The Lahore Fort

The Lahore Fort, commonly known as The Shahi Qila, is located in northwestern corner of Lahore’s Walled City. Lahore Fort is the same fort, which was damaged by the Mangols in 1241 and again in 1398 by a detachment of Timur’s army, then rebuilt in 1421 by Sayyid, son of Khaizr Khan. The Fort was extensively refurbished, extended and upgraded during the Mughal era. This is why it is rightly attributed as one of the gems of the Mughal civilization. Emperor Jalal ud Din Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb all added to it. The massive walls, built by Emperor Akbar in the 1560s, tower over the older part of Lahore.

The main gates are located alongside the center of the western and eastern walls. It has a museum, containing some excellent illustrated manuscripts (including the Akbar Nama – the daily chronicle of Akbar’s reign), some beautiful calligraphy, good miniature paintings and collection of Mughal coins. The Fort contains marble palaces decorated with mosaics and gilt. The elegance of the splendid monument is matchless.