Badshahi Mosque (Punjab)
Badshahi Mosque was constructed by Mughal Emperor, Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir, in April, 1673 in front of Alamgiri Gate of Lahore Fort. Its work was supervised by Muzaffar Hussain, also known as Fadai Khan Koha, brother of Aurangzeb. It is the third largest mosque in Pakistan and has a capacity of 60,000 person at a time.
The main courtyard and steps to the main gate have constructed by using Sang-e-Abri. The main hall, the Prayer Chamber, is composed of seven compartments, three of them have domes finished in chaste white marble. The interior of hall is beautifully embellished with stucco tracery fresco work of Central Asian, Indo-Greek and Indian architectural elements. There are four minarets at each corner of the mosque with same design as of the mosque design, are the real beauty of the mosque to it more broader in view from the distance. The height of each minaret is 176 feet including the white marble cupolas on the top. On the main entrace gate, there are eighty Dalans on the both sides of the mosque, use for accomodation and other purposes.
In Sikh and British regime, mosque was severely damanaged by removing its stones, demolishing its eastern Dalans, its art work, etc. Then the mosque was restored to its original design and shape from 1939 to 1960 by Nawab Zain-Yar-Jang Bahdur.
It is situated at the distance of 3 km from Lahore Railway Station on G. T. Road in front of Lahore Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan.