City Information

Alhamra’ literally means a woman in red clothes. This building is made up of red bricks, earning the same impression. The architect was Nayyar Ali Dada and this complex has been admired for its superb architecture, even receiving an award for it. It is a venue for many art exhibitions, theatrical shows, and musical concerts. It also acts as a training center offering courses in various arts including classical dance or kathak, painting, sculpture, and photography. Visitors should stop by this council as there is always some exhibition going on. It is also a good way to familiarize oneself with upcoming Pakistani artists.

There are a number of different visas available for those wishing to travel to Pakistan. The tourist and business visas can both be applied for at the nearest Pakistan Embassy. The application form is available online. Those wishing to travel to Pakistan must have a passport valid for up to 6 months, must give details of the reason for their visit, the duration of their visit, the city of destination and the port of landing. They must give details about their profession and provide proof that they have enough funds to support their stay in the country. They must also provide the names/ contact details of friends or family in their country of residence and in Pakistan.

The best time to visit Lahore is in the winter from November to January and in the springtime from February to March. Temperatures during these months range from cool to cold and the climate is very pleasant indeed. The summer months are not a good time to visit Lahore as temperatures have known to soar to 45 degrees Celsius. In addition, the monsoon season is extremely wet.

Location: Lahore is located in the heart of the province of Punjab with the Wagah Border towards the East and India right next door. Sheikhupura lies on the West and the River Ravi towards the North. Dialing code +92; Emergency numbers: Police – 15 Fire- 16 Ambulance- 1122 Population 8.9 million Languages; Urdu, Punjabi, English: Time zone GMT/UTC + 5 Average January temperatures 13 Degrees Celsius

The currency used in Lahore is the Pakistani Rupee (PKR). Banknotes used are the 10, 20, 50,100, 500, 1000, and 5000 Rupee notes. Coins used are for 1, 2, and 5 Rupees.

Muharram

January; High: 20 °C; Low: 6 °C February

Lahore has a population of 8.9 million. Like other third world cities, it suffers from high population density. The majority of the population are Muslims but there are some Christians, Hindus and Sikhs residing within the city as well. Urdu, Punjabi, and English are the main languages spoken. Lahore is the food capital of Pakistan. 45% of the residents are engaged in elementary occupations, whilst 17.5% are employed in the services sector. The people are hearty, down to earth, friendly and vivacious. Lahoris take great pride in their culture and language and are famed for their love of food and this clear by the abundance of restaurants! Poverty in Lahore is quite rampant, but at the same time, great wealth exists in small pockets and there is a great disparity in income between the rich and poor.

Lahore today is an ever expanding metropolis and still retains the reputation of being the cultural capital of Pakistan. The old definitely meets the new in Lahore. Whilst work is being done to restore the major historical sites dating back to the Mughal era to their former glory, Lahore is also becoming more contemporary with the emergence of new shopping complexes, cinemas and eateries. Lahore is truly a city on the move and whilst the old areas of Lahore such as the Inner City and Mall Road retain their charm and continue to capture the imagination of locals and tourists alike, it is at the same time willing to embrace a more modern face and integrate into the global culture.

Lahore is an old city and one which has endured a very colorful history. It has been home to many conquerors who all eventually became captive to its spirit. It served as the Capital of the Ghaznavid Empire, conquered by Mahmud of Ghaznavi in the 11th Century, who incidentally became the first Muslim ruler of this region. It was subsequently ruled by many Muslim dynasties for a long time, the most famous of which were the Mughals who arrived in the 1520s. Babar was the first Mughal emperor to be bewitched by the city of Lahore.