Lahore’s Architecture and European Influences
Lahore has been through a historic journey to achieve the identity it has today. To many people the biggest reason for attraction is the Mughal era architecture. Although, the grandeur of those historic structures is undoubtedly a truth. But, the buildings made during British Raj have their own significance as well. The colonial era buildings are also a great heritage of the city. These buildings have their cultural, religious and educational importance. A lot of churches and colleges are a part of these buildings. The following are some of the buildings which were built during the British Raj in Lahore and they are still standing till date.
- Government College University
- Aitchison College Lahore
- Punjab University
- Lahore Museum
- National College of Arts
- General Post Office
- Senate Hall
- Lawrence and Montgomery Hall
- Railway Stations and Bridges
One of the common traits of these buildings is the brick structures. This is a reminiscent of the industrial era when construction was industrialized as well. Just like many buildings of grand stature in Europe which were made in that time; the buildings in Lahore also have a spectacular vision. It would not be wrong to compare the structure of many colonial era buildings with the ones in United Kingdom today. You will be astounded by the striking resemblance. The colonial era buildings are spread across the entire country. These include colleges and churches mostly.
The significance of these buildings is the influence they have had on the architecture of Lahore city. And now the preservation of these buildings and landmarks is also important. Another significance of these buildings is that the British were able to present construction designs and structures that were not known before. The city holds architecture dating back to 1000 AD, the time of Ghaznavi, The Mughal era and the Sikh era as well. Therefore, these buildings are distinct as compared to other historical buildings as well.
Conclusion
Even though Lahore is a cradle of architecture from different eras of history but the European influence on architecture holds more importance. It is distinctive due to the fact that it came from a much more developed and industrious civilization as compared to the architecture of the Indian continent. It is much more utilitarian in nature as well since the buildings are meant for education and religious ceremonies. These traits make these buildings stand out among other historic buildings in Lahore and have a bigger impact on the architectural identity of the city.
