If you haven’t seen Lahore, you haven’t been born, is a famous quote amongst Lahoris, and after visiting Lahore, one pretty much accepts the authenticity and truthiness behind the phrase. Lahore, the city of gardens, is known for its wholesomeness, causal and friendly individuals who joke about everything and give wrong directions to outsiders. The city has many attractive and best places to visit. Following are some of the most famous places in Lahore.
- Food Street
- Badshahi Mosque
- Minar-e- Pakistan
- Lahore Zoo
- Anarkali Bazaar
- Wagah Border
- Lahore Museum
- Shalimar garden
- Jinnah Park
- Masjid Wazir Khan
- Emporium Mall
- Jahangir’s Tomb
Food Street
Lahore is famous for its delicious and mouth-watering desi cuisines. It is considered a hub of authentic desi cuisine in Pakistan. Lahore food street’s most famous desi dishes include Paye, Murgh Chanay, Halwa Puri, Nalli Nihari, BBQ and whatnot. Everything available at the food street is spicy, tasty, tempting, and has a unique flavour that a desi could crave.
In Lahore, you will find a diversified variety of foods. You can find the food at a very cheap rate and top-notch quality foods that do not have any other branches in the country. You must visit to taste the authentic Lahore Tarka: Gawalmandi, Lakshmi Chowk food street, and fort road. The Lahore Street food remains open till 2 a.m.
Badshahi Mosque
Badshahi Mosque is the second largest mosque in the country and is considered the world’s largest 8th mosque. Around 1 lac worshippers can be accommodated in the mosque at once. Badshahi Mosque was built in the era of Aurangzeb Alamgir, the sixth Mughal emperor, in 1673 AD. The crimson bricks were imported from Jaipur, India. Its magnificent crimson architecture and remarkable craftsmanship make it an excellent tourist destination. Many people also perform their nikkah in Badshah masjid.Â
Minar-e- Pakistan
Minar-e Pakistan is located in the heart of Lahore. The construction of Minar-e- Pakistan started in 1960 and was completed in 1968. It took 8 years to make this masterpiece known as Minar-e Pakistan. All Indian Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution on 23rd March 1940 on the same ground where Minar-e Pakistan is today.
The construction cost of Minar-e Pakistan was collected from the horse racing tickets and taxes on cinema houses. The base of the Minar-e Pakistan resembles flower petals. Each petal has a distinctive inscription, such as the Urdu, English, and Bengali texts of the Lahore Resolution. Because of its historical importance and architecture, this place is considered worth visiting when you visit Lahore.
Lahore Zoo
The Lahore Zoo is a must-vis anyone who loves to see wild animals and exotic birds. It is one of the oldest zoos in the world and is currently home to 1,378 animals. Aside from that, the Lahore Zoo features a variety of attractions, including a lion house, a giraffe house, some apes, zebras, a beautiful bird aviary, and an elephant house.
The Government of Pakistan has also launched a scheme under which you can adopt a zoo animal. Those who are interested pay for the animal’s food under this scheme. The Lahore Zoo is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day.
Anarkali Bazaar
Anarkali Bazaar is indeed one of the best places in Lahore. This Anarkali Bazaar will come to your rescue if you enjoy shopping on a budget. It is South Asia’s oldest and largest market. It is almost 200 years old.
The name “Anarkali” originates from a love tale about a harlot named Anarkali who had an affair with Mughal emperor Akbar’s son. As a result, the emperor exiled her.
The commodities you can find at Anarkali Bazaar include textiles, clothes, jewellery, ornaments, and decorative items. It also has many food stalls, including Gol gappas and other famous snacks.
Anarkali market is a must if you want to buy low-cost but good-quality formal and casual dresses. The market has grown exponentially over time and has been divided into two sections, old Anarkali and New Anarkali. In the old Bazaar, you’ll find a wide variety of Desi Food, and in the newer section, you’ll discover hidden treasures like sculptures, antiques, and embroidered textiles. Anarkali Bazaar also has a variety of Indian Clothes and Jewellery.
Wagah Border
Wagah Border is a crossing point between India and Pakistan near the Grand Trunk Road. The daily border ceremony has made the border an extremely popular visiting point. Since 1959, the closing ceremony, also known as the Beating Retreat Ceremony, has taken place. Basically, at this ceremony, both border guards arrive at the border, remove their respective country flags, and close the border formally.
Wagah border is something that every Pakistani should at least visit once in life. There is no entrance fee, and it is completely free. Hundreds of patriotic Pakistanis attend the ceremony every day.
Lahore Museum
It is one of the world’s oldest and largest museums. It was established in the British period in 1965. The museum contains artefacts from the Gandhara periods, Indo-Greek Civilization, and Buddhism. It also includes the artefacts and antique collections of the Mughal Empire. This museum is a must-visit place for someone interested in history and antique objects.
Shalimar Garden
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan laid the foundation of Shalimar Garden for his beloved wife Noor Jahan in 1641. The architecture of these gardens is inspired by Persian and Arabic Architecture. In 1981, it was listed as UNESCO World Heritage. The Garden has 410 marble fountains of the utmost quality.
The intricate architectural structure and water system make the Garden an attractive site for architects. There are also five water cascades in the Garden, which make the Garden more attractive. It is the best place if you want to feel relaxed and peaceful. The cascades give a soothing and attractive effect to the Garden.
Jinnah Park
Jinnah Park is also known as Lawrence Garden. It is situated in the heart of Lahore. Parks consist of lush green plants that make the park even more beautiful. There is a botanical garden, Quaid-e-Azam Library and Masjid Dar ul Salam. This place also has recreational spots like jogging tracks, open-air theatre, sports complex, tennis court, cricket garden and much more.
Masjid Wazir Khan
Sheikh Ilm-ud-din Ansari laid the foundation of this Masjid in 1634. It is a tourist attraction because of its Islamic heritage and architecture. The mosque is distinguished from other buildings by its distinctive architectural style. In this mosque, four minarets were constructed, one on each corner. The mosque is built using unique brickwork, ceramics, and precious stones.
It is indeed worth noting that the mosque’s ground floor has 22 shops. These shops form a small commercial hub that provides convenience to the visitors.
Emporium Mall
Emporium is your saviour in Lahore if you are fond of shopping at multiple stores in one place. There are about 200 local and foreign brands present inside this eleven-story mall. Furthermore, the mall also has a gigantic food court to satisfy your hunger. Almost every food chain is present there. Additionally, there is also a movie theatre. Simply put, you can shop, eat, and watch a movie in one place.
Jahangir’s Tomb
On the outskirts of Lahore, there lies another prime example of Mughal architecture. The renowned Mughal monarch Jahangir is buried there. The Tomb’s architecture and construction were under Noor Jahan’s direction. This masterpiece and the gardens around it took around ten years to complete.
Two enormous gates of valuable stones and tiles lead to the Tomb’s entrance. The Tomb has a square-shaped, one-story structure. The mausoleum once had fountains, but these were destroyed a few years ago for unknown reasons.
Conclusion
The places mentioned above are the beauty of Lahore and hold an important value to the city. There are also many other scenic places in this city, but the places mentioned above are a must-visit if you visit Lahore.
