Famous Places to Visit in Lucknow

Famous Places to Visit in Lucknow

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh's state capital, is well-known for its rich cultural heritage. From mouthwatering and iconic food such as Mughlai biryani, Galawati Kebabs, Basket chat, and Hazratganj chole bhature (the list goes on! ), to clothing with intricate Chikankari work that is famous not just in India but all over the world, and the culture that ties it all together and makes Lucknow a must-visit city. Lucknow is a city that values tehzeeb (culture) and tameez (grace). Even the lower classes are treated with dignity and respect (use of Hindi word "aap" for every person is prominent over here).

If you're new to this historically significant city or just passing through and want to immerse yourself in its rich culture, stop by these locations.

Bara Imambara

One of the city's most well-known monuments, Bara Imambara, is known for what locals call "Bhul Bhulaiya," a maze on the top floor of Bara Imambara. There are over a thousand (1024) ways to enter the maze, but only two ways to exit, according to legend. If that isn't enough to convince you, consider the entire structure to be an architectural marvel. It is said to be the world's largest structure with no supporting beams. Needless to say, this is an unforgettable experience!

In 1784, a severe famine struck the province of Awadh, plunging common men and nobles alike into poverty and hunger. During this time, Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula made the decision to build Bara Imambara as part of famine relief.

It is estimated that over 20,000 men were employed in the construction of the monument. While the common men worked all day to build the structure, the noblemen and elite class would come to the site at night and demolish anything that had been built during the day. This was done to extend the construction period and keep common men and nobles employed during the ongoing famine. The famine lasted 11 years, as did the construction of the magnificent Bara Imambara monument.

Bada Imambara is an engineering marvel designed by Hafiz Kifayatullah, a well-known architect of the time. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Lucknow, combining Mughal and Rajput architectural styles with Gothic influences. The most intriguing aspect of the monument is that no metal or wood was used in its construction.

There are two large gates at the Imambara. The Asafi Mosque can be found at one end of the gate, while the large baoli can be found at the other. The monument's main gateway has three arches and a dual fish motif, which was the Nawabs' symbol. It has nine halls in total, the largest of which is the central chamber. The roofs of the remaining eight smaller chambers surrounding the main hall vary in height. The space above these chambers was cleverly utilised to create a three-dimensional maze-like network of interconnected balconies and passageways accessible through 489 identical doorways. This section of the Imambara is known as Bhul Bhulaiya. The network of passageways extends from the central hall to the rooftop. The magnificent Asafi Mosque and the Shahi Baoli can also be found in Bada Imambara.

Hazratganj

Hazratganj was named in 1842 and is also known as 'Ganj'. The British took over Lucknow after the First War of Independence in 1857, and Hazratganj was modelled after Queen Street in London. After nearly 200 years, Hazratganj was given a facelift in 2010. Buildings were painted a consistent colour, and stone pavements and Victorian-style balustrades were built to complement the architecture.

Hazratganj is the central business district and main shopping district of Lucknow, the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. In addition to the bazaar, it houses shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, theatres, cafés, and numerous offices.

Hazartganj is a shopper's paradise, with everything from jewellery to designer clothes, chikankari pieces, and other handcrafted embroidered clothing. If you enjoy reading, you'll find treasure here as well! And what is one thing you must have when you go shopping? Food! Whether you're a vegetarian or not, there are plenty of delicious options here. It's best to go with plenty of time on your hands and just explore.

1090 Chauraha (Street Food Lane)

The 1090 chauraha, or women power line intersection, is also a popular street food location in Lucknow! In the evenings, the nawabs of Lucknow can be found here, enjoying a variety of flavours while socialising with friends.

When the sun goes down, this empty lane in Gomti Nagar comes to life, and if you want to explore it, here's the ultimate food map to 1090 chowraha. We don't call it Khau Galli, but the concept is exactly the same. So, allow me to show you what to expect at 1090 Lucknow's Khau Galli.

The 1090 food street welcomes you with vendors selling artefacts, balloons, and even ice cream. As you walk down the street, the aroma of delicious street food engulfs you. From the start, there are food carts lined up all along the food street, dishing out some delectable dishes. I also liked how everything was organised. The left side of the lane is all about food, while the right is mostly about drinks. Variety momos, soya chaps, pastas, sandwiches, briyani, dosa, pav bhaji, chicken kababs, and maggi can be found nearby. To name a few, there are soda carts, mojitos, shikanjis, ice creams, kulfis, and ice golas.

Ambedkar Park

Ambedkar Memorial Park is a public park in Gomti Nagar that honours the lives and memories of Jyotirao Phule, Narayan Guru, Birsa Munda, Shahuji Maharaj, Bhimrao Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram, and others.

Mayawati, the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, built it in 2008. Dr. BR. is sitting in a park chair. There is a massive bronze statue of Ambedkar that stands 125 feet tall. The Ambedkar Memorial Park was built with red sandstone from Rajasthan. This park has a total land area of 107 acres. There are also 124 massive elephants in the park.

The memorial was built with red sandstone brought from Rajasthan. The memorial park is surrounded by lush green gardens, which add to the beauty of the monument. The park was created in memory of people like Jyotirao Phule, Shahuji Maharaj, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Narayana Guru, Birsa Munda, and Kanshi Ram, who dedicated their lives to humanity, equality, and social justice. A museum is located directly across from the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial. It spans approximately 2.5 acres and features two domes on top. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Shri Narayan Guru, and Shri Kanshiram have large statues in the museum. Tourists flock to the other building to see the 18-foot-tall marble statues of Sant Kabir Das, Sant Ravidas, Tathagat Gautam Buddha, Guru Ghasidas, and Shri Birsa Munda.

Chowk

The Chowk area of Lucknow is one of the oldest markets in the state, if not North India. It is one of the city's places that provides a glimpse into its rich cultural heritage. Lucknow Chow is a prime shopping and food hub, offering everything from Chikan work to succulent kebabs and makhan malai.

Chowk market has over 5000 shops spread across the narrow, complex cobweb of streets on both sides, sometimes taking up the entire road. These quaint shops, both bricked and temporary, sell authentic chikankari and zardozi dresses, traditional handmade jewellery, handcrafted home décor items made of wood, bamboo, and ivory, nagara shoes, ittar or perfume made from the essence of real flowers, and a plethora of other small and large items in varieties beyond your imagination.

Aside from these, there are a few shops selling authentic Awadhi food such as kebabs, biriyanis, paratha with chicken or mutton, and milk products to satisfy your tingling culinary senses. Despite being a modern business hub selling products suitable for urban, metropolitan tourists, Lucknow Chowk market retains the Awadhi ambience of the past and remains true to its roots.

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