“Pakistan 🇵🇰 ~Day Touring in Lahore City and Fort Lahore”
Just like the night tour, we loved the day tour of the same city. Ejaz drove us all over (which I could do all day long). Lahore is very interesting and there is always something to see! We got to go inside the Lahore Fort for a visit. We had a guide, and took a private tour. It had been about 40 years since Ejaz visited the Fort. I doubt very much has changed to him, though. Aside from that, Ejaz has a long, long family history in Lahore. I like being able to ask questions, and Ejaz is always good about answering them. He saw a very different city, when he was a youngster. I would have loved to have seen that, too!
We began our tour day at the Lahore Museum, but as luck would have it, it was closed for maintenance. We would try to go the next day to see that. We had plenty to see and the time just flew by. We had to keep an eye on the time, so we could get to our night bus tour around the city, but we ended up having plenty of time to wander around the Fort. I did not know a lot about the history of Lahore Fort, but I noticed right away, the architecture and design of the grounds reminded me a lot of the Red Fort in Agra, India. Come to find out, they are similar, as they were built by the same individual, so long ago.
Lahore Fort was enlisted among the World Heritage Sites in 1981 by UNESCO.
The gorgeous wall being elaborated and vivid mosaic decoration in pleasing colors was commenced by emperor Jahangir in 1624-25 AD, but completed by Shah Jahan in 1631-32 AD. The wall is the most representative relic of Mughal period.
“Lion of Punjab”
He lost the sight in his left eye to smallpox as an infant, but he did survived. He began fighting wars at the age of ten, along side his father
It is one of the most majestic palaces of the Mughal period. It was constructed under the supervision of Asif Khan for Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631-32 AD. There is a spacious hall in front with several rooms behind and on the sides. The palace formed the Harm (Ladies portion) of the Fort. The rear chamber houses a marble screen beautifully carved out in tendril, floral and geometrical patterns.
The shallow water basin is constructed in the center of Mahal that comprises four jet fountains. The other buildings are connected with basin through the four water channels on each side. The mirror reflects the stars and the bedrooms presents, in its ceiling, the panorama of a star lit sky. The exterior wall of the Sheesh Mahal presents the beautiful mosaic paintings that depict everyday sport of the Mughal princes for the enjoyment of the people who used to gather below the Fort, not only to have a view of the emperor sitting in the Jharokha, but also to admire the brilliance of colours on the wall. Here one can observe the great art of that time in the form of galloping horses, humped camels, elephant ride, hunting scene, animal fights, horse man plying polo, camel fights, figures of angels, demon head sand moving clouds, horse and elephant riders crossing Swords and verities of floral and geometrical designs.
From Sheesh Mahal, one can have a magnificent view of the Badshahi Mosque built by Aurangzeb and the Minar-e-Pakistan. At night, this view is really stunning. Mughal culture reveled in great opulence, and the perfection of craft used in the Sheesh Mahal, or Palace of Mirrors, epitomises the sumptuous reign.
Badshahi Mosque was built between 1672 and 1674
Badshahi mosque is one of the few significant architectural monuments built during Emperor Aurangzeb’s long rule from 1658 to 1707. It is presently the fifth largest mosque in the world and was indisputably the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 when the Faisal Mosque was constructed in Islamabad. Although it was built late in the Mughal era in a period of relative decline, its beauty, elegance, and scale epitomize Mughal cultural achievement like no other monument in Lahore.
After the Fort visit, Ejaz got us a pizza, so we had a bit to eat, as we waited to get on the bus for the night tour. Ejaz planned our day very well, and we really appreciate all he has done for us, which is a lot!
As I had mentioned, prior, there is a connection between the the Agra Fort in Agra, India and the Lahore Fort, in Lahore, Pakistan. Both were built during the Mughal Empire. Emperor Shah Jahan had the Taj Mahal build as a tomb for his beloved wife. Later, in 1631, Shah Jahan also converted the Lahore Fort into a pleasure Palace resort, adding many additions and naming one of additions of a complex; the Sheesh Mahal.
Here is a link to my photo website, if you want to take a look at the Agra Fort photos (Taj Mahal photos as well): https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize/Places/AsiaLife/IndiaRajasthan/Rajasthan/Agra/Agra
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Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More