Famous Lahore Gates

Famous Lahore Gates

Akbari Gate

This gate is named after Emperor Mohammad Jalal-ud-Din Akbar who rebuilt the town and the citadel. Close to this gate, the Emperor also founded a market, which was named after him as Akbari Mandi. This Market was and continues to be major center of business where enormous loads of grains, nuts and spices were traded.

Bhaati Gate

The Bhaati Gate is the Chelsea of Pakistan as several historical personages have lived in this locality. It is one of the two oldest entry points into the Walled City, which controlled the only major north –south thoroughfare during the Ghaznavi period. The origin of the name of this gate has been clouded by passage of time. However, it is generally believed that that when Emperor Akbar expanded the city eastward and divided it into nine districts or Guzars, Bhaati Gateand and its bazaar marked the boundary between Guzar Mubarak Khan (eat) and Guzar Talwarra (west) and it was named after the clan called Bhattis who inhabited these quarters in those times.

Dehli Gate

The gate got its name from its opening on to the high road from Lahore to Dehli and served as a major entry point to the walled city. It is probably no coincidence that the largest caravansary lay outside this gate as did Chowk Dara Shikoh, his palaces and the famous Nakhas Mandi (Horse Market). The magnitude of Dehli Gate Bazaar is a reminder of the busting trading activity that took place around this gate. Many historical places, such as Shahi Hamam, Chitta Darvaza,  Wazir Khan Mosque and number of old havelis are situated inside this gate. The original Mughal period gate was pulled down by the British Government and rebuilt with a completely western façade. Behind the façade, is the elliptical domed “deorrhi” flanked by several rooms both on the ground and the first floor. These were the offices of the magistrate and municipal councilor. The first British period Kotwali was also established inside Dehli Gate.

Lohari Gate

It is believed that when Malik Ayaz rebuilt the town in the time of Mahmud of Ghazni, the quarters of the city first populated were around this gate. Thus, it takes its name after the city of Lahore. Another view is that it was named after the trade of lohars, or the ironsmiths, practiced in the vicinity. The Lahori or Lohari Gate and the Bazaar behind it comprises the oldest arterial route in the Walled City built by Akbar the Great. Qutbuddin Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of the Sub-continent is buried just outside this gate. Caravans and travelers coming from Multan used to enter the city from this gate. Behind this gate once stood a brick fort called Kacha kot, probably the first fortified city of Lahore founded by Malik Ayaz. This gate was among the few city gates, which the British cared to reconstruct.

Masti Gate

The name Masti is the distortion of Masjidi, referring to the mosque of Mariam Makani, Emperor Akbar’s mother, situated in the immediate vicinity of the gate. Remains of this gate in its renovated form can still be seen.

Mochi Gate

Mochi is believed to the distortion of Moti. It is said that the gate takes its name after Moti Ram, an officer of Emperor Akbar, who resided there at there at that time. It also leads to the shoemakers or mochi bazaar and this perhaps explains the corruption of the word moti into mochi. In the extreme southeast of the city, it is situated between Shah Almi and Akbari Gate.

Mori Gate

Also known as the thirteenth gate, it was in fact not a gate but an outlet for the refuse of the city. Overtime, what had been a hole in the wall – a Mori, was enlarged into a proper gate, without, unfortunately, losing its less than savory name. It is the smallest of the gates.

Roshnai Gate

Of all the city gates built by Akbar the Great, only the Roshnai Darwaza still retains its original from. It was the principal entrance from the fort to city for the elite and provided access to the riverfront. Being profusely illuminated at night, it was called the Roshnai Gate or the Gate of Light. Aurangzeb Alamgir, another of the Mughal Kings, incorporated it into the square (Abdar Khana), which he built in 1673 as a fore court of the Badshahi Masjid. Ranjit Singh converted it into a regular garden with a central chaste white marble Baradari & named it as Hazuri Bagh.

Shah Alami Gate

The gate is named after Mohammad Moazzam Shah Alam Bahader Shah, the son and successor of Emperor Aurangzeb. He was immensely popular in Punjab. This gate was formerly known as the Bherwala Gate. During the partition riots in 1947, this gate was burnt to ashes.

Sheranwala Gate

The Ravi River flowed by the city in former times and this gate was one of the four that opened to the north of the city by the riverfront. The gate was named after Khizar Elias, the patron saint of running waters and streams and the discoverer of the water of immortality. Later, Ranjit Singh kept here two domesticated lions in a cage and the gate came to be popularly known as the Sheranwala or Lion’s Gate.

Taxali Gate

This gate provided the only access through the western length of wall. Behind this gate is the only arterial route of the Walled City, which runs east and connects Taxali Gate with Dehli Gate. Today, the Akbari Gate has vanished but the route still survives. Fortunately, a watercolour painting by William Simpson in 1865 portrays full image of two majestic gates one at right angle to the other. It is believed that behind this gate, and close to the royal fort, once lay the royal mint (Texal) – hence the name Taxali Gate. It was pulled down during the early British rule.

Yakki Gate

The original name was Zakki – the name of the martyr saint, who according to tradition, fell fighting against the Mughal invaders, while gallantly defending his city. He was beheaded in front of the Yakki Gate but, as the legend goes, his trunk continued fighting for some time before collapsing close by. Two tombs of this champion of freedom were built by his followers, one at the spot where the head had fallen and the other where the trunk lay. Both are revered by the faithful to this day.