Lahore - Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort

A special treat - I was granted permission to visit the Badshahi Mosque and the Lahore Fort early this morning. It was completely unexpected and I was thrilled I could take a look around outside the Consulate compound.

Sheesh Mahal - the Palace of Mirrors.

At the Fort with the Badshahi Mosque on the left and a Sikh temple on the right.

An overcast day, but still really hot at 7:00 in the morning.

The Palace of Mirrors, with original inlaid tile pillars.

A side door in the Palace of Mirrors.

Whew! It was hot - I'm glowing.

A view from one of the windows. The tower on the left is a monument to Pakistani Independence.

With some of the tile work.

Close up of the tile.

See the bit that looks out of place? The Palace of Mirrors wasn't originally the Palace of Mirrors - it was painted with beautiful decorations, done in gold. The Mughal emperor had it completely covered with mirrors to honor his wife - this is the same emperor and wife of Taj Mahal fame. That guy really loved that girl, that's all I can say. The wife never got to see the Palace of Mirrors, unfortunately. She died in childbirth, delivering her 14th baby.

Another angle of the Palace of Mirrors.

Looking up! This was on the ceiling.

An outside shot - this was once a fountain where women danced.

A fresco. 

At the Badshahi Mosque.

An outside view of the Badshahi Mosque - built of red sandstone. The materials for the mosque were transported by elephants from a distance of more than 350 kilometers. It took 11 years to gather the materials, and three to build the mosque, in the 17th century.

Another view of the outside.

One of the corridors inside the right wall - the walls make up the perimeter of the Mosque compound.

A bucolic view.

Gorgeous, really. The chandeliers were pretty cool, too.

The front of the Badshahi Mosque.