Watercolour of the mosque of Wazir Khan in Lahore, Pakistan, by an anonymous artist working in the Punjab style, c. 1860. Inscribed in Persian characters: 'Masjid i Wazir Khan.'
The mosque depicted here was built in 1634 by Hakim Ilmud Din, popularly known as Wazir Khan and Viceroy of Punjab during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. This period is characterised by great architectural innovations in Lahore, generated by the prosperity of the Mughal Empire. The walls of the Wazir Khan mosque are covered with mosaics made of glazed pottery and tiles. Inside the mosque, panels displaying verses from the Koran are the main decor. The four octagonal minarets are a distinctive feature, and this mosque is one of earliest to use this type. Hakim Wazir Khan, the Subedar of Lahore in the reign of the Emperor Shah Jahan, built this mosque and its associated structures in 1634-35. At the time, it was the largest mosque in Lahore.
The complex includes the mosque itself, the introductory space of Chowk Wazir Khan, and a double row of shops. The architectural decorations on the exterior and interior surfaces of the mosque are an outstanding attribute that places the mosque in the frontline of the major monuments of the world. The Trust has commenced a phased restoration and work is on-going.
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