31°35'23.4"N 74°18'45.0"E
On the UNESCO World Heritage Site List
Antiquities Act 1975
The Picture Wall spans an impressive 7,000 square meters, making it one of the largest and most elaborate mural structures in the world.
The Best Time to Visit Punjab Province is Year long as it has bearable Cold winters and Hot Summers. However, Summers can get really Hot and precautions are recommended during Daytime visits.
The Picture Wall, one of the most exquisite features of Lahore Fort, is a masterpiece of mosaic tile artistry and pictography dating back to the first half of the 17th century Mughal Empire. Constructed firstly during the reign of Emperor Jahangir, with significant contributions by Shah Jahan, this stunning creation spans approximately 460 meters along the fort's western and northern faces. Standing nearly 15 meters high, it covers a surface area of roughly 7,000 square meters.
The Picture Wall is one of the most iconic and beautiful features of the Lahore Fort. Crafted using kashi kari tiles, the wall is adorned with a vibrant blend of geometric and foliated designs, along with depictions of living beings—a rarity in Islamic art. The mosaics illustrate a rich variety of scenes, including elephants, horses, camels, men, and birds, reflecting the artistic and cultural diversity of the Mughal era. Furthermore, the wall is decorated using other techniques as well such as Frescoes, cut and dress brickwork, arched recesses and Jaalis.
The Picture Wall underwent documentation starting in 2015 and was conserved and restored beginning in 2017 by the Walled City of Lahore Authority, in collaboration with the Agha Khan Cultural Service and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
The Picture Wall, one of the most extraordinary features of Lahore Fort, forms the northern and western façade of the fort. Spanning approximately 460 meters (1,510 feet) in length and 16 meters (50 feet) in height, it extends from the Shah Burj Gate (Hathi Pol Gate) to the outer wall of Jahangir’s Quadrangle. This wall, once part of the fort’s main entrance, covers an impressive surface area of nearly 7,000 square meters, making it one of the largest murals in the world.
Architecturally, the Picture Wall is a blend of kashi kari (mosaic tile work), frescoes, decorative niches, ornamental jharokas, cut and dressed brickwork, and imitation brickwork. Arched and rectangular recesses of various sizes are arranged throughout the wall, serving as focal points for mosaics and frescoes. Some recesses feature ornamental jharokas at their center, adding to the wall’s elegance. The eaves and brackets of pavilions and other rooftop structures are intricately carved in sandstone and marble, often inlaid with semi-precious stones. Parts of the wall are embellished with cut brickwork, glazed tile mosaics, filigree, and painted lime plaster.
Two continuous cornices run the length of the wall. The lower cornice, located about 5.5 meters high, is adorned with a repetitive swastika design, while the upper cornice near the top displays a six-point star pattern with a yellow dot at its center. These geometric bands are complemented by a vibrant color palette, featuring rich yellows, blues, and greens, similar to the decoration of the Chauburji Gateway, Wazir Khan Mosque, and the Mosque of Dai Anga.
The Picture Wall is distinguished by its depiction of human and animal forms, an unusual feature in Islamic art that often restricts itself to floral and geometric motifs. The vibrant mosaics depict scenes of elephants, camels, horses, birds, and men, alongside activities like polo matches, caravans, festivals, and battles. Muhammad Latif, in his book Lahore: Its Architectural Remains and Antiquities, offers this vivid description of the Picture Wall during the British colonial era:
“The entrance to the fort is by an outer gate on the west, which is guarded by English soldiers. On the left, on a space about 50 yards between the outer walls and the palace front are exceedingly curious and interesting decorations of a kind of porcelain enamel, representing processions and combats of men and animals depicted… There are portraits of Mughals with long coats, Mughals sword in hand, horsemen throwing the spear, processions of omerahs on elephants, with horsemen and foot soldiers in their train, representations of camel fights, elephant fights, lions hunting the deer, Moghals carrying banners and waving chauris, buglers and mace-bearers. On the arches are representations of fairies with wings.”
The wall’s aesthetic purpose is evident from its elaborate ornamentation. Its unique storytelling quality is expressed through the depiction of scenes and figures, which include Mughal processions, battles, and activities not typically found in Islamic architecture. Together with the Shah Burj Gate, the Picture Wall formed the original entrance to the fort, constructed around 400 years ago. This remarkable mural stands as a testament to the artistic and cultural richness of the Mughal era.
The conservation and restoration of the Picture Wall at Lahore Fort began in 2017, led by the Walled City of Lahore Authority in collaboration with the Agha Khan Cultural Service (AKCS) and the Royal Norwegian Embassy. The AKCS had initiated the documentation of the wall in 2015, and the conservation work was completed by 2019. Alongside this effort, the adjacent Shah Burj Gate was also restored in the same year.
The conservation process commenced with detailed documentation of the wall using advanced techniques, including 3-D laser scanning, Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) devices, and high-resolution ortho-rectified photography. This comprehensive documentation provided an accurate record of the wall's structure and condition.
Following the documentation, a 10-meter wide and 15-meter high section of the western façade of the wall was selected as a prototype for conservation. This initial phase was used to develop and refine the conservation principles and methodologies, ensuring their effectiveness. The strategies established during this prototype phase were then intended to guide the conservation of the entire Picture Wall, ensuring consistency and adherence to preservation standards.
All Photographs by Syed Noor Hussain and Sania Azhar.
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