahore, is of Gardens and the second largest city in Pakistan, has a population of about 10 million souls and is the capital of Punjab province. Covering a total land area of 404 square km it lies between 31°15′ and 31°45′ North latitude and 74°01′ and 74°39′ East longitude. Lahore is considered to be one of the 30th largest cities of the world. Because of the heritage of the Moghul Empire, it is also known as the Gardens of the Moghals. Lahore is known as the Heart of Pakistandue to rich popular culture. Much of architecture from the Mughal era has been preserved. Badshahi Mosque, Shalimar Gardens, Lahore Fort and the mausoleums of Jahangir and Nur Jehan are the most popular tourist spots in Lahore.

During the rule of the Moghals Lahore reached a peak of architectural glory. The buildings and gardens constructed in the Moghul era survived the hazards of time and, fascinated by the beauty the English poet John Milton wrote ‘Agraand Lahore, the Seat of Great Moghal” in 1670.  During the rule of Moghal emperor Akbar,Lahore served as its capital, from 1584 to 1598 and the impressive Fort of Lahore was built during this period. The Alamgiri Gate next to the Fort of Lahore and the most famous monument of the city ‘Badshahi Masjid' was built during the rule of the last Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who ruled from 1658 to 1707.

Weather in Lahore is extreme during the summers and temperatures can drop to -1 °C in the winters. The city's highest maximum temperature was recorded 48 °C, in June 1921.  Punjabi is the native language of the province but other languages i.e. Urdu, Pashto, Persian and English are also spoken in the city.

Lahoreis are known for their love of spicy food. Lahore has many traditional and modern restaurants, Western fast food chains, i.e. McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts Pizza Hut and Kentucky Chicken. Food streets also attract tourists in Lahore.

Prominent cites of Lahore

Shalimar Bagh

The Shalimar Garden was laid out during the rule of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The garden follows the familiar Charbagh model (four squares) with three descending terraces. In 1862 the Lawrence Gardens were established and named after Sir John Lawrence, late 19th century British Viceroy to India. The gardens cover an area of 112 acres.

Other gardens and parks in Lahore are: –

Hazuri Bagh, Iqbal Park, Mochi Bagh, Ghulshan Iqbal Park, Model Town Park, Race Course Park, Nasir Bagh, Jhola Park, Wild Life Park (The Zoo of Lahore) and Changa Manga.

 Badshahi Masjid

One of the city's best landmarks is the Badshahi Mosque, built in 1673 by the Moghal Emperor Aurangzeb. It accommodates over 50,000 worshipers and is the second largest mosque in Pakistan after the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Architecture of the mosque is similar to the Jamia Masijid Delhi,India.

A small museum has also been added to the mosque complex recently containing relics of the Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (peace be upon him), his cousin Hazrat Ali and daughter Hazrat Fatima (alihimussalam).

Lahore Fort (Shahi Qila)

The Fort of Lahore is located in the north-western corner of Lahore, adjacent to the WalledCity.  The fort is 1,400 feet long and 1,115 feet wide. The fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Shalimar Bagh in 1981.

Other prominent features within the fort are:
Moti Masjid, Alamgir Gate, Naulakha pavilion and Sheesh Mahal.

Other prominent cites

• Minar-e-Pakistan
• Roshni Gate
• Walled City
• Iqbal Park
• Bagh-e-Jinnah
• Lahore Museum
• Mausoleum of the great poet Mohammad Iqbal
• Bibi Pak Daman
• Data Darbar
• Shahi Mohalla