Rumi Darwaza

In the old area of Lucknow, between the Bada Imambara and the Chota Imambara, there stands a magnanimous old gateway which looms over the cityscape. With intricate ornamental carvings along its dome and a turret on top, it immediately catches one’s attention and dominates the skyline of the area.

Rumi Darwaza was built in 1784 by Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daula, the fourth Nawab of Awadh. The primary purpose behind the construction of this structure was to bring relief to the famine-afflicted population. Even in such troubling times, the people proudly refused to accept charity from the royal treasury, hence this project was commissioned to provide them with employment and support them financially.

The gateway is around sixty feet tall and is an example of Awadhi architecture. It has been modeled after the Sublime Porte in Istanbul, and the name Rumi Darwaza also translates to Turkish Gate. Today the gate is Lucknow’s icon and one of the most striking landmarks of the city.