Lahore was named after Lava, son of the Hindu god Rama, who supposedly founded the city. To this
day, the Lahore Fort has a vacant temple dedicated to Lava (also pronounced Loh, hence "Loh-awar"
or The Fort of Loh).After the fall of the Ghaznavid Empire, Lahore was ruled by various Muslim
dynasties known as the Delhi Sultanate, including the Khiljis, Tughlaqs, Sayyid, Lodhis and Suris.
When Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aybak was crowned here in 1206, he became the first Muslim sultan of the
Indian subcontinent. It was not until 1524 that Lahore became part of the Mughal Empire. The city of Lahore is the capital of the Punjab. It occupies a central position, and is generally
called The Heart of Pakistan. Lahore's culture is unique. Known as the Cultural Capital of
Pakistan, the city was the seat of the Mughal and the Sikh Empire. Lahore has played an important
role in Pakistani history- it was in this city that Pakistan's independence declaration was made.
It was the largest city in the newly formed Pakistan at the time of independence. The city is well known to be the start of engineering in the country with a belt of Casters and
Forgers in the early times used to make weapons. The first Engineering University of the country
was founded in the city. University of Engineering Technology is still considered today to be
one the best Engineering Colleges in the country. The city as we know it today, reached its peak of glory during the Mughal rulers, especially in
the reign of Akbar the Great. He built the Lahore Fort, as well as the city walls which had 12
gates, of which some of these still survive today. Jehangir and Shah Jehan, the builders of the
Taj Mahal in Agra and the Shalamar Gardens in Srinagar and Lahore, built palaces and tombs. The
last great Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb built Lahore's most famous monument, the great Badshahi
Mosque. During the British period of 1849-1947, their construction in Lahore combined Mughal,
Gothic and Victorian styles. The GPO and YMCA buildings in Lahore commemorated the golden
jubilee of Queen Victoria, an event marked by the construction of clock towers and monuments all
over India. Other important British buildings included the High Court, the Government College
University, the museums, the National College of Arts, Montgomery Hall, Tollinton Market, the
University of the Punjab (Old Campus) and the Provincial Assembly. Lahore is the core of Pakistan's media and arts scene. Pakistan's most prestigious art college,
the National College of Arts, is located here. Every year, it hosts the World Performing Arts
Festival, in which artists from dozens of countries show off their talents. Lahore is also home
to the country's developing fashion industry, supported by numerous designer outlets and the
country's most prestigious fashion school, the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design, which hosts
some of the best photo studios and photographers in the country. Allama Iqbal International Airport is located about 20-30 minutes from the city centre.
Professionally managed Metro Cabs are available to take passengers from the city to the
airport. Pakistan International Airlines(PIA) has daily departures internationally as well as to the rest
of Pakistan, connecting flights into nearby hub airports Qatar, Dubai, Bangkok for onward
connections to the Middle East, Europe, North America, and South-East Asia. Other airlines
operating in and out of Lahore include: • Thai Airways • Emirates • Gulf Air • Qatar Airways • Kuwait Airways • Turkish Airline
• Etihad Airways • Shaheen Airlines • Air Blue • Saudi Airlines • Indian Airlines • Sirilankan
Airline • Taban Airline • Oman Airline The Daewoo Bus Service has its own terminal away from the main bus station on Ferozepur Road
near Kalma Chowk in Lahore. This terminal is only minutes away from the famous Liberty Market,
Gaddafi Stadium & other popular shopping areas. Clean, comfortable, air-conditioned coaches run
regularly between Lahore to all major cities of Punjab and Sindh including Karachi, plus many
smaller cities and towns such as Islamabad, Multan, Faisalabad and Peshawar. Daewoo is slightly
expensive but much more comfortable and reliable. Between Lahore and Rawalpindi / Islamabad
Daewoo also has a 'Premium Plus service' which gives you a business class style seat and more
space. The Famous Metro Bus System is also now operational for those wanting to tirelessly get around
Lahore.LAHORE - DEFINITELY WORTH A VISIT
History of the city of Engineering
Historical Architectures
Culture
Travelling to Lahore