Walled City of Lahore Authority
Walled City of Lahore Authority
4.5
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Walled City of Lahore, a heritage city almost 4000 years old. Having International Heritage Sites and other Landmarks of Mughal, Sikh and British Era
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
68 reviews
Excellent
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13
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Hamza Mahmood
Lahore, Pakistan285 contributions
Apr 2015
The best place for those who love to think beyond the past and what have we seen in the past. The cultural changes that occured during past. Must visit
Written March 17, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Haider A
London, UK50 contributions
Apr 2018 • Family
Joined the history by night tour on Saturday the 7th April. The tour exceeded expectations and was a fabulous combination of history, culture and dramatisation.
Orchestrated as a journey back to the Mughal era, the visitors were welcomed as guests of Shah Jehan by his Sippa Salaar.
We entered the courtyard through the gate of light and were given a quick tour around and of the courtyard (huzuri baagh) where we were entertained by a skilled flute player playing folk tunes (and a bit of Despacito for the fun of it).
A short ride on Rangeela Rickshaws took us to the Gurdawara Dera Saab. The majestic Gurdawara was undergoing refurbishment but the guides provided ample history and insight into the mechanisation a of the Sikh Temple.
That was followed by a second round of exhilarating rickshaw ride while blaring tunes from Noor Jehan. The ride took us past the painted wall on to Shish Mahal where we were greeted by the King's court (in full attire). We sat on the luxuriois carpets, resting against Gao Takiyas listening to live classical instrumental while waited upon by court staff with drinks, sweets and dry fruits. The King made appearance with his two wives and an elegant performer danced to a contemporary classical blend of tunes.
The tour came to an end after a walk through the catacombs of the castle.
In short, a remarkable experience and excellent value for money. History descriptions were a bit lacking but the tour more than made up for it by the finale. Kudos to our tour guide Javaid for a wonderful in character performance.
Recommendations: try and join the first tour (1930) and be prepared for it to last till 2330.
Orchestrated as a journey back to the Mughal era, the visitors were welcomed as guests of Shah Jehan by his Sippa Salaar.
We entered the courtyard through the gate of light and were given a quick tour around and of the courtyard (huzuri baagh) where we were entertained by a skilled flute player playing folk tunes (and a bit of Despacito for the fun of it).
A short ride on Rangeela Rickshaws took us to the Gurdawara Dera Saab. The majestic Gurdawara was undergoing refurbishment but the guides provided ample history and insight into the mechanisation a of the Sikh Temple.
That was followed by a second round of exhilarating rickshaw ride while blaring tunes from Noor Jehan. The ride took us past the painted wall on to Shish Mahal where we were greeted by the King's court (in full attire). We sat on the luxuriois carpets, resting against Gao Takiyas listening to live classical instrumental while waited upon by court staff with drinks, sweets and dry fruits. The King made appearance with his two wives and an elegant performer danced to a contemporary classical blend of tunes.
The tour came to an end after a walk through the catacombs of the castle.
In short, a remarkable experience and excellent value for money. History descriptions were a bit lacking but the tour more than made up for it by the finale. Kudos to our tour guide Javaid for a wonderful in character performance.
Recommendations: try and join the first tour (1930) and be prepared for it to last till 2330.
Written April 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
shershah h
Lahore, Pakistan7 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
We took the history by night tour of the walled city in Lahore and the experience was amazing. It's definitely a must for all those visiting Lahore. It is only on Saturdays and you can easily book the tickets on call and then purchase them on spot. They have really good guides who will brief you through the old city's history. The tour also includes classical live music and dance performances.
The ticket is only for Rs. 1000/-
The ticket is only for Rs. 1000/-
Written June 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shaheen T
Lahore, Pakistan25 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
A newly restored Shahi Hammam reaches into the Mughal Period to show how public baths serving both men and women were an integral part of social life.
Aga Khan Cultural Services Pakistan in partnership with the Walled City Authority have restorer both this and the Mosque.
Unearthing tons of debris they have discovered exquisite frescos and glorious vaulted rooms where hot and cold water pools and massage attendants revived patrons.
