Badshahi Mosque
★ 4.7🇵🇰 LahoreSuggested visit 1-2 hoursBest season November to March, avoiding the heat and monsoon
Historic siteReligious siteArchitecture
The largest mosque of the Mughal empire, a vast composition of red sandstone and white marble domes.
Overview
Built between 1671 and 1673 and able to hold around 100,000 worshippers, Badshahi Mosque is built of red sandstone with four minarets about 62 metres tall and three white marble domes above the prayer hall. The vast courtyard, paved in red sandstone, holds thousands at once. In the evening the lighting sets it off against Lahore Fort next door.
History
Commissioned by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and completed in two years, it served as a barracks under British rule before being restored and returned to religious use in the mid-20th century.
Highlights
- •Four minarets about 62 metres tall
- •The vast red sandstone courtyard
- •Three white marble domes
- •Combine with Lahore Fort next door
Practical tips
- •Visits are possible outside prayer times; dress modestly
- •Tourists should stay clear of the main hall during prayers
Practical information
- Best time
- November-March
- Tickets
- Around PKR 500 for foreign visitors
- Opening hours
- 8:00-20:00 (closed to visitors during prayers)
- Local food
- Lahore grilled lamb chops, naan, lassi
- Getting around
- In Lahore's old city, about 20 minutes by taxi from the centre.
- Visa
- A visa is required, with additional permits for some areas; apply more than a month ahead.
Traveller reviews
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