20/02/2020
The Badshahi Mosque was built by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671, with construction of the mosque lasting for two years until 1673. The mosque is an important example of Mughal architecture, with an exterior that is decorated with carved red sandstone with marble inlay. It remains the largest mosque of the Mughal-era, and is the second-largest mosque in Pakistan.After the fall of the Mughal Empire, the mosque was used as a garrison by the Sikh Empire and the British Empire, and is now one of Pakistan's most iconic sights.
The domes of mosque were clad with white marbles and the other structure was clad with red sandstone tiles that were brought from a stone quarry near Jaipur, Rajasthan. The Aurangzaib’s foster brother, Muzaffar Hussain Fidai Hussain Koka, carried out task of construction supervision. In 1971, Muzaffar Hussain was appointed as the Governor of Lahore to oversee the construction of mosque by the Auragzaib Alamgir. The interior of Man Prayer Hall is decorated with the inlaid marble, stucco tracery and fresco work. The exterior decoration was done with the carving of stones and marble inlaying on red sandstones. The walls are built using small kiln-burnt bricks laid in kankar, lime mortar but covered with red sandstones.
