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Population
: 1,800,000
Main Languages
: Hindi, English.
Telephone area code
: 0522
HOW
TO GET THERE
Air
: Daily
flight from Delhi, Mumbai,
Calcutta, Patna
& Varanasi.
Train
: Delhi-Lucknow,
Shatabdi express (6.5 hrs)
and trains from Agra
& Varanasi.
The
capital city of Uttar Pradesh,
Lucknow first rose to prominence as the capital city
of the Nawabs of Awadh. These rulers ruled a region
of north central India for about a century after the
decline of Mughal empire and most interesting monuments
in Lucknow date from the period. The capital was shifted
from Faizabad to Lucknow by Asaf-ud-Daula. Before that
Sardar Jang lived in and ruled from Delhi.
After that all the nawabs were hop eless
in running the state of affairs. However, the nawabs
were great patrons of the art, especially dance and
music, and Lucknow’s reputation as a city of culture
and gracious living stems for this time.
Bara Imambara
It
was built in 1784 by Asaf-ud-Daula as famine relief
project. The central hall is 50m long and 15m hight,
is one of the largest vaulted galleries in the world.
Besides the imambara is the huge and finely designed
Rumi Darwaza
also built by Asaf-ud-Daula.
Hussainabad
Imambara
It
is also known as the Chhota or small Imambara and was
built by Muhammad Ali Shah in 1837 to serve as his own
mausoleum. The main building of the Imambara is topped
with numerous domes and minarets, while inside are the
tombs of Ali Shah and his mother. The throne of the
Nawah is also exhibited here.
Residency
It was built in 1800 for the British resident. During
the 1857 mutiny the British inhabitants took refuge
with Sir Henry Lawrence at the Residency. It has been
maintained exactly as it was at the time of mutiny,
the shattered walls scarred by cannon shot.
It has a model room in the main building and
downstairs are the cellars where many woman and children
lived throughout the siege. The cemetery which is nearby
the ruined church has graves of 2000 men, women &
children and also of Sir Henry Lawrence.
Other attractions include the Shah
Najaf Imambara, which is the tomb of Ghazi-ud-din
Haiden Khan who died in 1827; the Martinere School, which was built by Frenchman Major General Claude
Martin; Kaiserbagh
Palace, built by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in 1850, The
state museum and the Nandan
Mahal; which was built in 1600 and is the tomb of
the first governor of Avadh appointed by Akbar.
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