Historical

The emblem of two fishes facing each other was adopted by the Sheikhs of Lucknow and patronised by the Nawabs and the English. It was built by Burhan ul Mulk. The Bhawan comprised of number of buildings and existed as a fort. with vaulted halls with arches. When King George V visited Lucknow as Prince of Wales in 1905, he laid the foundation of the Medical College exactly on the spot where Machchi Bhawan existed in ruins. The college was opened for admission in 1912 and became the famous K G Medical College.

Was built by Wajed Ali Shah for keeping the royal pigeons which were about two lakh in number. The building still stands to the east of the University bridge and is known as Oel House. The pigeons were often bought from the common people and gold and silver rings were put on their legs to distinguish them as royal pigeons.

Kaiserbagh is Wajed Ali Shah's most magnificent and spacious contribution to Lucknow. This sprawling complex consisted large, medium and small structures in the form of large rows of living quarters, royal mansions, baradaris, and cupolas. Almost half of the Kaiserbagh has withstood the vagaries of the time and has somewhat survived.

A lofty structure that stands high in the sky, Husainabad Clock Tower is one of the appealing facades of Lucknow. Located adjacent to the Rumi Darwaza, this clock tower is a perfect example to the artistic and structural skills of the Englishmen. Built in the year 1881, Husainabad clock tower is adjudged as the tallest among all the clock towers in India.

Government House stands on the site of the original Hayat Baksh Kothi. It was built during the reign of Nawab Saádat Ali Khan between 1793 and 1814. Around 1856, it became the residence of the Commissioner of Lucknow, and was known as Banks House. The first commissioner was a Major Banks after whom the Major Banks Road gets its name.

Hazratganj was built by Amjad Ali Shah. He was buried at Imambara Sibtainabad in the western part of Hazratganj.

A former hunting lodge of the ruling reign, Dilkusha Kothi on the riverbanks of Gomati shows unique architecture and exceptional structural designs. Dilkusha Kothi was later converted in to a summer palace of the royal family. Built in the year 1800 AD by Major Gore, this Baroque style citadel with excellent decorative walls stands elegantly in the midst of vibrant greenery. The specialty of this 18th century monument is the absence of inner courtyards with less significant trails. Though the monument is not extended in to a wide area like the typical buildings of that time, it looks taller than that of the traditional Indian buildings.

Chattar Manzil is near the Begum Hazarat Mahal park, on the banks of the Gomti. The United Service Club, otherwise the Greater Chattar Manzil, was once a king's palace. Under the existing river terrace was the 'ground floor'; below that were the tykhanas, cooled by the waters of the Gomti which lapped against the outer walls. Considering their size, surprisingly little is know about the Chattar Munzil Palaces. The name comes from the gilt chattars or umbrellas atop the two main buildings.

Bibiapur Kothi is about a mile. Is the south-east of Dilkusha . The two-storeyed building was built under the direction of General Claude Martin for Nawab Asaf-ud-daula who often stayed there and used it as a hunting lodge. At 1798 he summoned Saádat Ali Khan from Benaras and welcomed him with an impressive durbar at Bibipur before taking him in procession to the city where he was proclaimed Nawab.

Must not be confused with the house of the same name within the Residency. It is on the left hand side of the Hazrat Ganj, coming from the Cantonment. Till 1932, the house including a large group of buildings huddled round the central one was used as General Post Office. The Begum Kothi was built by King Amjad Ali Shah as a palace for his Queen, Malka Ahad Begum. The building was not conspicuous during the Mutiny till March 1858, when two batteries bombarded it continuously for 24 hours.