Governor House Lahore is the official residence of the Governor of Punjab, a sprawling colonial mansion on Mall Road built around the sixteenth-century tomb of Qasim Khan, a cousin of the emperor Akbar. It is not a museum with fixed hours. The grounds have been opened to the public on announced days (Sundays from 2018, and guided tours of the interior from 2023), and you need your CNIC to get in. Before you go, check Governor House's own channels to see whether visits are running.
This guide covers the building's 400-year history, what visitors have been allowed to see, the entry rules that have applied, and what else to do on this stretch of Mall Road.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Location | Mall Road, Lahore, next to the Alhamra Arts Council |
| Grounds | About 700 kanals (roughly 90 acres) |
| Oldest part | Tomb of Qasim Khan, built around 1600 |
| Main building | Sikh residence rebuilt by the British from 1851 to 1853, extended until the 1910s |
| Public entry used in 2018 | Kashmir Road gate, Sundays 10am to 6pm |
| ID | CNIC; in 2018, the head of each family had to show one |
| Current schedule | Not fixed; check before going |
| Official site | governorhouse.punjab.gov.pk |
What is the history of Governor House Lahore?
The building grew in layers over four centuries, and its own published history traces each one.
The Mughal tomb at the centre
The oldest part is a tomb. According to the Governor House history, Akbar built a domed tomb around 1600 over the grave of his cousin Qasim Khan, who died in 1597. Muhammad Qasim Khan is described elsewhere as Akbar's maternal cousin. The tomb is two storeys high, with four doorways and a stair on the north side, and it still forms the nucleus of the house, enclosed by later rooms rather than demolished.
Khushal Singh's residence
Under Maharaja Ranjit Singh (who ruled from 1799 to 1839), his general Khushal Singh built a residence for himself and his officers next to the tomb and used the front lawns as a military camp. The house's architectural history says a Sikh addition around 1830 turned the original Mughal core from an irregular into a regular octagon.
The British Government House
After the British annexed the Punjab in 1849, they acquired the property. The Governor House account says it was handed over in exchange for a haveli in Sialkot, at the request of Khushal Singh's nephew Teja Singh; another widely repeated account says it was bought for Rs 2,500. Between 1851 and 1853 the Sikh haveli was rebuilt as a British residency under the supervision of Sir Henry Lawrence, who later lived there himself. In 1858 it was named Government House, Lahore.
Additions followed for the next sixty years:
- Early 1860s. Under Lieutenant-Governor Robert Montgomery, a grand double winding staircase, a round drawing room (the Gol Kamra) and a Palladian porch for carriages.
- 1870s. Indo-Gothic additions and a stately hall, built to receive the growing number of official visitors.
- 1892. A two-storey wing on the south side, with a balcony made under the supervision of John Lockwood Kipling, principal of the Mayo School of Art and father of Rudyard Kipling.
- 1905 to 1913. Offices, then the Governor's wing, the family wing and the Darbar Hall on the north side, and a guest wing with a royal suite built for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII.
- Later. The Sullivan wings to the west and east.
After 1947 the house became the residence of Punjab's governors. Muhammad Ali Jinnah stayed there as a guest and received guests there as Governor-General.
When is Governor House Lahore open to the public?
There is no permanent public timetable. Two openings are on record:
- Sundays from September 2018. The federal government of the time opened several official residences to the public. Governor House Lahore opened on Sunday 16 September 2018, from 10am to 6pm, entered from the Kashmir Road gate. More than 4,000 people visited on the first day, according to the state news agency APP. Only the grounds were open, including the lake and small zoo; the main building and residential areas were not.
- Guided tours from September 2023. On World Tourism Day 2023, the then governor opened the interior to guided tours for the first time, with pre-booking through an app run by the Walled City of Lahore Authority and the Punjab tourism corporation (TDCP), according to APP.
We could not find a confirmed current schedule for either arrangement in 2025 or 2026. Openings have depended on the governor and government of the day, so check the official Governor House website and its social media pages, or ask the WCLA, before you plan a visit around it.
What can visitors see inside?
On the 2018 Sunday openings, visitors saw the lawns, the lake and the small zoo. The Great Lawn, which runs north to south in front of the house, is the main open space.
The 2023 guided tours took visitors inside. APP reported that the route included paintings by Ustad Allah Bakhsh and Abdul Rahman Chughtai, arranged as an art gallery, and the Quaid's wing. The house still uses antique furniture and fittings from earlier periods. Whether the tour shows the Mughal tomb itself is not something we could confirm, so ask your guide.
How do I get to Governor House?
Governor House is on Mall Road in central Lahore, next to the Alhamra Arts Council. The public entrance used in 2018 was the Kashmir Road gate, not the main Mall Road gate. Parking was not allowed inside then; visitors were sent to park at Alhamra and on Kashmir Road. A rickshaw or ride-hailing car is simpler than driving. Our guide to getting around Lahore covers the options.
What else is nearby on Mall Road?
Governor House sits on the most colonial stretch of the city. Within a short drive or walk:
- The Alhamra Arts Council next door, for exhibitions and evening performances.
- Bagh-e-Jinnah, the old Lawrence Gardens, for a walk under big trees.
- The Lahore Museum further down Mall Road.
- Our Mall Road guide for the full walk of colonial buildings.
Is Governor House Lahore worth visiting?
If it is open, yes: it is a rare chance to see a working official residence, and the idea of a Mughal tomb hidden inside a Victorian mansion is unusual anywhere. The grounds-only Sunday openings suit families with children who want space and the small zoo. The guided tours are the better choice for anyone interested in architecture or the art collection.
Don't build a trip to Lahore around it, because the schedule can change or stop. Plan it as an extra on a Mall Road day, and see our experiences page for other ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Is Governor House Lahore open to the public?
Only on announced days. It opened on Sundays from 2018 and for booked guided tours from 2023, but we could not confirm a current schedule, so check the official website or social media first.
What ID do I need to visit Governor House Lahore?
An original CNIC. In 2018 the head of each family had to show one at the gate, and everyone went through a security check.
Which gate is used for public visits?
The Kashmir Road gate was used for the 2018 public openings. Confirm the gate when a visiting day is announced.
Whose tomb is inside Governor House?
The tomb of Qasim Khan, a cousin of the emperor Akbar, who died in 1597. Akbar built the tomb around 1600 and it forms the core of the present building.
How big is Governor House Lahore?
The estate covers about 700 kanals, roughly 90 acres, of lawns, gardens and buildings on Mall Road.
