The Wazir Khan Chowk ( ur, ) is a

town square A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true square, geometric square, used for community gathe ...

located in the

Walled City of Lahore The Walled City of Lahore ( Punjabi & ur, , ''"Inner City"''), also known as Old City, forms the historic core of Lahore, Pakistan. The city was established around 1000 CE in the western half of the Walled City, which was fortified by a mud w ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

that is located at the main entrance of the

Wazir Khan Mosque ; ''Masjid Wazīr Khān'') is a 17th-century mosque located in the city of Lahore, capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. The mosque was commissioned during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a part of an ensemble of buildings that ...

Location

Wazir Khan Chowk is located at the main entrance to the Wazir Khan Mosque, and is located approximately 250 metres west of the Delhi Gate. Access to the town square from Delhi Gate is through the smaller Chitta Gate.

Structures located in the square

Wazir Khan Chowk features the tomb of the

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...

saint ''Said Soaf'', and the

Well of Dina Nath The Well of Dina Nath ( ur, ) was intended to be a water well in the Wazir Khan Chowk in Lahore, Pakistan. The well's construction by in the 19th century by a Sikh nobleman sparked controversy, given its location in the immediate vicinity of the ...

Restoration

In 2012, the ''Pilot Urban Conservation and Infrastructure Improvement Project—the Shahi Guzargah Project'' was launched by the Government of Punjab, and the

Aga Khan Trust for Culture The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a family of institutions created by Aga Khan IV with distinct but complementary mandates to improve the welfare and prospects of people in the developin ...

(AKTC) which restored a section of ''Shahi Guzargah'' which included the Wazir Khan Chowk. Prior to completion of the project's first phase, the square had been encroached upon by illegally erected shops which blocked off much of the mosque from the surrounding neighborhood. The first phase of the project removed illegally constructed shops, restoring views of the mosque. Wazir Khan Chowk was extensively rehabilitated by removal of 73 illegally constructed buildings, while the well of Dina Nath was also restored. Power lines along the project corridor were also placed underground. The Chitta Gate at the eastern entrance to Wazir Khan Chowk was rehabilitated. In December 2015, further efforts to restore the site were launched by the AKTC with funding from the

Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation is one of many programs run by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs as part of its mission of public diplomacy through educational and cultural programming and ...

- a programme run by the

United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other na ...

. Under the million plan, the town square will be lowered to the original depth found during the Mughal era in order to fully expose the mosque's original façade. Shopkeepers which have occupied ''hujras'', or cells in the mosque designed for religious study, will also be removed, while two historic homes will also be restored. The project will also include further restoration works to the Dina Nath well, and will also include improved outdoor lighting. The project will restore the square to its original appearance, and is expected to require 18 months for completion. The government of the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

has provided $1.1 million of the projects costs, totalling $1.4 million contribution to general rehabilitation of the area since 2002.

References

{{Cultural heritage sites in Punjab, Pakistan , state=autocollapse Mughal architecture Walled City of Lahore Squares in Pakistan