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Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Royal Kitchens of Lahore Fort

The Royal Kitchens were built during the Mughal Era inside Lahore Fort very near to the Temple of Lava. According to Hindu Mythology Lava is the founder of Lahore city & Lahore Fort. These Royal Kitchens were also used as a prison.

This Royal Kitchen also known as Shahi Bawarchikhana or Matbakh Shahi (in Arabic) was once an aromatic area 鈥� filled with enticing cuisines being cooked for the royals and aristocracy that resided or visited the Lahore Fort. The history of the building bears the fact that it was one of the most utilised buildings at the time of the Mughals. It was the centre of all royal festivities.

These Royal Kitchens are located at the backside of the Alamgiri Gate of Lahore Fort. They are mesmerizing -old structures, now conserved. Continue reading for the top 10 fascinating about Royal Kitchens of Lahore Fort.

1. Royal Kitchens Served Great Kings and Queens

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This Royal Kitchen also known as Shahi Bawarchikhana or Matbakh Shahi (in Arabic) was once the aromatic area 鈥� filled with enticing cuisines being cooked for the royals and aristocracy that resided or visited the Lahore Fort. History has it that it was one of the most utilised buildings at the time of the Mughals. It was the center of all royal festivities.

The walls were built with small brick and the majestic arches attached together forming the kitchen area. Roaming around in 400 years old arches gives you the perception of past glory of the place. You can almost imagine the hustle and bustle of the chefs and assistants while cooking food for the kings and their court.

2. The Government of Pakistan Actively Conserves the Site

The conservation of the Royal Kitchens started in 2015 by the Walled City of Lahore Authority and Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Photographic and technical documentation was carried out of the area which revealed the hidden elements of the place.

The excavation of the place was the main task during which several other structures were also revealed and even walls having fresco work on them were exposed. All these structures had sunk underground with the passage of time.

Similar to the conservation of Shahi Hammam and Wazir Khan Chowk, the original ground level of the place was revealed. Extensions and structures connecting to the temple of Loh were also found there with fresco work on them.

Another interesting thing seen there was the 400 years old Tandoor. This was the most authentic evidence to the fact that this area was a kitchen during the Mughal days.

3.  The British used The Royal Kitchens as an Interrogation Cells

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In 1849, the British made the place into interrogation cells and jails. Around the same, the open verandas were enclosed with bricks. New structures and elements like iron doors and beams were added along with the construction of an upper storey.

The upper storey served as offices for policemen. The electricity supply lines, sewage system and water drains were laid during the British period.

After Partition, the Police Department used the place as interrogation cells until late 1980s, when they were handed over to the Archaeology Department.

4. The Department of Archeology did even more Damage during the Site鈥檚 Take-Over

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The building of the Royal Kitchen was sabotaged more than ever by its protector — the beams, wooden doors, windows went missing. Perhaps, those were pulled down during the riots. The building was dilapidated and, later, some of its parts were demolished and the offices of Archeology were built in their place.

The Royal Kitchen Was not open for tourists then due to the overgrowth of wild plants. The Walled City of Lahore Authority then put up conservation plans for the place.

5.  The Royal Kitchen of Lahore are Open to the Public

A small space of the royal kitchen at Lahore Fort will be opened for the public from October 2018. People are allowed to sit in the veranda and other areas around the royal kitchen.

The Royal Kitchen has now become a special part of the guided tour of Lahore Fort and tourists are fascinated by the aura of this site. According to the Walled City of Lahore Authority the kitchen would be turned into an activity and cultural center with different activities like seminars, talks, theatre, cultural evenings being held there.

Also one part will be converted into a museum depicting the phases the kitchen went through. One another advantage of this conservation is that the Royal Kitchens have become part of its surrounding fort context.

To make the interventions sustainable, and to give this previously neglected 鈥渉eritage a function in the life of the community鈥� in line with the World Heritage Convention, the rehabilitated historic structure is being used to provide a night-time dining facility as part of the general policy to extend the visitor’s experience of the Fort during night-time.

6. The Lahore Royal Kitchen Wedding Scandal

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A wedding at Lahore Fort鈥檚 400-year old Royal Kitchen sparked public outrage after pictures and videos from the event went viral on social media. This prompted the chief minister, chief secretary and other high authorities to take serious notice of the matter and they pledged action against all those involved in the incident.

An administration executive of a fertilizer company and other officials converted a licensed private dinner into a marriage function that continued till late at night. This was a blatant violation of the agreement and the police took action.

7.  The President of Pakistan Visited the Site after Renovations

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On 15 December 2021 鈥� Dr Arif Alvi, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, visited the 17th century Mughal-era Lahore Fort, one of the largest restoration projects in Pakistan that has been carried out by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in partnership with the Government of Punjab and the Walled City of Lahore Authority.

He toured the Royal Kitchens and the Picture Wall one of the largest murals in the world that adorns the Fort and the principal reason for the site鈥檚 inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981. The President lauded the detailed conservation efforts in preserving an important part of Muslim history.

8. The Royal Kitchens is one of the 21 Monument at Lahore Fort

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There are 21 monuments remaining in the present-day complex of the Lahore Fort. These monuments reflect the architectural characteristics of the historical periods they represent and the brilliance of the artistic excellence and workmanship of these eras. One of these buildings, known as the imperial kitchens, had lain in ruinous condition for a few decades.

The imperial kitchens, located in the south-western quarter of the Lahore Fort, served the needs of the royal palace during the Mughal and the Sikh periods.

The conservation work was completed in the spring of 2019 and has resulted in the restoration of the historic structure including preserving the ruins in-situ.

9.  National Heritage and Tourism Conference was Held at the Royal kitchens, Lahore

A collaborative effort to restore heritage sites and promote tourism of those heritage sites on behalf of Walled City Authority Lahore (WCLA) and the Institute for Art and Culture IAC) was taken in November 2020. The conference was held at Lahore fort, Royal Kitchens. It was joined by profound Scholars, Academicians and Architects to discuss the scope and future of conserving heritage sites in Pakistan.

The event began with an introduction to the National Heritage and Tourism Conference, 2020 and its prime purpose. The orientation began with a speech by Prof. Sajida Haider Vandal (Vice-Chancellor, IAC) on the importance of conserving heritage sites and building an ecosystem which is sustainable for tourism and tangible cultural heritage.

10.  Lahore Royal Kitchens Location and Visiting Time

The Royal Kitchens are located at the backside of the Alamgiri Gate of Lahore Fort. A narrow passage will lead you to the place from the Admin Block where the Department of Archeology has its offices.

Located in: Lahore Fort

Address: H8Q7+56P, Walled City of Lahore, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Hours: