The fort in the Lahore.

 

Lahore fort

                  

introduction about Lahore fort.

Lahore Fort was built, destroyed, demolished, rebuilt and renovated several times before Emperor Akbar took its present form in 1566 (when he made Lahore the capital). She is the star of theold city. Note that museums here may close an hour before sunset.

fort in Lahore.

The fort was rebuilt by Jahangir in 1618 and later destroyed by the Sikhs and the British, though it has since been partially restored. It has a series of magnificent palaces, halls and gardens built by the Mughal emperors Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb and is comparable and contemporary to the other major Mughal forts of Delhi and Agra in India. This place is believed to hide some of the oldest ruins in Lahore. The fort has an attractive 'Turkish' feel (unless it's full of pilgrims) and although it's not as vast as most of India's best forts, it's still a great place to stroll.

The fort is accessed from the western side through the large Alamgiri Gate, built in 1674 by Aurangzeb as a private entrance to the royal apartments. It was large enough to allow several elephants carrying members of the royal family to enter at the same time Pearl Mosque was built by Shah Jahan in 1644 for the personal use of the ladies of the royal family and was restored to its original glory in 1904.the Diwan Aam (audience hall) was built by Shah Jahan in 1631 and provided with a balcony by Akbar. The emperor appeared in public there every day, receiving official visitors and commenting on parades. Khabangarh Jahangir (Jahangir's Sleeping Quarters), a pavilion on the north side of the building, is now a small museum of Mughalantiquities. A fascinating story about Jahangir is that he hung a chain in front of the fort for anyone who could not drag it and receive the usual justice. He will ring the bell in his private chamber and the request will receive his personal attention. To the west, Shah Jahan built another magnificent pavilion, the Diwan Khas (Private Audience Hall), to welcome pilgrims. The Shesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors), built by Shah Jahan in 1631, was closed for renovations at the time of the survey, but should be open by the time you read this. It was built for the empress and her court and has a frescoed interior with mirrored glass. It is equipped with privacy screens to protect it from prying eyes. The walls were rebuilt during the Sikh period, but the original marble parapets and patera dura (inlaid work) are still in excellent condition. The view of the rest of the fort and Badshahi Masjid from here is satisfactory.

The Nulkha is a marble pavilion located on the western side of the square, richly decorated with petra dura – inlaid with small ornaments in intricate floral patterns. It was produced in 1631 and its name, meaning nine thousand (900,000), refers either to its manufacturing cost or to the number of semi-precious stones used in its manufacture.

From here you can exit the fort through Hathi Peer (Elephant Path) and Shah Burj Gate. When you do, look back and see the beautiful painted tiles on the outer wall.

There are three small museums on site (no photo): The Armory Gallery displays a variety of weapons including pistols, swords, daggers, spears and arrows; The Sikh Gallery mainly houses rare oil paintings. In addition to an ivory miniature model of the Taj Mahal in India, the Mughal Exhibition also includes ancient manuscripts, calligraphy, coins, and miniature maps.

 Lahore Fort (Punjabi, Persian, romanized: Shahi Qila, literally "royal castle") is a fortress in the city ofLahore in Punjab, Pakistan. The fort is located at the northern end of the walled city of Lahore, and has an area of more than 20 hectares (49 acres). It contains 21 notable monuments, some of which date back to the time of Emperor Akbar. Lahore Fort is famous for having been almost completely rebuilt in the 17th century, when the Mughal Empire was at the height of its grandeur and opulence. Although Lahore Fort has been inhabited for thousands of years, the first mention of a fortified structure at this site is a mud fort dating back to the 11th century. The foundation of the modern Lahore Fort dates back to 1566 during the reign of Emperor Akbar, who gave the fort an architectural style mixed with Islamic and Hindu motifs. The Shah Jahan-era additions feature exquisite marble inlaid with Persian floral designs, while the fort's grand and iconic Alamgiri Gate was built by the last of the great Mughal emperors, Aurangzeb, and is located opposite the famous Badshahi Mosque.

After the fall of the Mughal Empire, Lahore Fort served as the residence of Emperor Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire. The Sikhs made several expansions to the fort. After the annexation of Punjab following their victory over the Sikhs at the Battle of Gujarat in February 1849, it then came under the control of the East India Company. In 1981, the fortress was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its “exceptional repertoire” of Mongolian artistic monuments from the period when the empire reached its artistic and aesthetic peak.

Location

 

 The fort is situated in the northern part ofthe ancient city walls of Lahore. The Alamgiri Darwaza of the fort is part of a complex of constructions that form a cluster around Huzuri Bagh along with the Badshahi Masjid, Roshnai Gate and Ranjit Singh's Samadhi. Little Pakistan and Iqbal Park are located along the northern limit of the fort.

