Field guides / Punjab / Tomb of Shah Burhan
Field guide · Heritage
Tomb of Shah Burhan
It is a well known monument of dark grey stone and white marble, built with lime kanker mortar.
At the base, it is square but changed to an octagon on which a large dome of white marble rests. The main door is on the southern side while the other sides are closed with screens. The floor is made of white marble. The tomb is enclosed in a boundary wall.
Why go
- ✦Dark grey stone set against white marble
- ✦Square at the base, turning octagonal beneath the dome
- ✦A large white marble dome above, and a white marble floor
- ✦Screens closing three sides, with the door to the south
History
Chiniot's real fame is its craftsmen. Masons from this town worked on the Taj Mahal at Agra and on the Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore; the chief architect of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was a Chiniot man, as were the craftsmen who later built the Minar-e-Pakistan. The tomb is their work at home: dark grey stone against white marble, square at the base and turning octagonal to carry a white marble dome, with a white marble floor and screens closing three sides.
Historical Significance
The showpiece of the Chiniot stone tradition, in the town that supplied craftsmen to the greatest Mughal and Sikh building projects of the subcontinent.
Architecture
A well-known monument built of dark grey stone and white marble in lime kanker mortar. The main door faces south; the other sides are closed with screens. The floor is white marble, and the whole stands within a boundary wall — Chiniot stone and craft at their most confident.
Why Visit
The best of Chiniot masonry, made by the town whose masons built the Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple.
Interesting Facts
- Chiniot masons worked on the Taj Mahal and the Wazir Khan Mosque
- The Golden Temple's chief architect came from Chiniot
- Shah Burhan descended from the Uch Sharif saints and knew Mian Mir
- The shrine is attributed to Nawab Saadullah Khan, Shah Jahan's prime minister
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, October to March.
Getting there, Chiniot lies on the Chenab, roughly 160 km west of Lahore, long famed for its stone and woodwork.
Allow, About an hour.
What to Do
Make Tomb of Shah Burhan Part of a Trip
GreenPak resorts within reach, and the journeys that travel this region.
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Tomb of Shah Burhan, within 30 km.
