Lahore is the capital of the Pakistan province of Punjab and the second largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi. The Lahore city lies along the Ravi River, situated approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Wagah border crossing and is 32 kilometres (20 mi) from the Indian city of Amritsar.
Historically, Lahore has been a center of cultural heritage for many civilizations. Lahore successively served as regional capital of the empires of the Shahi kingdoms in the 11th century, the Ghaznavids in the 12th century, the Ghurid State in the 12th and 13th century, the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century, and it was the capital of the Punjab region under the British Raj in the mid 19th and early 20th century. The traditional capital of Punjab for a thousand years, Lahore was the cultural center of Northern India extending from Peshawar to New Delhi.[16] Mughal structures such as the Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens, and the mausolea of Jehangir and Nur Jehan are popular tourist attractions for the city. The population of lahore is approximately 10 million
Other attractive places of Lahore
Lahore Zoo
Established in 1872, was once considered one of the largest zoos in Asia.
The Mall
Historically a key city road, has many buildings from Mughal era and British Rule.
Walled City
Also known as the Old City, is the section of Lahore that was fortified by a city wall during the Mughal era. The wall had 13 gates, and much of the wall remains intact today.
Data Durbar
Complex where Hazrat Syed Abul Hassan ibn Usman ibn Ali Al-Hajweri, the famous Sufi saint of South Asia, is buried. Complex includes Hajveri Mosque, built in pre-Mughal era.
Chauburji
Chauburji has remains of an extensive garden known to have existed in Mughal times. Today, Chauburji is also known for its big bustling markets.
Hiran Minar
Just north of Sheikhupura town (on the outskirts of Lahore) lies a hunting complex known as the Hiran Minar. Hunting grounds were an important part of the physical environment of Mughal emperors, and the Hiran Minar is one of the best known and most beautiful of such sites. Its structures consist of a large, almost-square water tank with an octagonal pavilion in its center, built during the reign of Shah Jahan; a causeway with its own gateway connects the pavilion with the mainland and a 100-foot-high minar, or minaret. At the center of each side of the tank, a brick ramp slopes down to the water, providing access for royal animals and wild game. The minar itself was built by Emperor Jahangir in 1606 to honor the memory of a pet hunting antelope named Mansraj.
