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The Delhi Gate (Urdu: دہلی دروازہ) is one of the six remaining gates which were the traditional entry points into the Walled City of Lahore in Lahore, Pakistan. Delhi Gate and the adjacent Shahi Hammam were restored in 2015 by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP).
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Background
The Delhi Gate was built during the Mughal period and is one of the original thirteen gates of the Inner City, of which only six survive. The gate was named after Delhi since the gate open east, in the general direction of that city. During the Mughal era, the gate served as the main gateway to Lahore, and its doors were shut every evening. The surrounding area includes several buildings of historical significance including the 17th century Wazir Khan Mosque, Shahi Hammam, and havelis.
History
The gate was once part of Lahore's city walls, which were torn down by the British after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. The gate itself was also destroyed by the British, but was reconstructed in the 19th century under the British Raj. Following the Partition of British India, the gate housed a girl's school. The gate is mentioned by Rudyard Kipling in his 1891 short story "The City of Dreadful Night." Lahore's famous Zamzama Gun was originally placed at Delhi Gate, but was relocated by the British to a site in front of the Lahore Museum.
Structure
The gate is a two-story structure which contains space for ten to twelve shops. The gate's rooftop can be accessed by a staircase.
Restoration
The Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP) undertook a project to renovate the gate that was funded by the government of Norway. Goals of the project were to conserve not only the gate, but also the nearby 17th century Wazir Khan Mosque, as well as adjacent the Shahi Hammam.