The Imperial Mosque is located in Lahore. The Badshahi Masjid (The Royal Mosque) was built on the orders of Aurangzeb Alamgir the Mughal Emperor. It was built in 1673. It is the largest mosque of Mughal era and second largest mosque in Pakistan.
Though the passage of four centuries has left its mark on this grand structure; it has withstood the test of time gracefully. It has borne the abuse during the Sikh regime patiently and has tolerated the British maltreatment with dignity.
This mosque remained the largest mosque of the world for more than three centuries. It still remains the largest piece of Mughal architecture and was completed in only two and a half years.
Its outdoor courtyard measures 161.5 x 160.6 meters and still is the largest courtyard of any mosque in the world; structure wise, the mosque itself stands fifth in world ranking.
Redstone and marble have been used in the construction of this mosque. It has 3 domes and 8 minarets. The Redstone used was especially brought from Jaipur, Rajhastan (India).
Variegated marble was used in the construction of steps and floor. The interior of the mosque is adorned with tiles and beautiful frescoes. The grandeur and elegance of the mosque simply mesmerizes the viewer.
Badshahi Mosque also features a museum where relics belonging to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), his son-in-law Hazrat Ali and his daughter Bibi Fatima are displayed. The Badshahi mosque stands proudly symbolizing the lost glory of its era and is one of the major tourist attractions of Lahore.
Near the entrance of the mosque is the tomb of the great poet Muhammad Allama Iqbal. There is another tomb near the entrance, that of Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan. He played a major role in preservation of the mosque.
