Top 10 Tourist Places in Lahore | places to visit in Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab, is Pakistan’s 2nd largest city after Karachi, and is the 26th largest city in the world. Lahore is a historical city and it has seen different rulers ranging from Hindus to Mughals and Britians.
According to historians and archaeologists, Lahore was the capital of several Hindu dynasties from around 300-250 BC onwards. Probably the first of these dynasties was the ‘Loh'(or Lav) dynasty of the Gujar tribe. Some people also believe that this city is the same one mentioned by Ptolemy in his Geographia.
The ancient ‘Walled City’ was the old, proper Lahore, which later expanded in different directions. Quite a lot of work was done on it by the kings of the Delhi Sultanate and then the Mughals. Most of the newer areas and suburbs of the city are from the later British Raj from 1849 to 1947. We bring you 10 places from Lahore which are called Lahore famous places. We hope you will enjoy the article and would like to visit these places.
1. Badshahi Mosque
The Badshahi Mosque is a Mughal-era congregational mosque in Lahore. The mosque is located in front of Lahore Fort along the outskirts of the Walled City of Lahore and is widely considered to be one of Lahore’s most iconic landmarks.
The Badshahi Mosque was constructed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb between 1671 and 1673 and was the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986. 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. After the fall of the Mughal Empire, the mosque was used as a garrison by the British Empire and is now one of Pakistan’s most iconic sights.
2. Lahore Fort
The Lahore Fort is a citadel in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The fortress is located at the northern end of the walled city Lahore and spreads over an area greater than 20 hectares. It contains 21 notable monuments, some of which date to the era of Emperor Akbar. The foundations of the modern Lahore Fort date to 1566 during the reign of Emperor Akbar, who bestowed the fort with a syncretic architectural style that featured both Islamic and Hindu motifs. After the fall of the Mughal Empire, Lahore Fort was used as the residence of Emperor Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire. The Sikhs made several additions to the fort. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its “outstanding repertoire” of Mughal monuments dating from the era when the empire was at its artistic and aesthetic zenith.
3. Minar-e-Pakistan
Minar E Pakistan is a tower located in Lahore, Pakistan. The tower was built between 1960 and 1968 on the site where the All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution (which was later called the Pakistan Resolution) on 23 March 1940 – the first official call for a separate and independent homeland for the Muslims of British India, as espoused by the two-nation theory. The resolution eventually helped lead to the emergence of an independent Pakistani state in 1947. The tower is located in the middle of an urban park, called the Greater Iqbal Park. The tower reflects a blend of Mughal/ Islamic and modern architecture. The tower base is shaped like a flower. The area surrounding the monument is covered with parks and flowers. The location is often used for political and religious events. It is also known as the “Liberty Tower of Pakistan”.
4. Grand Jamia Mosque Bahria Town
Grand Jamia Mosque Lahore is a mosque located in Bahria Town, Lahore, Pakistan. With a capacity of 70,000 worshippers, it is the third largest mosque in Pakistan and the fourteenth largest mosque in the world. Designed by Nayyar Ali Dada, it was inaugurated on Eid al-Adha on 6 October 2014. The architecture is influenced by Badshahi Masjid, Wazir Khan Mosque, and Sheikh Zayed Mosque, with construction costs of over 4 billion rupees (or approximately $39 million). The structure comprises four minarets. The exterior is surfaced with 4 million handmade Multani tiles. The interior is decorated with custom-made carpets imported from Turkey and over 50 chandeliers imported from Iran. One of the floors consists of an Islamic heritage museum.
5. Wagah Border
The border crossing draws its name from Wahga village, near which the Radcliffe Line, the boundary demarcation line dividing India and Pakistan upon the Partition of British India, was drawn. At the time of the independence in 1947, migrants from India entered Pakistan through this border crossing and vice versa. The Wagah-Attari border ceremony happens at the border gate, two hours before sunset each day. The flag ceremony is conducted by the Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force (BSF), similar to the retreat ceremonies at Ganda Singh Wala/Hussainiwala border crossing and Mahavir/Sadqi International Parade Ground border crossing. Border forces also perform a Flag ceremony at Wagah-Border.
6. Masjid Wazir khan
The Wazir Khan Mosque is a 17th-century mosque located in the city of Lahore, the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. Construction of the mosque began under the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in either 1634 or 1635 and was completed in approximately seven years. Considered to be the most ornately decorated Mughal-era mosque, Wazir Khan Mosque is renowned for its unique looks. The mosque has been under extensive restoration since 2009 under the direction of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Government of Punjab, with contributions from the governments of Germany, Norway, and the United States.
7. Lahore Museum
The Lahore Museum is a museum located in Lahore, Pakistan. Founded in 1865 at a smaller location and opened in 1894. Lahore Museum is Pakistan’s largest museum, as well as one of its most visited ones. The museum houses an extensive collection of Buddhist art from the ancient Indo-Greek and Gandhara kingdoms. It also has collections from the Mughal Empire, Sikh Empire, and the British Empire in India.
The Lahore Museum, along with the Zamzama Gun located directly in front of the building, is the setting of the opening scene in the novel Kim by Rudyard Kipling, whose father, John Lockwood Kipling, was one of the museum’s earliest curators.
8. Lahore Wildlife Park
Lahore wildlife park is yet another great place to visit in Pakistan as it provides a deep understanding of the wildlife. good place for animal lovers. A Safari Zoo was established in 1996-2001 for public entertainment/recreation within a suitable environmental location, just 13 KM away from motorway link Thokar Niaz Baig, Multan Road, Lahore. The Safari Zoo is offering a stunning display of the animals and birds unique in this region. The largest walkthrough aviary in Pakistan is located in the Lahore Zoo Safari. Boating and fishing facilities have been developed near a lake. The lake is the biggest in the city, complete with four islands. There are also safari tracks in the lion and Bengal tiger areas.
9. Army Museum
Army Museum Lahore is a museum located in Lahore documenting the military history of the Pakistan Army. Established in 2017, it is based on Lahore Cantonment land opposite Lahore Airport. The museum is Pakistan’s second largest collection of military objects in the country. The collection highlights the Military history of Pakistan, from the 16th century Mughal Empire to modern-day Pakistan. The museum houses the detailed history of the evolution of the Pakistan Army. The museum grounds also house a war memorial to the fallen soldiers of the IV Corps of the Pakistan Army.
10. Sozo Water Park
Sozo Water Park, which is one of the biggest water parks in Lahore, is a great place for you to visit this summer. From plummeting slides to wave pools, this place has something for everyone. It is believed to be the only place in Pakistan that includes a separate water park reserved for women. With many water play areas, slides, water playgrounds, and other amusement features, Sozo offers entertainment and fun for the whole family. The Sozo water park provides the facility of a canteen, lockers, and washrooms So, Giddy up, holidaymakers!
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