Introduction

Lahore is the Pakistan's second largest city with population of approximately 9 million people, and the
capital of the Punjab province. It occupies a central position, and is generally called 'The Heart of
Pakistan'. Lahore is situated on the banks of the Ravi. Lahore is a city of gardens, and has the reputation
of being the 'Green City'.
The original citadel city is situated one mile to the south of the river Ravi, and some 23 miles from the
eastern border of the Punjab district. The walls of the city, when they were still standing, gave it a shape
of a parallelogram. The total area inside the walls encompassed roughly 461 acres of land. The city is
slightly elevated above the plain, and has a high ridge within it, for many centuries.
Some of the old names of Lahore can be observed as: Laha-noor Loh-pur Lohar-pur
History
The accorded history of Lahore dates back to 850 AD., conquered by Mahmood Gaznavi in 1021 AD,
Lying on the main trade and invasion routes to South Asia, Lahore has been ruled and plundered by a
number of dynasties and hordes. Muslim rule began here when Qutub-ud-din Aibak was crowned in
Lahore in 1206 However, it touched the zenith of its glory during the Mughal rule from 1524 to 1752. The
Mughals, who were famous as builders, gave Lahore some of its finest architectural monuments, many of
which are extinct today.
Lahore played a special role in the independence movements of India. The most important session of
the All India Muslim League (later the Pakistan Muslim League), demanding the creation of Pakistan,
was held in Lahore in 1940 Muslims under the leadership ofMuhammad Ali Jinnah demanded a separate
homeland for Muslims of India in a document known as thePakistan Resolution or the Lahore Resolution.
Upon the creation of Pakistan, Lahore was made capital of the Punjab province in the new state of
Pakistan. Less than 20 years later, however, Lahore once again became a battleground in the War of 1965.
The battlefield and trenches can still be observed today close to the Wagah border area.
Culture
Lahore is referred to as the cultural heart of Pakistan as it hosts most of the arts, cuisine, festivals, filmmaking, music, gardening and intelligentsia of the country. Lahore has always been a center for
publications, where 80 percent of Pakistan's books are published and remains the foremost center of
literary, educational and cultural activity in Pakistan.[7] It is also an important religious center as it is
home to hundreds of temples, mosques, and shrines like Data Durbar Complex.
Lahore is cultural, intellectual and artistic center of the nation. The warm and receptive people of Lahore
are known for their traditional hospitality.
Bazaars and market places in the Lahore is of course legendary - the Kashmiri, Suha, Chatta, Dabbi,
Anarkali of the old city, and Liberty and Gulberg main market in modern Lahore. These markets supply
everything that could possibly or impossibly want; from cloth to copper, brass and silver-ware; watches
and bangles to carpets, chapatis and chai.

Founded in legendary times, and a cultural centre for over a thousand years, Lahore has many attractions
to keep the tourist busy. Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque and Shalimar Gardens are
some of key Lahore attractions.
Lahore is the showcase for Mughal architecture in Pakistan. For more than 200 years, beginning from
about 1524 AD, Lahore was a thriving cultural centre of the great Mughal Empire and mosques.
Lahore is a city of culture, of history, of an unrivaled charm that sets it apart from every other city on
earth. There is an old saying, that in every Lahori, there is a Mughal prince.
The city has known ages of cultural, intellectual, musical, literary and humanistic evolution, Few cities of
the world, if indeed any, can lay claim to such a wonderful past or present.
The British during their reign built some important buildings, like the GPO, High Court, Government
College, Museums, National College of Arts, Montgomery Hall, Tollinton Market, Punjab University
(Old Campus) and the Provincial Assembly.
The people of Lahore, when they want to emphasize the uniqueness of their town say " Lahore is Lahore".
Lahore is the city of poets, artists and the center of film industry. It has some of the finest gardens in the
continent.
Other buildings are Tower of Lahore : (Minar-e-Pakistan) Lahore Fort Shalamar Gardens Badshahi
Mosque Shish Mahal Mausoleum of Jahangir 12 Gates of Old Lahore
Education
Punjab University is the largest center of education in Asia. King Edward Medical College is the country's
largest medical institution, founded in 1870. The National College of Arts, has separate departments in
Architecture, Fine Arts & design, on the competition entry basis 450 students receives from all over the
country.
Communication
The Lahore Railway station is one of the oldest station in the country.
There is an International Airport in the cantonment area, A newly built international terminal, Allama
Iqbal International Terminal, helps in the locomotion of passengers to other countries. It greatly facilitate
and improves the air transits to and from the Lahore city.
Gaddafi Stadium is a Test cricket ground in Lahore. After its renovation for the 1996 Cricket World Cup,
the stadium now boasts a capacity of over 60,000

Gaddafi Stadium.
Allama Iqbal International

Lahore Railway Station

Airport

The Wagah Border on the Grand Trunk Road near Lahore and Amritsar.
The road was historically the main route of travel from Lahore to Delhi.
Today, it is one of the few trade routes between India and Pakistan. [81]

Old Anarkali Food Street.

Allama Iqbal campus of University of the Punjab, Lahore

The tomb of Allama Iqbal