Badshahi Mosque
Badshahi Mosque (built 1672-74)
Badshahi mosque is one of the few good sized architectural monuments built at some stage in Emperor Aurangzeb's long rule from 1658 to 1707. it is currently the 5th largest mosque inside the international and was no doubt the biggest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 whilst the Faisal Mosque became constructed in Islamabad. although it changed into constructed overdue within the Mughal era in a period of relative decline, its splendor, elegance, and scale epitomize Mughal cultural fulfillment like no other monument in Lahore.
production of the mosque commenced in 1671 under the course of Muzaffar Hussain (Fida'i Khan Koka), Aurangzeb's brother-in-regulation and the governor of Lahore. It changed into at first deliberate as a reliquary to safeguard a strand of the Prophet's hair. Its grand scale is motivated by way of the Jama Mosque of Delhi which were built by using Aurangzeb's father Shah Jahan. The plan of Badshahi mosque is largely a rectangular measuring one hundred seventy meters on every aspect. since the north stop of the mosque become built alongside the threshold of the Ravi river, it became not viable to install a north gate like the one used inside the Jama Mosque, and a south gate turned into also now not constructed so as to keep the general symmetry. within the courtyard, the prayer corridor functions 4 minarets that echo in minature the four minarets at each nook of the mosque's perimeter.
The prominence of the mosque in the imperial vision become such that it turned into constructed only a few hundred meters to the west of Lahore fortress. A special gate facing the mosque became introduced to the citadel and particular the Alamgiri gate. the space in between--the future Hazuri Bagh garden--became used as a parade ground in which Aurangzeb could assessment his troops and courtiers. The Hazuri Bagh seems to be at a decrease degree than the mosque because the latter became built on a six meter plinth to assist prevent flooding.
The mosque did now not fare properly at some point of the rule of Ranjit Singh, the Maharaja of the Sikh Empire. whilst Ranjit Singh took manage of Lahore in 1799 the mosque's courtyard was used as a stable and the hujras (cells) across the perimeter had been occupied by using his soldiers. Ranjit Singh himself used the adjacent Hazuri Bagh as his respectable royal courtroom. whilst William Moorcroft of britain visited Lahore in 1820, he recorded that the mosque as being used as an exercise ground for the Sipahi infantry. 20 years later, a mild earthquake struck lahore and collapsed the sensitive marble turrets on the tops of each minaret. The open turrets have been used as gun emplacements a 12 months later when Ranjit Singh's son, Sher Singh, occupied the mosque to bombard Lahore fort at some stage in the Sikh civil conflict.
After the British took manage of Lahore in 1846 they persevered to use Badshahi Mosque as a navy garrison. It become not till 1852 that the British mounted the Badshahi Mosque Authority to supervise the recuperation of the mosque so that it may be returned to Muslims as a place of worship. despite the fact that upkeep were completed, it become no longer until 1939 that widespread maintenance commenced under the oversight of architect Nawab Zen Yar Jang Bahadur. The repairs persevered until 1960 and had been finished at a price of four.8 million rupees.
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