Badshahi Mosque

Badshahi mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world which was built by the sixth great Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir in 1673 A.D. under the supervision of his foster brother Muzaffar Hussain (also known as Fidaie Khan Koka) who was also the governor of Lahore. The mosque was built exactly opposite to the Lahore Fort. It is one of the city’s best known landmarks which symbolizes the beauty of grandeur Mughal era.
The mosque is bold, beautiful and majestic in its expression. It has four corners and each corner is marked by a square red tower with a white marble cupola at the top. The north enclosure wall of the mosque was laid close to the Ravi River bank, so a gateway cannot be provide at that side and in order to keep the symmetry the gateway had to be omitted on the south wall as well. The walls were built with small kiln-burnt bricks laid in kankar and lime mortar but have a cover of red sandstone.
In the chamber above the main gate of mosque are the housed relics of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), his daughter Fatima and his son-in-law. People normally say that these relics have been brought to the subcontinent by Amir Taimur. These relics include a green turban, a cap of green coat, white trousers, and a slipper which was worn by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW), mark of his foot on a sand-colored stone, and his white banner with the verses of the Holy Quran embroidered on it.
The courtyard is of immense size which has been divided into two parts upper and lower portion. In the later funeral prayers can also be offered. This mosque allows over 60,000 worshippers to pray at any one time. Its prayer chamber is also very deep and vast having main entrance with three central jumps. It is also paneled and enriched with marble inlay in linear, floral and geometrical pattern.
Badshahi mosque had badly damaged during Sikh rule in Lahore. They stooped the Muslims to worship in mosque, the government granting only a small place outside the mosque where they could worship. They used the mosque for hourse stables for many hourses, camels and other animal they used. Moreover, the British had also damaged the mosque very badly when they took the control of India. They used to carry out military training in the mosque which included riffle firing and cannon range. Later on the mosque was returned to the Muslims as a good will gesture. The badshahi mosque authority restored the glory of the mosque to its original place. They took precautionary measures on emergency basis and carried out the extensive repairs and brought the mosque to its original position. The government has even ordered to swtich off the beautiful lights that used to flood the whole mosque illuminating it to be visible from a far distance.