Badshahi Mosque
The Badshahi Mosque (Punjabi, Urdu: بادشاہی مسجد) is an iconic Mughal-era congregational mosque in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The mosque is located opposite of Lahore Fort in the outskirts of the Walled City and is widely considered to be one of Lahore's most iconic landmarks.
| Badshahi Mosque | |
|---|---|
بادشاہی مسجد | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| District | Lahore |
| Province | Punjab |
| Year consecrated | 1670 |
| Location | |
| Location | Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Geographic coordinates | 31°35′17″N 74°18′34″E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Congregational mosque |
| Style | Indo-Islamic, Mughal |
| Founder | Aurangzeb |
| Completed | 1673 (Mughal Empire) |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 100,000 |
| Dome(s) | 3 |
| Minaret(s) | 8 (4 major, 4 minor) |
| Minaret height | 226 ft 4.5 in (68.999 m) |
| Materials | Red sandstone, marble |
The Badshahi Mosque was built between 1671 and 1673 and by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The mosque is an important example of Mughal architecture, with an exterior that is decorated with carved red sandstone with marble inlay. It remains the largest mosque of the Mughal-era, and is the third-largest mosque in Pakistan. In 1799, during the rule of Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire, the mosque's courtyard was used as a stable and its hujras (cells) as soldiers quarters. When the British Empire took control of Lahore in 1846 it was used as a garrison until 1852. Subsequently, the Badshahi Mosque Authority was established to oversee its restoration as a place of worship. It is now one of Pakistan's most iconic sights.