Royal Kitchen

The Royal Kitchens are located at the backside of the Alamgiri Gate of Lahore Fort. These Kitchens were constructed during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. It was where the food was prepared along with a huge variety of drinks, sweets and appetizers.

When the Sikh came to power and took over the Lahore Fort, the Royal Kitchens were damaged like many other buildings inside the Fort. The kitchen was converted into a food store room and at the same time it was used as a stable for horses and other animals.

The British in 1849 converted it into interrogation cells and jails. The building that we see today is the remaining part of the huge kitchen complex.

Walled city of Lahore Authority was handed over the administrative control of the Lahore Fort by the Government of Punjab in 2014 and thus in 2015, after revealing this deadliest and dangerous zone, where no one wanted to go, the planning for preserving the area started.

The on ground conservation of the Royal Kitchens started in 2015 by the by Walled city of Lahore Authority and Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Photographic and technical documentation was carried out of the area which revealed the hidden elements of the place. The excavation of the place was the main task during which several other structures were also revealed and even walls having fresco work on them were exposed. All these structures had somehow gone underground with the passage of time. The original ground levels of the place were revealed. Extensions and structures connecting to the temple of Loh were also found there with fresco work on them.

The Royal Kitchens are now preserved and form an integral part of the fort’s surroundings. The structure of the building has been given a new life. WCLA is holding regular cultural and Sufi events at the Royal Kitchens.  The Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan inaugurated the Royal Kitchens on 4th May 2019 and appreciated the conservation of the kitchens.