The Largest Mosque in Lahore: Badshahi Mosque

Ruins of the Mughal Empire

With Lahore at a crossroads, the Badshahi Mosque exists as a time-warp in the eye of the storm. As the people of Pakistan continue to act like a pendulum, swinging between ultra conservationism and international secularism. There are places in Pakistan that stand tall and stoically glare over the country as the people decide their fate.

With the new and old cities crashing against the walls of Lahore Fort like a raging sea, the Badshahi Mosque and historic citadel preserves the soul of a bygone time but still remains dependent on modernization to avoid collapsing in itself. In many ways the fate of the Badshahi Mosque and that of Pakistan are tied together.

Depending on the direction of the country, you will either see international tourists, Sikh pilgrims at the neighboring gurdwara, or solely local Muslims traveling to Badshahi mosque.

Badshahi Mosque may be the biggest, but the Wazir Kahn’s Mosque is the most beautiful in Lahore! Read more here!

A Showcase of Monuments

The entire area around Fort Road on the outskirts of Lahore’s Walled City, is a showcase of many of the most famous landmarks of Pakistan. Much like how the Vegas Strip lumps all of the world’s most iconic monuments together on a small stretch of road, Iqbal Park in Lahore is a place where you can check off all of Pakistan’s most treasured sites in one fell swoop.

The Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, and start of the sprawling Walled City of Lahore can all be found within a short walk of each other. After walking from the security check near the entrance of the park near Azadi Chowk East Metro Station, tourists will be greeted by this towering white spire, the red sandstone minarets of the mosque, and the impregnable walls of the fort. Even after leaving Lahore behind, you will continue to see the silhouettes of these monuments plastered all over Pakistan.

Take a break from Lahore and explore Swat Valley! Read about hiking to Kandol Lake from Kalam here!

Souvenirs At The Gates

There always needs to be a balance between preserving the sanctity of a place of worship and opening its doors to witness the historic beauty of its architecture. While one is not mutually exclusive from the other, allowing tourists to visit a mosque will also attract hawkers and souvenir sellers to post up at the gates of the mosque. Looking to take their slice of the tourist money coming into Lahore, they will try to lure you in with their trinkets and refreshments.

What comes to mind when seeing these stalls erected right in front of the mosque is Jesus when he cleansed the temple. One can only imagine the prophet Muhammad would have the same reaction seeing the house of God, demeaned into a place to make money.

While the touts my not seem like such a big deal, the shoe depository will even look for a handout by cheating tourists. To leave your shoes behind you should never pay more than 20 PKR (0.10 USD). Some of these opportunists will jump at the chance to squeeze more money out of unsuspecting foreign tourists.

Looking for more mosques in Pakistan? The King Faisal Mosque is one of the most famous in the country!

Burning Your Feet

With your shoes left behind at the depository, you will be hoping from tile to tile when entering the massive courtyard of Badshahi Mosque. Especially during the summer months, the sandstone square captures the heat, turning the entire masjid into a hot-plate. Fortunately, the caretakers of the mosque lay out a mat leading from the entrance to the main hall. Thus sparing the your soles from being burnt to a crisp.

For those who have traveled to Muslim countries in the past, exploring Lahore’s Badshahi Mosque will not necessarily blow you away. The overall architecture is similar to that of Jama Masjid located across the border in New Delhi. You will find a lot of the same red sandstone and wide open spaces that is found in many of the mosques sprinkled across India and Pakistan. Badshahi Mosque is only kept in such high regarded due to its size and age, not so much its aesthetic beauty.

To truly get in touch with the local religion, you will want to explore the Sufi tomb of Shah Jamal!

Beauty in the Inside

While saving your feet from the excruciating pain off walking across the steaming hot tiles of the courtyard, you will make your way to the main sanctuary of Badshahi Mosque. Although you may be disappointed by the exterior of the mosque, the worship hall blends monochromatic red colors with intricate design. Although it may not seem like much from a distance, the entire prayer room is decorated in classical Mughal patterns stretching from the floor to the dome overhead.

