What is Lahore Fort?

Lahore Fort*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Alamgiri Gate - Main Entrance to Lahore Fort, with Hazuri Bagh Pavilion in foreground
State Party	Pakistan
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, iii
Reference	171-172
Region	Asia-Pacific
Inscription History
Inscription	1981  (5th Session)
Endangered	2000-
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of Lahore, adjacent to the Walled City. Some of the famous sites within the fort are: Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. The fort is 1,400 feet long and 1,115 feet wide. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Shalamar Gardens.

Origins

According to available historical information, the origin of Lahore Fort is obscure. Traditionally the foundation of Lahore and its fort is based on myths and, is attributed to Lav, the son of Rama, the hero of the Ramayana of epic age (1200-800 B.C.). However, during the excavation done in the year 1959 A.D. by the Department of Archaeology, in front of Diwan-e-Aam, a gold coin of Mahmood of Ghazni dated A.H. 416 (1025 A.D.) was found at a depth of 25 feet from the level of the lawns. Cultural layers continued to a further depth of 15 feet, giving strong indications that people had lived here, long before the conquest of Lahore by Mahmud in 1021 A.D. Further mention of the fort is traceable to Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Ghuri's successive invasions of Lahore from 1180 to 1186 A.D.

Timeline

• It cannot be said with certainty when the Lahore Fort was originally constructed or by whom, since this information is lost to history, possibly forever. However, evidence found in archaeological digs gives strong indications that it was built long before 1025 A.D.
• 1241 A.D. - Destroyed by Mongols.
• 1267 A.D. - Rebuilt by Sultan Ghiyas ud din Balban.
• 1398 A.D. - Destroyed again, by Amir Tamir's army.
• 1421 A.D. - Rebuilt in mud by Sultan Mubark Shah Syed.
• 1432 A.D. - The fort is occupied by Shaikh Ali of Kabul who makes repairs to the damages inflicted on it by Shaikha Khokhar.
• 1566 A.D. - Rebuilt by Mughal emperor Akbar, in solid brick masonry on its earlier foundations. Also perhaps, its area was extended towards the river Ravi, which then and up to about 1849 A.D., used to flow along its fortification on the north. Akbar also built Doulat Khana-e-Khas-o-Am, the famous Jharoka-e-Darshan (Balcony for Royal Appearance), Masjidi Gate etc.
• 1618 A.D. - Jehangir adds Doulat Khana-e-Jehangir in 1618 A.D.
• 1631 A.D. - Shahjahan builds Shish Mahal (Mirror Palace).
• 1633 A.D. - Shahjahan builds Khawabgah (a dream place or sleeping area), Hamam (bath ) and Khilwat Khana (retiring room).
• 1645 A.D. - Shahjahan builds Diwan-e-Khas (Hall of Special Audience) and probably also Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) in the same year.
• 1674 A.D. - Aurangzeb adds the massively fluted Alamgiri Gate.
• (Sometime during) 1799-1839 A.D. - The outer fortification wall on the north with the moat, the marble athdera, Havaeli Mai Jindan and Bara Dari Raja Dhiyan Singh were constructed by Ranjit Singh, Sikh ruler from 1799-1839 A.D.
• 1846 A.D. - Occupied by the British.
• 1927 A.D. - The British hand over the Fort to the Department of Archaeology after demolishing a portion of the fortification wall on the south and converting it into a stepped form thus defortifying the fort.

Gallery

Alamgiri Gate - Main Entrance	Gateway Ramparts
Old 'Khangah' inside Fort	Roshnai Gate - Side Entrance
Alamgiri Gate - Main Entrance at Night	Naulakha Pavilion
Naulakha Detail	'Jharoka' - Royal Balcony
Alamgiri Gate, 1870	Diwan-e-Khas: Hall of Special Audience
Diwan-e-Aam: Hall of Public Audience (arched vault and ceiling not original)	Naulakha Pavilion

See also

• Alamgiri Gate
• Hazuri Bagh
• Moti Masjid
• Naulakha pavilion
• Roshnai Gate
• Sheesh Mahal
• Badshahi Mosque
• Wazir Khan Mosque
• Mughal Empire
• List of forts

External links

• Lahore Fort as seen from space (Google Maps)
• Pictures - Lahore Fort / Shahi Qila Lahore
• Panographic Images of Lahore Fort And Shalimar Garden at UN's World Heritage Site
• Photos from Lahore Fort by Waqas Usman
• Photographs of Lahore Fort
• Detailed Lahore Fort History/Different Portion (urdu)
• server786.com, Lahore larges photo Gallery
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre
• Photos and information about the Lahore Fort
• Detailed History of Shahi Qila

•  • [ e] World Heritage Sites in Pakistan
Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro (Mohenjo-daro) Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi (Takht Bhai) and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol Fort and Shalamar (Shalimar) Gardens, Lahore Monuments of Thatta Rohtas Fort Taxila

•  • [ e]       Mughal Empire (1526 - 1857)
Emperors:	Babur - Humayun - Akbar - Jahangir - Shah Jahan - Aurangzeb - Lesser Mughals
Events:	First battle of Panipat - Second battle of Panipat - Third battle of Panipat
Architecture:	Humayun's Tomb - Agra Fort - Badshahi Mosque - Lahore Fort - Red Fort - Taj Mahal - Shalimar Gardens - Pearl Mosque - Bibi Ka Maqbara - See also
Adversaries:	Ibrahim Lodhi - Sher Shah Suri - Hemu - Shivaji - Guru Gobind Singh