LAHORE (Zahra Amin) – Lahore Fort, the UNESCO-listed citadel that has stood at the centre of the city’s political and cultural life for centuries, marked a significant milestone on Sunday, with the reopening of three restored monuments.
The Athdara Pavilion, the Sikh era Hammam and the Loh Temple were unveiled following extensive conservation work led by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan in partnership with the Walled City of Lahore Authority, with funding from the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.
The reopening adds fresh depth to the public experience of Lahore Fort, a site shaped by successive Sultanate, Mughal, Sikh and British interventions. Each period left architectural and cultural traces, creating a layered landscape where marble pavilions, painted chambers and religious structures coexist within the fortified complex.
The inauguration of the Loh Temple, Athdara Pavilion at Lahore Fort marks the unveiling of this historic site after conservation by AKCS-P and WCLA, funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund.@akdn @USCGLahore @GovtofPunjabPK pic.twitter.com/HIBP313H0f
— Walled City of Lahore Authority (@WCLAuthority) January 27, 2026The Athdara Pavilion, whose name translates as “eight gate pavilion”, occupies a prominent position within the fort and is closely associated with the Sikh Empire. During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the marble pavilion functioned as an important administrative and ceremonial space where the ruler held court. Conservation efforts focused on stabilising the structure and restoring architectural details that reflect its role during the Sikh period.
Adjacent to the pavilion, the Sikh era Hammam offers a glimpse into everyday life and leisure within the fort. Originally constructed near the Sheesh Mahal during the Mughal period, the bathhouse was later adapted under Sikh rule. Over time, moisture and structural decay caused serious damage to its interiors. Conservators addressed these issues before carefully reviving floral ceiling patterns and painted surfaces. According to Tausif Khawaja, Chief Executive Officer of AKCS-P, the hammam contains some of the fort’s finest surviving frescoes, providing valuable insight into historical artistic practices.
The third restored site, the Loh Temple, carries deep religious and cultural associations. Hindu tradition links the temple to Loh, the son of Lord Rama, with local belief holding that Lahore takes its name from this figure. The temple complex consists of interconnected chambers and courtyards, many of which were concealed by neglect and later construction. Restoration work revealed hidden spaces, improved drainage and conserved painted plaster and architectural elements that illustrate the presence of ritual and spiritual life within the fort.
The reopening ceremony was held at the Athdara Pavilion and attended by officials, diplomats and heritage professionals. Sandeep Paul, Public Affairs Officer at the US Consulate General in Lahore, described the completed projects as an example of what can be achieved through targeted investment, careful oversight and collaborative stewardship of cultural heritage.
Punjab’s Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora, noted that the conservation of Sikh and Hindu sites within Lahore Fort reflects a commitment to recognising religious and cultural diversity. He said the restored monuments support interfaith understanding and people-to-people connections by acknowledging the shared histories embedded in the site.
The three reopened monuments build on earlier conservation initiatives at Lahore Fort, including restoration work carried out last year at the Imperial Zenana Mosque and a Sikh era temple. Together, these projects continue to broaden the narrative of the fort as a complex shaped by multiple communities and traditions across different periods of South Asian history.