 

History of Lahore Fort

 

In the 16th century, Lahore converted Akbar's capital, and about 1580 he created the Lahore Fort as it is known today. After his reign, subsequent rulers left their mark on the fort, including Shah Jahan's 17th-century Crystal Palace or 'Shis Mahal'. However, despite all the renovations and additions to the Lahore Fort, Akbar's works can usually be famous as brick structures. Ornate and full of incredible places like the Naulakha Pavilion and Public Audience Hall or 'Diwan-i-Aam', Lahore Fort is also well designed. For example, it is divided into residential aspects from administrative functions. The entrance to the fort is the Alamgir Gate, built by Aurangzeb in 1674 as a private entrance to the royal quarters. It was big enough for several elephants to enter the royal household at once. The small   Masjid (Pearl Mosque) was built by Shah Jahan in 1644 for the private use of the ladies of the royal household and restored to its original delicacy in 1904. After the fall of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, Lahore Fort was robbed and many of its buildings were broken. However, it has now been carefully restored, permitting visitors to enjoy its original splendor.

Layout

Lahore fort.

The fort is divided into two parts: the first is the organizational section, which is well connected to the main entrances and includes gardens and a special court for the royal audience. The second, private and hidden living section is divided into courtyards to the north and is accessed through the Elephant Gate. It also includes a Shish Mahal, spacious bedrooms and small gardens. The

exterior walls are decorated with bluePersian kashi tiles. The original entrance is located opposite the Maryam Zamani Mosque, and the larger Alamgiri Gate, which opens near Hazuri Bagh, completes the majestic Badshahi Mosque. The influence of Hindu architecture can be seen in its animal-shaped trunks.

important structures

 

 .Picture Wall

walls of fort.

 Emperor Jahangir orderly the construction of the huge 'picture wall', considered the Lahore Fort's highest artistic achievement. Unlike the Red Fort and the Agra Fort, the ramparts of the Lahore Fort were made of bricks and not red stone. The monumental picture wall is a large portion of the exterior wall, exquisitely decorated with a vibrant selection of matte tiles, faience mosaics and frescoes. The decorated wall extends over much of the northern and western walls of the fort and measures approximately 1,450 feet (440 m) by 50 feet (15 m). The wall contains 116 panels depicting a variety of subjects, including elephants, angels and polo matches, which do not form a coherent narrative. each can be viewed individually. Although begun under Jahangir, the picture wall was decorated in the 1620s and may have been completed under the reign of his son Shah Jahan. The picture wall was badly neglected and worn out. Conservation work on the site began in 2015 by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Walled City of Lahore Authority, which have also jointly restored other Lahore landmarks such as the Wazir Khan Mosque and the Shahi Hammam. The detailed documentation of the wall using a 3D scanner was completed in July 2016, after which maintenance work began.

.Shish Mahal

shishmahal.

 The Sheesh Mahal is situated in Jahangir'sShah Burj block in the northwest corner of the Lahore Fort. It was built under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631-32 by Mirza Ghiyas Bagh, grandfather of Mumtaz Mahal and father of Noor Jahan. The walls of the ornate white marble pavilion are frescoed and inlaid with pietra dura and an intricate mirror known as aina-kari. It is one of the most famous monuments of the Lahore Fort and is the jewel in the fort's crown. The distinct Shah Jahani style is reflected in the extensive use of white marble and the building's hierarchical accents.

The Sheesh Mahal was kept as apersonal vestment by the imperial family and close associates. During the Sikh empire, Shah Burj became the favorite place of Ranjit Singh, who built a harem at Sheesh Mahal. This was also the place where he displayed his most prized possession, the Koh-I-Noor.

 

.The Summer Palace

 Just below Shesh Mahal and Shah

the summer pleace in fort.

Burj Square is the Summer Palace, also known as the Pari Mahal or "Palace of the Fairies". The palace is a labyrinth of chambers from the time of Shah Jahan. During the hot months it worked as a residence as it was cooled by effective ventilation systems that brought cool breezes into the palace. The floor system of the palace also helped to cool the space; its floors consisted of two layers separated by a layer of water from the river Ravi. Cool, rose-scented water flowed through an elaborate system of 42 cascades and cascades throughout the palace.

In history, the palace was reachable only from the Sheesh Mahal, while the British constructed a new entrance nearby the   "Elephant Steps". The walls were decorated with elaborate frescoes and marble inlays, badly worn by subsequent layers of lime and centuries of dampness. There are also passage tunnels leading from the palace to the outside of the fort where the river Ravi once flowed, suggesting that it may have been part of an escape tunnel designed to allow passengers to escape in the event of an attack.

The summer palace continued in use during the Sikh dated under the rule of Ranjit Singh. After the defeat of the Sikh Empire in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, it passed into the hands of the East India Company, and in 1858, into the hands of the British Raj and its appointed agents and executors. From the Second World War, the Summer Palace served as a warehouse for the British Ministry of Civil Extermination and was used by Pakistan until 1973. The building's structural integrity was compromised by its use as a warehouse. Since 2014, the Lahore Walled City has taken control of the site to carry out restoration work in partnership with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. After restoration, the site will house the Lahore Fort Museum.

