Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Badshahi Mosque

The Badshahi Mosque (Punjabi, Urdu: بادشاہی مسجد‎, Imperial Mosque) in Lahore was commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Constructed between 1671 and 1673, it was the largest mosque in the world upon construction. It is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and the fifth largest mosque in the world. It is Lahore’s most iconic and famous landmark and a major tourist attraction. Aurangzeb’s mosque’s architectural plan is similar to that of his father, Shah Jehan, the Jama Masjid in Delhi; though it is much larger. it also functions as an idgah. The courtyard which spreads over 276,000 square feet, can accommodate one hundred thousand worshippers; ten thousand can be accommodated inside the mosque. The minarets are 196 feet (60 m) tall. The Mosque is one of the most famous Mughal structures, but suffered greatly under the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In 1993, the Government of Pakistan included the Badshahi Mosque in the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Location

The mosque is located in the Walled City of Lahore, Pakistan, just opposite to the Alamgiri Gate of the Lahore Fort. The Hazuri Bagh separates the mosque and the fort. On the Eastern side of the garden is one of the thirteen gates of Lahore, The Roshnai Gate.The Tomb of Muhammad Iqbal lies beside the mosque.