Badshahi Mosque

Basic information
Location	Lahore, Pakistan
Affiliation	Sunni Islam
Province	Punjab
District	Lahore
Year consecrated	1671
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Mosque
Leadership	Aurangzeb
Architectural description
Architectural type	Mosque
Architectural Style	Islamic, Mughal
Completed	1673
Specifications
Capacity	100,000
Dome (s)	3
Minaret (s)	8 (4 major, 4 minor)
Minaret height	176 ft 4 in (53.75 m)

By Fatima Arshad

    The Badshahi Mosque or Emperor's Mosque was built in the year of 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the city Lahore, Pakistan. Badshahi mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world. There is no doubt that the Aurangzeb was well-known for his piety, was fulfilling an urge in order to pay the most impressive tribute to God in the form of a grand Badshahi masjid; which was made after inspiring from the Jamia Mosques of Delhi and Agra. Mosque is even more massive than these mosques; it is Lahore's most famous landmark as well as major tourist attraction; epitomizing the grandeur and beauty of the Mughal era.

Badshahi Mosque is capable of accommodating about 100,000 worshipers in its porticoes and courtyard, and a further 10,000 worshipers in its main prayer hall. The Mosque remained one of the largest mosques in the world from the year of 1673 to 1986; this was a period of about 313 years. Today, it is second largest mosque in Pakistan and in South Asia and fifth largest mosque in the world after the the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, Masjid al-Haram of Mecca, the Hassan in Casablanca and Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

The architecture of the Masjid slightly resembles with the Jama Mosque in Delhi, India. The steps leading to Main Prayer Hall of mosque and its floor are in variegated marble and the Main Prayer Hall is further divided into seven sections by using multi-foil arches which are supported on heavy piers, four sections are roofed with the flat domes. The interior of the Main Prayer Hall is embellished with inlaid marble, stucco tracery and fresco work.

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