Shalimar Gardens, Lahore
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Part of | Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore |
| Reference | 171-002 |
| Inscription | 1981 (5th Session) |
| Coordinates | 31°35′09″N 74°22′55″E / 31.58583°N 74.38194°E |
Shalimar Gardens, Lahore (Punjab, Pakistan) | |
.svg){kind=link}
The Shalamar Gardens (Punjabi: شالمار باغ, romanized: Śālamār Bāġ) or Shalimar Gardens (Urdu: شالیمار باغات, romanized: Śālīmār Bāġāt) are a Mughal garden complex besides Baghbanpura, located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The gardens date from the period when the Mughal Empire was at its artistic and aesthetic zenith, and are now one of Pakistan's most popular tourist destinations.
The Shalamar Gardens were laid out as a Persian paradise garden intended to create a representation of an earthly utopia in which humans co-exist in perfect harmony with all elements of nature. Construction of the gardens began in 1641 during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, and was completed in 1642. In 1981 the Shalamar Gardens were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as they embody Mughal garden design at the apogee of its development.