Shalimar Gardens in Lahore: The venue of the first awards of Aga Khan Award for Architecture

Did you know that the first awards of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture were presented in a garden?

The first awards of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture were presented at the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, Pakistan on October 23, 1980. Lahore is an ancient city at the crossroads of trade routes linking India, Afghanistan, Arabia and the Persian Gulf. The first Mughal emperor arrived in Lahore from Central Asia in 1524 and made it his base. Lahore eventually became the capital of the Mughal empire when Emperor Akbar the Great moved his court from Ahmedabad in 1584. The construction of the gardens was initiated in 1620 by Shah Jahan, and was further extended by him when he succeeded his father to the throne of the Mughal Empire.

The Mughals refined the Persian language, literature, miniature paintings, and music. They systemized the educational and cultural traditions, and built magnificent…