Field guides / Punjab / Hiran Minar & Tank
Field guide · Heritage
Hiran Minar & Tank
Hiran Minar is one of Mughal India's more unusual monuments: a tall minaret and an octagonal water pavilion rising from a large tank near Sheikhupura, built by Emperor Jahangir as a memorial to Mansraj, his favourite pet antelope. The surrounding hunting reserve once stretched for miles; today the tank and pavilion remain a quiet, photogenic stop.
Hiran Minar is one of Mughal India's more unusual monuments: a tall minaret and an octagonal water pavilion rising from a large tank near Sheikhupura, built by Emperor Jahangir as a memorial to Mansraj, his favourite pet antelope. The surrounding hunting reserve once stretched for miles; today the tank and pavilion remain a quiet, photogenic stop.
Why go
- ✦Built as a memorial to Emperor Jahangir's pet antelope
- ✦Octagonal pavilion set in a large water tank
- ✦Quiet counterpoint to Lahore's busier monuments
A Monument to an Emperor's Pet
The story behind Hiran Minar, an emperor commemorating a favourite animal with a minaret and a private hunting reserve, is one of the more idiosyncratic footnotes in Mughal architectural history, and it's part of what makes the site worth the detour from Lahore.
Plan It with GreenPak
A worthwhile half-day add-on to a Lahore itinerary, use Plan a trip to pair it with nearby Punjab heritage stops.
Planning tip
When to go, October to March; the tank's reflections are best in calm, clear conditions.
Getting there, About 45 minutes from Lahore, near Sheikhupura.
Allow, 1-1.5 hours.
