Octagonal pavilion
In the middle of the tank.
Mhtoori — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Asmat Malik — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France — CC BY 2.0 · Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France — CC BY 2.0 · Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France — CC BY 2.0
Hiran Minar, the «Deer Tower», is an early 17th-century Mughal complex in Sheikhupura, Punjab. It is on the UNESCO provisional list and lies about 38 km in a straight line northwest of Lahore Fort. The complex was built in a game reserve used by the Mughal emperors, and the tower was raised in 1606 in memory of Emperor Jahangir's beloved pet antelope, Mansraj. It reflects the Mughal bond with nature, pets and hunting, and has been protected since 1916. At its heart is a huge square water tank with a two-storey octagonal pavilion under a small dome in the middle, reached by a long arched stone causeway. The round brick tower rises at the edge of the tank, small pavilions and gateways stand at the corners, and visitors hire little boats on the water. It gets busy at weekends, so come on a weekday morning. It is reached from Lahore via the M2 motorway and pairs well with nearby Sheikhupura Fort.
In the middle of the tank.
A long stone path.
A round brick minaret.
Sheikhupura, Punjab, Pakistan
It honours Emperor Jahangir's beloved pet antelope.
Weekday mornings, to avoid crowds.