Asia · Pakistan · Punjab
Lahore Fort
The story
History of Lahore Fort
A fort of Mughal gardens and mirror-inlaid halls, rebuilt by Akbar and the emperors who followed him.
Pakistan · Punjab · Mughal
- Built
- from 1566
- Era
- Renaissance
- Style
- Mughal
- Country
- Pakistan
- Region
- Punjab
- UNESCO
- World Heritage Site
- Coordinates
- 31.588, 74.315
In depth
The fuller history
Though the site is known to have been inhabited for millennia, the origins of Lahore Fort are obscure and traditionally based on various myths.
The British occupied the fort after their conquest of Lahore, and made several modifications to it, primarily involving conversion of existing buildings for colonial use including hospitals and barracks for the British military. Excavations in 1959 in front of Diwan-i-Am led to the discovery of a gold coin dated 1025 CE belonging to Mahmud Ghaznavi. The coin was unearthed at the depth of 7.6 metres (25 ft) from the lawn. The cultural layers were continuous to the depth of 4.6 metres (15 ft) indicating that the fort was inhabited by people even before his conquest.
Key dates
- 1241It was made of mud and was destroyed in 1241 by the Mongol Empire during the siege of Lahore in 1241.
- 1611The foundation of this mosque was laid by the empress Mariam-uz-Zamani in the year 1611.
- 1633The Naulakha Pavilion is an iconic sight of the Lahore Fort built in 1633 during the Shah Jahan period that is made of prominent white marble, and known for its distinctive curvilinear roof.
- 1849The current structure was built by the British in 1849 after their victory against the Sikhs.
- 2007While relaying the deteriorated floor of Akbari Gate in April 2007, three floors in the fort were unearthed belonging to the British, Sikh and Mughal periods, constructed with bricks, burnt bricks and pebbles respectively.
- 2020Restoration work was completed in March 2020 by Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan with funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Walled City of Lahore Authority, and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
Historical summary drawn from Wikipedia. Read the full article.
Tips & experiences
Been here? Leave a note for the next visitor.
Loading tips…