Lahore city is the capital of the province of Punjab, in Pakistan. It is centrally situated and is generally known as “The Heart of Pakistan”, the city is located on the banks of river Ravi. It is also known as the “Green City” and is home to many gardens and fertile alluvial plains. The city is famous for its poets, artists and the core of the film industry.
The eccentric city dates back to 850 A.D., it was taken over by Mahmood Ghaznavi in 1021 A.D. and made the capital of the entire Ghaznavid Empire by Masud, the son of Mahmood. This was the point in history where Lahore became the heart of the social, cultural and educational events and these activities made the city reach the peak of its magnificence under the rule of the Mughal Empire. It was under the Mughals that the city got its beautiful fort, infamous architecture, gardens, tombs, mosques and pavilions. There are many ancient names recorded in history for Lahore which include Lahanoor, Mahmood pur, Loh pur, Lohar pur and Samnadpal Nagiri.
The population of this city with a colorful history is around 6.5 million and it is the second largest city of Pakistan. The city has been constructed in the formation of a parallelogram and the area within the walls of the city (central Lahore or Old Lahore) is about 461 acres. The exact location of the district is 31-34′ North latitude and 74 – 20′ East longitude. Regarding the weather in the city, there are two main seasons namely winter and summer. The monsoon season is at its peak during July and August, and the rain during these two months accounts for more than half the rain in the city. The driest months of the year in this city are October and November and the winter seasons in which the winter rains occur are from December to February. Hence there is plenty rainfall which makes the city’s gardens look even more beautiful than they already are.
One of the most famous architectures of the city is known as the Lahore Fort which was built during Mughal Rule by Akbar the Great. This king also constructed the city walls which had 12 gates, some of these gates exist even today. Jahangir the son of Akbar, and Shah Jehan the son of Jahangir have been the builders of Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, they also have constructed many tombs and places. Another great Mughal Ruler known as Aurangzeb has also constructed another famous architecture in Lahore known as the Badshahi Mosque. These constructions are not only divine and beautiful but also great tourist attractions for the city. In the times of the Mughal era the river Ravi which now is miles away from the city used to clash with the ramparts of the fort and the mosque. When the British came they nicely combined the Mughal, Gothic, Victorian styles of architecture in the city. The architecture, beautiful history and the mixed culture of the city makes it a dynamic and vibrant city, one not to miss a visit to if given the chance.