Am must see in the Walled City! Go next to the Wazir Akber Khan Mosque where you will see tile work that takes your breath away.
Aga Khan Cultural Services Pakistan in partnership with the Walled City Authority have restorer both this and the Mosque.
Unearthing tons of debris they have discovered exquisite frescos and glorious vaulted rooms where hot and cold water pools and massage attendants revived patrons.
Am must see in the Walled City! Go next to the Wazir Akber Khan Mosque where you will see tile work that takes your breath away.
Written January 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amna B
Lahore, Pakistan209 contributions
Jun 2016 • Family
If you like history Walled city of Lahore is the place you need to visit, you;ll nothing less then love it . The Lahore Fort, Minare Pakistan, Bashahi mosque, food street, every place has a story to tell. Just borrow a Guide Guy he will tell you the history and you will love it. Just go in a good weather. And yeah Masjid Wazir Khan too. The architecture and everything is just amazing,
Written May 23, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Myramalik99
Lahore, Pakistan100 contributions
May 2016 • Family
(Govt. Victoria Girls High School)
The Haveli of Maharaja Naunihal Singh:
A Jewel In The Heart of Lahore....
Any one who is looking for significant and superb examples of Sikh architecture in Lahore, Punjab, would definitely not overlook the Haveli of Naunihal Singh, the son of Maharaja Kharak Singh and Rani Chand Kaur, and grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
In 1840, after the death of Kharak Singh - contrived by a scheme between the British and the Dogra broithers - Naunihal Singh became the Maharaja of Punjab. But, a few days later, he too died in a mysterious incident, obviously a conspiracy hatched by the same vested interests.
After the death of Naunihal Singh, his mother took his place as regent for her grandson, the rightful successor of the throne but after some time, under pressure, she relinquished the throne to Sher Singh, another son of Mahraja Ranjit Singh.
Rani Chand Kaur retired to her son's Haveli after her withdrawal from the throne.
Ultimately the British took over Punjab in 1849 and this Haveli also went under the possession of the British colonial power. In 1860, a girl’s school began here. The school is still ongoing under the name of “Victoria Higher Secondary School”.
One of the few remaining royal residences from the Sikh period, this Haveli is situated inside the old walled city. Located between the historic Bhatti and Lohari gates, where Mori Gate once stood, a zigzag of narrow streets leads to an open area known as “Maidan Bahian” or the 'field of Bahian', once a large garden, the Haveli is situated at the edge of this field.
Currently, there is no remnant of the garden but the Haveli survives with its full glamour and decorative patterns.
It is an intact structure of over forty rooms with most elements of its original ornamentation preserved on the two main elevations and the interior courtyard facades. Rectangular in plan, the Haveli is a fairly large building. Its entrance is on the west side and the façade has been divided into two clear sections: one housing the entrance gate, which is abundantly decorated and the other is simple but has plenty of fenestration. If there was any decoration on this area, it has been destroyed by the ravages of time.
The building has a basement and four storyes above the ground level. O the four, two storeys encompass the whole area; the third storey is partially crumbled while the fourth stands in the northwestern corner and is called “Rang Mahal” - "The Palace of Colours".
The “Rang Mahal”, like the Mughal “Hawa Mahal” or Palace of Winds, was traditionally built on the top of royal residences where fresh breeze could be enjoyed alongwith a view of the surroundings. The “Rang Mahal” of Naunihal Singh’s Haveli serves this purpose well.
It is a jewel of artistic achievement. The wooden roof is richly decorated, divided into several geometrical compartments. Each is fitted with a small mirror in the centre. The northern and western walls have fenestrations in the form of windows and ventilators. There are blind arches in between the windows and ventilators. These arches house miniature paintings depicting mythological scenes (e.g., the fables of Krishna), as well as landscapes and natural scenes.
The paintings are done in Kangra style, a school which flourished in Kashmir, Lahore and Amritsar during the reign of Ranjit Singh. The colors of these paintings are still fresh and speak a lot of the expertise of the Sikh artists. Although this valuable piece of architectural heritage has lost a lot of its interior ornament due to its heavy use as a school building for over a hundred years, this room has been saved due to its location on the top floor. Also, its notoriety as a haunted room has also proved to be a reasonable deterrent.
