Lahore Fort & Badshahi Mosque

Mughal power in red sandstone and marble.

The UNESCO-listed Lahore Fort and the Badshahi Mosque form one of South Asia's great architectural pairings, built across the reigns of Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. Inside the fort walls, the Sheesh Mahal's mirrored ceilings and the marble Naulakha Pavilion show Mughal craftsmanship at its most refined, while just outside, the Badshahi Mosque's three white domes and towering minarets have anchored Lahore's skyline since 1673. Walk the connecting Hazuri Bagh gardens at golden hour, when the sandstone glows and the call to prayer drifts across the old walled city.