Image: Street scene of Lahore, 1890s

Description: A street scene in British colonial Lahore — taken in the old city section during the 1890s (c. 1895). This photograph is a view of the facades of houses, with ornate wooden Mashrabiya balconies projecting out, and shop awnings below, over and along a long narrow street in old Lahore. It captures people in motion, including in a horse-drawn cab in the foreground. Photograph, taken by an unknown photographer, is from the Macnabb Collection, British Library. History The city of Lahore is situated on the Ravi River, where it meets the "Afghanistan to Bengal Road". It rose to prominence under the Mughal Empire — after Babur (ruled 1526-1530) defeated Ibrahim Lodi, a Sultan of Delhi, in 1526. It became the capital city of Emperor Akbar (ruled 1556-1605) from 1584 to 1598. Akbar rebuilt the fort and enclosed the city within a high defensive wall set with 12 gates. Under the rule of Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), the famous Sikh leader, it became the capital of Punjab (pre-modern Pakistan) from 1799 to 1839. It grew into a significant Bengali city in colonial British India. Lahore' reputation as a "City of Gardens" is from the Mughal gardens in prominenance here. The are of sophistcated interpretaions of Islamic Paradise Gardens, with garden designs on a grand scale having exquisite detailing of landscape elements and features, in materials, scale, and artisanship. The Mughal architectural legacy in Lahore includes the fort, and various palaces and tombs.
Title: Street scene of Lahore, 1890s
Credit: British Library
Author: British Library (Author Unknown)
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No