The second largest city in Pakistan is Lahore, is a city with great historical importance for the last few centuries. Located near the river Ravi and the Wagah border in the Punjab province, Lahore has a rich tapestry of political and cultural background, having experienced invasions and rules of the Persians, Moghuls, Afghans, Sikhs, Hindus and the British. These myriad experiences is reflected in the architecture, culture and language of Lahore, a city which is said to be at least 4000 years old. In the recent past, Lahore has played an important role in the history of India’s freedom struggle.
If you are planning to a tour to the subcontinent, then the city of Lahore should be in your itinerary, as it will be an enriching experience to feel the confluence of diverse cultures in a historical city. In this article, we discuss some of the attractions of the city of Lahore.
The first attraction in the list is the Lahore Fort, which is in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The fort consists of structures built by the Mughals and then the Sikhs.
The Badshahi Mosque was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. He also built the Alamgiri Gate near the Lahore Fort. In the Mughal days, the old city of Lahore was surrounded by a huge brick wall. Access to the city was allowed through thirteen different gates around the wall. Some of these are the Lahori Gate, the Delhi Gate, Akbari Gate and Kashmiri Gate.
There are a number of museums in the city of Lahore. Among these, the Lahore Museum was built by the British. It has a huge collection of cross cultural artifacts, including Buddhist Gandhara sculptures, costumes, jewelery and arms of other historical periods.
You can see a number of old paintings and artifacts from the Indo-Pak subcontinent at the Fakir Khana Museum. The Mughal Museum is an industrial and commercial museum displaying traditional handicrafts from all parts of Pakistan.
There are a number of beautiful, sprawling gardens in Lahore, giving it the name “City of Gardens”. Some of the gardens worth visit are the Shalimar Garden, Jallo Bagh, Hiran Minar and Bagh-e-Jinnah.
For the shopaholics, Lahore has a number of traditional bazars as well as trendy malls to choose from. To get a taste of tradition, visit the Anarkali Bazar and the Ichhra Bazar. You will find traditional gold and silver jewelery, silk and leather articles, embroidered garments and glass bangles here. Lahore’s main industry is carpet making. You will find carpets of all sizes and textures here. Do not forget to bring a couple of them back home.
While in Lahore, and Pakistan in general, remember a few things that will save any unwanted experience. Do wear modest clothes. Never enter any of the mosques with your shoes on. Women must carry a scarf or shawl along with them to cover their head when entering a mosque. Lahore is not against nightlife, but you will have to find the right places to enjoy a party.
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