Introduction
Lahore fort is the only monument in Pakistan represents a complete history of the Mughal architecture. The architecture of Akbar’s period in the fort is characterized mainly by the use of red sandstone and cut brick work. The use of animal figures such as lion, elephant, and peacock as well as sculptured gargoyle, as brackets to support the chajja shows the Hindu elements in the Mughal architecture of Akbar’s period. More or less the same style continued in the buildings of Jahangir. The buildings of the period of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb provide a striking contrast with the former. The use of marble in place of sandstone and exuberance of the Persian motifs, pietradura and tile mosaic work are the chief characteristics of the buildings added by Shahjahan known as prince architect of South Asia. The fort is situated north east corner of the city. It contains irregular shape in surroundings and very symmetrical Mughal foot prints in garden and balance geometry can be seen in the monuments. Shalamar Garden: Shalimar Gardens, a marvel of Mughal garden architecture, is one of the greatest gardens in the world, representing of the Islamic concept of Paradise. The Shalimar Gardens built in 1642, is a grand manifestation of the ingenuity and craftsmanship of a group of architects, hydrologists, horticulturists, engineers and master craftsmen. The Emperor Shah Jahan intelligently selected a site to build a garden, naturally-terraced to allow for the complex flowing-water system, with fountains, falls and pools, which were fundamental to a Mughal garden. With the passage of time deteriorations in different parts of the gardens were quite significant.
