Mall Road Lahore: Colonial Buildings, Shops and Walk Guide

Mall Road, officially just "The Mall", is Lahore's colonial boulevard, about 6.5 km long, lined with the Raj-era buildings that still run much of the city: the General Post Office, the High Court, the Lahore Museum, Government College, Tollinton Market and the Governor's House. You cannot see it all on foot in a morning, but the western half, from the Museum to Charing Cross, makes a good two-hour walk.

It is a working road, not a museum street. Most of the grand buildings are courts, offices and schools, so the pleasure is in the exteriors and in the mix of Gothic, Neoclassical and Mughal-inspired styles rather than in ticketed interiors.

Why is it called Mall Road?

The name comes from London's Mall, which joins Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square. Lahore's version grew after the uprising of 1857, when the British moved their cantonment out of the crowded Anarkali area to a site about five miles east, and built a road to connect the two. Along it they placed courts, colleges, churches, clubs and government offices.

Architecture shifts as you head east. Near the old city the buildings lean Neoclassical and Neo-Gothic. Further along, the designs mix in local Indo-Saracenic elements such as domes, jalis and arches.

What to see on Mall Road

Taking the road from west to east:

General Post Office (GPO)

Built in 1887 for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, the GPO stands at GPO Chowk near Anarkali Bazaar. The red-brick building has a tall central tower flanked by smaller ones. It is still a busy post office handling roughly 20,000 pieces of mail a day, so you can walk in and use it, and the outside is easy to photograph from the chowk.

Tollinton Market

Begun in 1862 and finished in 1864 to a design by Francis Fowkes of the Royal Engineers, this was the Punjab Exhibition Hall, the oldest purpose-built colonial building on the Mall. Ganga Ram turned it into a covered market in 1920. Today it functions as a market again, and reporting on a 2025 upgrade by the Lahore Development Authority describes stalls for poultry, birds and frozen goods. It is a working market rather than a sightseeing stop, so go for the architecture and expect the smell of a bird bazaar.

Lahore Museum, NCA and Punjab University's old campus

Around the western end sit the Lahore Museum, the National College of Arts (formerly the Mayo School of Arts), the Punjab Public Library and the University of the Punjab. The Lahore Museum is the one you can properly enter. For a full list of museums in the city, see our museums in Lahore guide.

Lahore High Court and the Secretariat

The High Court, formerly the Chief's Court, and the Civil Secretariat further along are working government buildings. Look at them from the road. Inside the secretariat compound is the Tomb of Anarkali, which needs a planned visit.

Charing Cross and the eastern stretch

Charing Cross has a marble canopy that once sheltered a statue of Queen Victoria. Beyond it the road passes Governor House, Aitchison College, and the greenery of Bagh-e-Jinnah (the former Lawrence Gardens) and the Lahore Zoo. Historic clubs and schools, including the Lahore Gymkhana, Cathedral School and Sacred Heart School, also line this side.

A suggested walk

1. Start at the GPO and look at the post office tower.
2. Continue past Tollinton Market and the High Court area, taking in the facades.
3. Cross to the Lahore Museum and the art college buildings if you want a stop with an entry ticket.
4. Walk to Charing Cross and pause under the canopy.
5. Finish with tea or a stroll through Bagh-e-Jinnah.

Allow two to three hours, more with the museum. The pavement is uneven in places and the crossings are busy, so keep children by the hand.

Visiting rules and courtesy

There is no ticket for the road itself. The rules apply to the buildings:

• Courts, the Secretariat and Governor House are secure zones. Do not photograph guards, checkpoints or security barriers, and follow instructions if you are asked to move on.
• Roads may be closed for protests, VIP movement or events. If barriers are up, use side lanes.
• The GPO is a working office. Be considerate of customers when photographing.
• Dress modestly. It is a business district with a lot of government staff.

How to reach Mall Road

It runs east from the Anarkali area, close to the Walled City, towards the Cantonment. A ride-hailing car or rickshaw to "GPO Chowk" or "Charing Cross" is the simplest route, and Lahore's rickshaw drivers know both. Parking is hard to find near the GPO and the market; use a ride service if you can. Our note on getting around Lahore covers other options.

Is Mall Road worth it?

Yes if you enjoy architecture, want to see the colonial side of Lahore and are already in the Anarkali area. The buildings are more impressive from outside than the reality of traffic, hawkers and worn pavement suggests, so go with realistic expectations.

It is less suitable if you want a quiet promenade, as this is a traffic artery. For that, try the gardens instead, listed in our gardens of Lahore guide. Our Lahore experiences page has more ideas.

Frequently asked questions