The rise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to power and his establishing Lahore as the royal seat, created a new centre of arts and the painters of Kashmir found new patronage at the Lahore Darbar. Thus, a new sub-style of painting known as the Sikh school was developed.
It was not an original style of art but created by amalgam.
Beside the miniature paintings, there are several other kinds of decorative works such as cut brick work, woodwork including carvings and engravings, painted floral motifs and stucco work. The cut brick work, however, is of the finest kind. It seems that Sikh craftsmen especially excelled in this kind of masonry. The carving of the bricks is so sharp, precise and accurate that bricks seem to be made of wax rather than of baked clay.
The wood carving on doors and windows and miniature columns introduced at the corners of the oriel windows are also remarkable.
The building has the status of preserved architecture under the local rules and laws. It serves as a well known educational institution, especially for the female students living in the walled city of Lahore. It provides room for more than 1500 girls between grades 6 to 10.
While observing the present condition of this historic architecture and comparing it with many others of same era, one reaches the conclusion that the usage of this building as a school is far better than leaving it idle to ultimately crumble into ruins.
The Haveli of Maharaja Naunihal Singh:
A Jewel In The Heart of Lahore....
Any one who is looking for significant and superb examples of Sikh architecture in Lahore, Punjab, would definitely not overlook the Haveli of Naunihal Singh, the son of Maharaja Kharak Singh and Rani Chand Kaur, and grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
In 1840, after the death of Kharak Singh - contrived by a scheme between the British and the Dogra broithers - Naunihal Singh became the Maharaja of Punjab. But, a few days later, he too died in a mysterious incident, obviously a conspiracy hatched by the same vested interests.
After the death of Naunihal Singh, his mother took his place as regent for her grandson, the rightful successor of the throne but after some time, under pressure, she relinquished the throne to Sher Singh, another son of Mahraja Ranjit Singh.
Rani Chand Kaur retired to her son's Haveli after her withdrawal from the throne.
Ultimately the British took over Punjab in 1849 and this Haveli also went under the possession of the British colonial power. In 1860, a girl’s school began here. The school is still ongoing under the name of “Victoria Higher Secondary School”.
One of the few remaining royal residences from the Sikh period, this Haveli is situated inside the old walled city. Located between the historic Bhatti and Lohari gates, where Mori Gate once stood, a zigzag of narrow streets leads to an open area known as “Maidan Bahian” or the 'field of Bahian', once a large garden, the Haveli is situated at the edge of this field.
Currently, there is no remnant of the garden but the Haveli survives with its full glamour and decorative patterns.
It is an intact structure of over forty rooms with most elements of its original ornamentation preserved on the two main elevations and the interior courtyard facades. Rectangular in plan, the Haveli is a fairly large building. Its entrance is on the west side and the façade has been divided into two clear sections: one housing the entrance gate, which is abundantly decorated and the other is simple but has plenty of fenestration. If there was any decoration on this area, it has been destroyed by the ravages of time.
The building has a basement and four storyes above the ground level. O the four, two storeys encompass the whole area; the third storey is partially crumbled while the fourth stands in the northwestern corner and is called “Rang Mahal” - "The Palace of Colours".
The “Rang Mahal”, like the Mughal “Hawa Mahal” or Palace of Winds, was traditionally built on the top of royal residences where fresh breeze could be enjoyed alongwith a view of the surroundings. The “Rang Mahal” of Naunihal Singh’s Haveli serves this purpose well.
It is a jewel of artistic achievement. The wooden roof is richly decorated, divided into several geometrical compartments. Each is fitted with a small mirror in the centre. The northern and western walls have fenestrations in the form of windows and ventilators. There are blind arches in between the windows and ventilators. These arches house miniature paintings depicting mythological scenes (e.g., the fables of Krishna), as well as landscapes and natural scenes.
The paintings are done in Kangra style, a school which flourished in Kashmir, Lahore and Amritsar during the reign of Ranjit Singh. The colors of these paintings are still fresh and speak a lot of the expertise of the Sikh artists. Although this valuable piece of architectural heritage has lost a lot of its interior ornament due to its heavy use as a school building for over a hundred years, this room has been saved due to its location on the top floor. Also, its notoriety as a haunted room has also proved to be a reasonable deterrent.