Originally constructed in 1673, the Badshahi Mosque is the largest masjid showcasing traditional Mughal design and architecture. The structure was commissioned by Emperor Aurangzeb. Unlike his predecessors, his reign was focused more on military conquest rather than art. This is apparent when you see the lack of color and ornate designs put into the mosque.

One of the most iconic landmarks in Pakistan is not that easy to get to. Read on traveling from Peshawar to Bab-e-Khyber here!

Worshipers and Tourists

What Badshahi Mosque lacks in beauty is made up for by the hundreds if not thousands of Muslims who make the pilgrimage to pray in its halls everyday. A mosque without Muslims can hardly be considered a place of worship. Seeing fathers kneeling and prayed and their children rolling around on the carpet offer a candid look at the lives of every day Muslims. Bringing together the two things that are most important for Pakistanis: Islam and family.

Among the devotees are busy making dua with open palms, many tourists hover above taking selfies and capturing the detail carved directly into the sandstone. It is understandable why many mosques throughout the Muslim world only open their doors to tourists between certain hours and days. As a Muslim, it would be distracting praying to God with selfie sticks being waved overhead.

You won’t find a better way to explore local culture than through Kushti! Read more about seeing traditional wrestling in Lahore here!

From Badshahi Mosque to Lahore Fort

The mosque may be free, but you will have to empty out a hunk of change from your wallet if you are an international tourist wanting to visit the neighboring citadel. The entry fee for the Lahore Fort costs a whopping 500 PKR (3.20 USD) for foreigners. While this may not seem like much by Western standards, for locals its practically like giving up an arm and a leg.

Before you commit to forking over the rupees for a ticket to Lahore Fort, it is important to know what you are paying for. While the Badshahi Mosque is redeemed with its spiritual and contemplative atmosphere, the fort is just a glorified park. You can wander the ramparts with views of the Walled City of Lahore and lay in the grass to get some shut eye. But other than enjoying some peace and quiet away from the chaotic city streets, there is not much to hold your attention.

To really get off the beaten path in Pakistan you will want to check out hiking to Matiltan in Swat Valley!

Finding Beauty In Lahore Fort

In truth, the most astounding part of Lahore Fort is the entrance. The gate leading from Badshahi Mosque to the interior of the fortress is covered in colorful intricate designs. With both Mughal style flowers and turquoise tiles, this “picture wall” is the most elaborate section of the entire fort. Once passing through the threshold and up the ramp you will find wide open spaces and neglected ruins.

Strolling through Lahore Fort is almost like touring an empty museum. The structures, although unmaintained, will give you a snapshot of the lives of Mughal Emperors. Among the grand halls and royal chambers, you may be able to spot some of the faded brown paintings lining the walls. The Lahore Fort is seeping with history but the barren palaces seem like nothing more than a hollow shell. Unless you are able to take a nap on the lawn, you will simply make one big circle of the grounds before heading back to the entrance.

Crossing the border from India into Pakistan? Read about crossing the Wagah Border here!

Should I Visit Badshahi Mosque?

In the eyes of the international community, Pakistan still has a reputation for being a dangerous country that harbors terrorists. Although this is far from the truth, many tourists don’t even consider making the trip to this South Asian country. Those who are wanting to stick their toes in the water rather than take the plunge into Pakistan will head to safe attractions in the country such as the Badshahi Mosque.

The Badshahi Mosque is not the best representation of the beauty of Pakistan. With towering mountains in Gilgit and sprawling bazaars in the Walled City, the soul of the country can not be found in Badshahi Mosque. It is in the markets and down alleyways where you can see life teeming in front of every doorway and down every corner. For those traveling independently to Lahore, the Badshahi Mosque is a mere endpoint as you explore the labyrinth of backstreets in the lawless Walled City.