Lahore fort

J I T H I N K . S H A M S U | N I S H I TA M O H TA | P R A D E E PA N S A H A
I I I Y R . B . A R C H . S E C T I O N - B
S C H O O L O F P L A N N I N G A N D A R C H I T E C T U R E , D E L H I
Lahore Fort
H I S T O R Y O F A R C H I T E C T U R E T E R M PA P E R
S E M E S T E R V, 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4

planning . doulat khana . shish mahal . diwan-e-aam . jharoka-e-darshan . diwan-e-khaas . naulakha pavlion
“The Lahore Fort is one of the noblest structures of its kind in the
world. Rising out of the northwest corner of the walled city, it has
been a symbol of its earliest days. If it could speak, it would tell
such things that would leave the listener breathless. It could tell of
love, romance and adventure, of dark eyed beauties and fierce-
browed warriors, of queens in flowing silks and kings in shining
armour, of poets, actors, slaves and concubines, of soldiers and
rebels, of revolutions and court intrigues, of coronations and
assassinations, of treachery and black revenge.”
Samina Qureshi

Introduction
Citadel of the city of Lahore,
Punjab, Pakistan
Located in north-western
corner of the walled city
Locally called the ‘Shahi
Quila’

History
Origin of the fort goes deep
into antiquity
Evidence of existence of mud
fort in 102, said to be
constructed in the early Hindu
period.
Mud fort destroyed and rebuilt
during several invasions by
Mongols and Mughals.
Present fort of brick and solid
masonry built during Akbar's
reign between 1556 and
1605.
Mughals, Sikhs and British
added a pavilion, palace or
wall to the complex.

The walled city of Lahore

Planning
Trapezoidal plan spread over
20 acres.
Two huge gates in the
fortifications, one each in the
middle of the east and the
west sides.
1. Alamgiri Gate on the west
2. Masjidi Gate on the east
The whole citadel is divided
into various sections, which
are interconnected for easy
administration
1 2
Plan of complex showing the two gates

Alamgiri Gate
- Double-storey gate
- Built by Emperor Mohiuddin
Aurangezeb Alamgir in 1673
- Faces the grand Badshahi
Mosque and opens into Hazuri
Bagh.
- The imposing semicircular
bastions flanking the gateway have
lotus petals at their base and are
highly fluted, crowned with small,
graceful domed kiosks.
- Presently used as main entrance
Masjidi Gate
- Built in 1666 during Akbar's reign
- Original entrance to the fort
- Faces the Maryam Zamani
Mosque
The fortification wall is built of
small burnt bricks strengthened
with semicircular bastions at
regular intervals.
ALAMGIRI
GATE
MASJIDI
GATE

The Lahore Fort

Doulat Khana-e-
Jahangir
Palatial court in Lahore Fort,
popularly called Jahangir’s
Quadrangle
372' x 245' in size, is the
largest of all quads.
It was begun by Akbar and
completed by Jahangir in
1618 and contains some of
the earliest Mughal structures
in the fort.
Plan of complex showing the Doulat Khana

Chaar bagh (paradisiacal
garden)
The central area of the
courtyard contains a central
tank with a platform and a
series of fountains.
The buildings consist of
small, flat-roofed rooms
supported by red sandstone
pillars.
The chajja of the courtyard
wings is supported by
brackets carved in the
shape of elephants, felines
and peacocks.
The main building of the
court, the Khawabgah-e-
Jehangiri, Jehangir's
sleeping rooms, stands in
the middle of its north side.

The style in this quadrangle is a combination of the local tradition in brick architecture, with adaptations from the
imperial style as seen in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri.
The iwans of this quadrangle represent the best of Akbari architecture in the region that is now Pakistan. In fact in
the rendering of the sculpted imagery in the struts, they surpass the elements found anywhere else in the
subcontinent.
While there are many elements that are evocative of those employed in Agra or Fatehpur Sikri, there is little
doubt that as the last capital built by Akbar, Lahore represents the high point of Akbari architecture in view of the
experience gained by Akbari architects and crafts persons while building the earlier capitals

Shish Mahal
Composed of several
chambers and projects out in
the form of a semi-octagon
from the general alignment of
the fortification called the
Pictured Wall.
It uses a mosaic of glass
inlaid with gypsum for its
decoration.
Plan of complex showing the Shish Mahal

Double storey central aiwan
“Twelve pillars of marble"
each in fact consisting of four
sets of double columns and
two sets of attached double
columns
The profiled column bases,
with their elegant detailing,
represent the best of
Shahjahani pietra dura
"From the intermingling of
colours in this sky- reaching
structure and lofty mansion,
spring adorns the cheeks of
tulip and the face of the
jasmine." - Lahauri
(Shahjahani historian)

East of the forecourt of the
Shish Mahal is a small garden
known as Paien Bagh.
Meant for ladies of the Harem
residing in the Shish Mahal.
Planned on the familiar Chaar
Bagh style, it was enclosed on
all the four sides by corridors.
The central place of the garden
is occupied by a brick-platform
and a water tank with fountain.
View of Paien Bagh

Diwan-e-aam
Hall of Public Audience
Dominates north of a
chaarbagh garden, carries
focus of all activity
The Diwan-e-aam and its
gardens were the stage
on which the pomp and
grandeur of the Mughal
Empire was exhibited.
Plan of complex showing the Diwan-e-aam

Constructed on raised
platform, bound by a
stone railing.
The hall measures 187
feet by 60 feet and rises
to a height of 34 feet.
On the second storey,
there are beautiful cusped
marble arches at the back
of the building, looking
down to Jahangir’s
Quadrangle
A jharoka projects from
the rear wall.

Jharoka-e-
darshan
Marble jharoka was
centrepiece of Diwan-e-aam
Emperor Shah Jahan
appeared at the jharoka
everyday to give audience to
his subjects, and receive
petitions.
At times, people would gather
below the Jharokha window to
hold protest demonstrations
to place their grievances
before the emperor

Diwan-e-khaas
Hall of Private Audience,
built by Wazir Khan for
Shah Jahan in 1645
Also referred to as Chhoti
Khwabgah (most probably
a Sikh appellation)
Measures 53’ by 51’.
Plan of complex showing the Diwan-e-khaas

Entire construction is in
chaste white marble.
Parapets are decorated
with inlay work.
It is enclosed with carved
marble screens.
Floor is laid in marble
intarsia of different
colours and geometrical
patterns.
Cusped arched openings
on the north

The Diwan-e-khaas was
used as a minor sleeping
chamber, being given the
name Khwabgah-e-Khurd
by the Sikh.
The building also did duty
as the garrison church
during the British
occupation of the fort,
when the elegant fountain
and the marble screens in
the north were filled with
concrete.

Naulakha
Pavilion
A small structure along
the western edge of the
fortification wall
Placed at the central axis
of the hauz (water
reservoir)
Naulakha Pavilion is the
only other structure that
can claim to rival the
celebrated Shish Mahal.
Plan of complex showing the Naulakha Pavilion

Drooping bangladar roof
Distinctive pietra dura
work
The central white marble
pierced screen on the
west aspect, incorporating
delicate floral tracery, is
an almost exact replica of
the one in the Shish
Mahal Tambi Khana.

Paradisical chaar bagh
theme of courtyard
reinforced by the guldasta
(bouquet) and other floral
compositions carried in
the marble pietra dura
dadoes and floral-
interlacement borders,
both externally and
internally.

Aerial view of complex

Lahore fort

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Lahore fort

Similar to Lahore fort (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Lahore fort