Badshahi Masjid Emperor Mosque UNESCO Heritage Lahore Pakistan

History

The Badshahi Mosque was built between sixteen seventy one, and sixteen seventy three by the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb.

The mosque is an important example of Mughal architecture, with an exterior that is decorated with carved red sandstone with marble inlay, It remains the largest mosque of the Mughal-era, and is the third-largest mosque in Pakistan.

The mosque's full name, "Masjid Abul Zafar, Muhy-ud-Din Mohammad Aalamgeer, Badshah Ghazi" is written in inlaid marble above the vaulted entrance.

The mosque's gateway faces east towards the Alamgeeree Gate of the Lahore Fort, which was also commissioned by Aurangzeb.

Location

The Badshahi Mosque is located in Lahore, Pakistan. It is situated in the Walled City of Lahore, near the Minar-e-Pakistan.

The exact address is Hazuri Bagh, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The mosque is easily accessible by car, bus, or rickshaw, The nearest metro station is the Lahore Fort metro station, which is about a 10 minutes walk from the mosque.

Entrance

The massive entrance and mosque are situated on a plinth, which is ascended by a flight of 22 steps at the mosque's main gate, The gateway itself contains several chambers which are not accessible to the public, entrance to the mosque complex is via a two-storey edifice built of red sandstone which is elaborately decorated with framed and carved paneling on its facades.

Courtyard

After passing through the massive gate, an expansive sandstone paved courtyard spreads over an area of 276,000 square feet, and which can accommodate 100,000 worshipers when functioning as an Eid gah.

Its construction was completed by 1674 AD, It has a beautiful gateway which measures 21.33 metres in length, and a courtyard that measures 161.5 into 160.6 metres, and is said to be the largest mosque courtyard in the world for outdoor prayers, The marble domes cover seven prayer chambers.

The Badshahi Mosque is a magnificent example of Mughal architecture, and is one of the most important landmarks in Lahore.

Prayer Hall.

The main edifice at the site was also built from red sandstone, and is decorated with white marble inlay, It is located in the center of the mosque's courtyard and is the main prayer hall.

The Prayer Hall is a large, rectangular space with a high ceiling, It has a central arched niche with five niches, flanking it which are about one third the size of the central niche.

Both the interior and exterior of the mosque are decorated with elaborate white marble carved with a floral design common to Mughal art, The carvings at Badshahi mosque are considered to be uniquely fine and unsurpassed works of Mughal architecture.

The chambers on each side of the main chamber contains rooms, which were used for religious instruction.

The mosque can accommodate 10,000 worshippers in the prayer hall.

Domes, Minars or Meenarets.

The mosque has three marble domes, the largest of which is located in the centre of the mosque, and which is flanked by two smaller domes.

At each of the four corners of the mosque, there are octagonal, three-storey meenarets, made of red sandstone, that are 196 feet (60 meters) tall, with an outer circumference of 67 feet and the inner circumference is eight and half feet.

Each meenaret is topped by a marble canopy, The main building of the mosque also features an additional four smaller miinarets at each corner of the building.

In short, the Badshahi Masjid is a symbol of Islamic culture and heritage, because it is a beautiful and impressive mosque that is a reminder of the Mughal Empire's legacy.

It is also a place of peace and tranquility, where people from all over the world can come together to worship, and learn about Islamic culture.

It is also a reminder of the Mughal Empire's contribution to the world.Today, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Lahore.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.