The rise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to power and his establishing Lahore as the royal seat, created a new centre of arts and the painters of Kashmir found new patronage at the Lahore Darbar. Thus, a new sub-style of painting known as the Sikh school was developed.
It was not an original style of art but created by amalgam.
Beside the miniature paintings, there are several other kinds of decorative works such as cut brick work, woodwork including carvings and engravings, painted floral motifs and stucco work. The cut brick work, however, is of the finest kind. It seems that Sikh craftsmen especially excelled in this kind of masonry. The carving of the bricks is so sharp, precise and accurate that bricks seem to be made of wax rather than of baked clay.
The wood carving on doors and windows and miniature columns introduced at the corners of the oriel windows are also remarkable.
The building has the status of preserved architecture under the local rules and laws. It serves as a well known educational institution, especially for the female students living in the walled city of Lahore. It provides room for more than 1500 girls between grades 6 to 10.
While observing the present condition of this historic architecture and comparing it with many others of same era, one reaches the conclusion that the usage of this building as a school is far better than leaving it idle to ultimately crumble into ruins.
Written May 15, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nancy D
Los Angeles, CA1,645 contributions
Mar 2018 • Friends
Of course you’ll find mosques and other museum locations within the walled city. But you will also see lots of shops and winding roads and people living life today. I loved looking up and seeing old wooden balconies which are part of houses. So definitely look up. I’m told a lot of money has been spent to clean up the streets making them easier to walk and navigate. I love feeling the energy of this very active area.
Written March 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sal170
Accrington, UK18 contributions
Mar 2017 • Solo
I visited some family members in side Lahori gate what a amazing plce.its like visiting Aladdin cave bargain glide you can buy anything and everything in side wall city.
Written March 9, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hannan-Asif
Lahore, Pakistan19 contributions
Sep 2016
If you really want to see the heritage and walled city since ages, don't forget to have a tour of walled city. There is a Govt. Service (Hop on, Hop Off) starting from Qaddafi Stadium. Walled city has a long history and there are lot many tourist places there.
Written October 15, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alikarim
Dallas, TX1,239 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
The Old City Walled City of Lahore was supposed to have been built during the Mughal Emperor Akbar's time (late 1500's). The Old City of Lahore was protected by a nine meters high wall (very thick), & wide ramparts and a moat. There were thirteen Darvaza's or gates, which provided entry/exit from the old city, so entry/exit could be well controlled. These doors were kept closed at nights and during threatening times.
It was a great feeling walking around the narrow lanes of the walled city, feeling the very busy pulse of the old city. It was also very good to see the work being done by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKDN) to restore the Hamam's. mosques, and streets/houses etc back to their original splendor.
The only drawback was the quality of the tour guide we hired. We took a tour with Javed, the recommended Tour Guide and while he was very good, we felt he overcharged and was not thorough in showing us all the interesting areas of the old city. While we should have told him what we wanted to cover, it is incumbent upon a good tour guide to give his guests a good overview of the whole area, not just few places. For example, Javed complete skipped the old Sikh havelis. Also, the "tuk-tuk" he had arranged way overcharged us compared to what we would have paid just hiring someone off the street. That was the only disappointing part.
So be aware.
It was a great feeling walking around the narrow lanes of the walled city, feeling the very busy pulse of the old city. It was also very good to see the work being done by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKDN) to restore the Hamam's. mosques, and streets/houses etc back to their original splendor.
The only drawback was the quality of the tour guide we hired. We took a tour with Javed, the recommended Tour Guide and while he was very good, we felt he overcharged and was not thorough in showing us all the interesting areas of the old city. While we should have told him what we wanted to cover, it is incumbent upon a good tour guide to give his guests a good overview of the whole area, not just few places. For example, Javed complete skipped the old Sikh havelis. Also, the "tuk-tuk" he had arranged way overcharged us compared to what we would have paid just hiring someone off the street. That was the only disappointing part.
So be aware.
Written September 24, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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