Royal Trail شاہی گزرگاہ 5.02

Traverse the gigantic Delhi gate and you are on the Royal Trail or Shahi Guzargah. Lahore's architectural beauty and its cultural richness is to be found in every alcove of this trail. The wooden balconies and jharokas, the monuments like Shahi Hammam, Wazir Khan Mosque, Sonheri Masjid, Haveli Jamadar Khushhal Singh, Begum Shahi Mosque, Janam Asthan Guru Arjun Ram, havelis, and the World Heritage site of Lahore Fort--all are tokens of a rich and splendorous past. The City's ages old cultural character is found in its narrow winding streets, bazaars, traditional cuisines and the festivals. The trail was named Shahi Guzargah as it was used by the Emperors and Mughal entourages while coming from Delhi and going to Lahore Fort.
In 2012 the Walled City of Lahore Authority took up the initiative of restoring Shahi Guzargah to its original glory. The first stage of this project, from Delhi Gate to Chowk Purani Kotwali just beyond the Wazir Khan Mosque was restored in 2015. Beginning from Delhi Gate a 383 meters long stretch of the heritage trail leading up to Chowk Purani Kotwali was restored which comprises 54 streets, 655 Houses and 157 shops. The new infrastructure services included underground high voltage electricity (and the disappearance of messy tangled up wires ), telecommunication services, gas delivery lines, new trunk water supply services and water supply networks in the tiny streets. To provide better standards of public health the sewerage network was separated from a new storm water drainage service.
For the first time, the faces of two monuments Shahi Hammam and Wazir Khan Mosque were uncovered by removing the encroachments upon their façades. These monuments were later conserved in 2014 and Shahi Hammam won the UNESCO Award of Merit in 2016. The Chowk Wazir Khan is now conserved depicting the original glory.
This Trail is welcoming the photographers and tourists to come and enjoy the hidden pieces of history in its streets, bazaars and monuments.