 

. Shah Jahan's Quadrangle

The collecting of structures from place to place the square among Jahangir's Square and Khulut Khana is named Shah Jahan's Square.

 

. The Khwabgah of Shah Jahan

Khwabgah was the room of Shah Jahan. It was constructed by Shah Jahan under the direction of Wazir Khan in 1634 through his first visit to the city. Five sleeping spaces are linked in a single row. The chambers feature imprinted marble screens and are wreathed with inlaid white marble and frescoes, it is the first building built by Shah Jahan in the fort. At present, its decorations have disappeared excepting for a trace of the marble which once might have beautified the façade.

. Jahangir’s Quadrangle

 

Jahangir's Quadrangle live in the northeastern angle of the fort. However, called for Jahangir, construction on the site began during the reign of Akbar but was completed in 1620 under Jahangir. Akbar's syncretic style is noted in the quadrangle, as it employs column brackets carved in the form of animals. The courtyard's design differs from other Mughal quadrangles which are constructed upon the design of a Persian paradise garden and instead is shaped by concentric rectangles with a fountain in its centre.

. Maktab Khana

 

The Maktab Khana ("Clerk's Quarters") in the beginning recognized as Dawlat Khana-e-Jahangir, was built in 1617 under the regulation of Mamur Khan during the control of Jahangir as a set of cloisters nearby the Moti Masjid. Considered by Khawaja Jahan Muhammad Dost, it was used as a passage to the Audience Hall from the palace buildings to the north. Clerks in the Maktab Khana would also record the entry of visitors into the fort. It features iwans in the Persian-Timurid style on each of its four sides. Each iwan is bordered through arches.

 

. Moti Masjid

 

The Moti Masjid   is a mosque seeing from the Shah Jahan Historical that is situated on the western side of Lahore Fort, closer to Alamgiri Gate. It is situated in the northwestern corner of Dewan-e-Aam. The white marble structure is among its prominent extensions (such as SheeshMahal and Naulakha pavilion) to the Lahore Fort Complex. Moti in Urdu language means pearl, which titles a professed preciousness to the spiritual construction. It was a recognized practice between Mughal emperors to name the mosques after generic names for gemstones. The mosque, constructed between 1630–35, has three superimposed domes, two aisles of five bays, and a slightly elevated central pishtaq, or portal with a rectangular edge. This five-arched facade decides it from other mosques of a similar class with three-round facades. The interior is simple and plain with the exception of upper limit that are decorated and considered in four diverse rules, two arcuate, and two trabeated.

After the demise of the Mughal Empire, the mosque was converted into a Sikh temple and renamed Moti Mandir during the period of the Sikh rule under Ranjit Singh's Sikh Confederacy. He later used the building for the state treasury. When the East India Company took over Punjab in 1849, they open precious stones covered in bits of rags and located in velvet purses spread inside the mosque, along with additional register.

 

Gates

 

. Akbari Gate

Akbari gate.

Mughal Emperor Akbar made two gates. Akbari Gate was constructed in 1566 and is now called Maseeti Gate.

. Alamgiri Gate

Positioned at the western finale of the fort, the Alamgiri Gate is the arrival of the Lahore Fort. It was constructed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1674. It has two semi-circular bastions where lotus petal plan adorns its base. It unlocks to the Hazuri Bagh and faces the Badshahi Mosque. The gate is one of Lahore's most iconic monuments, and once introduced on Pakistani money.

. Shah Burj Gate

Repair work stood finished in March 2020 by Aga Khan Cultural Facility Pakistan by funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Walled City of Lahore Consultant, and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

 

Protection

 

 In 1980, the Government of Pakistan declared the fort along with the Shalimar Gardens for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List under criteria i, ii and iii. At its fifth meeting in Sydney in October 1981, the World Heritage Committee listed both monuments.

 

In 2000, Pakistan wrote to the organization to add both sites to the List of World Heritage in Danger and requested assistance in restoring the damaged portion of the outer walls and waterworks of the Shalimar Gardens. In April 2006, it was stated that officials had asked UNESCO to remove the fortress's name from the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger due to extensive restoration work funded by Norway, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and France. Restoration work included work on the Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate and Hazuri Bagh. Afterward years of extensive renovation and restoration work, the Shalimar Fort and Gardens were uninvolved from the vanishing list in June 2012.

 

Although UNESCO had orderly the Punjab Archaeological Department in 1990 to prohibit the custom of the fort for government or private resolves due to its historical significance, a wedding reception was held on December 23, 2010, in violation of the Antiquities Act, 1975, which prohibits this The use of historical sites to protect against harm was violated the following month by the hosting of a dinner at the Diwan-i-Khas.

 

Maintenance work on the gallery wall started in 2015 by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Walled City ofLahore Expert. The documentation of the wall using 3D scanners was completed in July 2016, after which maintenance work started.