Moti Masjid, the Pearl Mosque, is the small white marble mosque inside Lahore Fort, on the western side of the fort near the Alamgiri Gate. It was built in the first half of the seventeenth century as a private mosque for the Mughal emperor and his household, used by the Sikhs as a temple and then a state treasury, and restored as a mosque under the British. You do not need a separate ticket: Moti Masjid Lahore is seen on the standard Lahore Fort visit.
This guide explains who built it, why it spent half a century full of jewels, what the Walled City of Lahore Authority's restoration found, and what to look at in the ten or fifteen minutes most visitors give it.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Where | Inside Lahore Fort, north-west corner of the Diwan-e-Aam quadrangle, near the Alamgiri Gate |
| Built | Begun under Jahangir and finished under Shah Jahan; sources give dates from 1630 to 1645 |
| Material | White Makrana marble from Rajasthan |
| Plan | Prayer hall of five bays in two aisles, facing a small courtyard |
| Managed by | Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) |
| Ticket | Covered by the Lahore Fort ticket |
| Time to allow | 15 to 20 minutes |
Who built Moti Masjid in Lahore Fort?
The honest answer is that sources disagree on the details. The most common account is that the mosque was begun under the emperor Jahangir and completed or remodelled by Shah Jahan's architects, with dates given as 1630 to 1635. Other accounts credit Shah Jahan alone and date it to 1644 or 1645. There is no single agreed founding inscription that settles it, so treat any precise year you see on a sign or a guide's script with some caution.
What is not in doubt is its purpose. It was a private chapel for the emperor and the women of the royal household, which explains its small size and its position deep inside the fort rather than open to the city. It is usually counted as the earliest of the three Mughal "pearl mosques", the others being in Agra Fort and the Red Fort in Delhi.
What should I look for at Moti Masjid?
The mosque is small, so the pleasure is in the detail. Things to notice:
- The marble. Everything you see is white Makrana marble, the same stone used at the Taj Mahal, and it reads almost grey-blue in shade and warm in late afternoon sun.
- The facade. Five cusped (multi-foiled) arches rather than the usual three, separated by slim baluster columns with smooth, fine contours.
- The central portal. The middle arch sits in a slightly raised rectangular frame (pishtaq) that pushes a little forward into the courtyard, breaking an otherwise flat front.
- The domes. Three low domes rise above the prayer hall, typical of Shah Jahan's restrained marble buildings.
- The ceilings. Inside, the ceilings are built in four different ways, two arched and two flat, which is unusual in so small a space.
- The planning. The site is irregular, and the architect hid that with cells along the eastern side so that the courtyard looks symmetrical from the prayer hall.
If the prayer hall is open and you go in, take your shoes off and keep your voice down. Our guide to mosque etiquette in Pakistan covers the basics.
Why was it called Moti Mandir and used as a treasury?
After the Mughal collapse in Lahore, Sikh chiefs held the fort, and between 1760 and 1799 the mosque was converted into a temple and renamed Moti Mandir. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who took Lahore in 1799, later used the building as his state treasury.
When the British took control of Lahore Fort in 1849, they found precious stones inside, wrapped in scraps of cloth and placed in velvet purses. The British continued to use the building as a treasury for a time. In 1899 the Viceroy, Lord Curzon, ordered that it be returned to its original status, and by 1904 it had been restored as a mosque. Religious relics that had been kept there were moved to the Badshahi Mosque.
What did the recent restoration find?
The WCLA, which manages Lahore Fort, listed Moti Masjid among the buildings it would conserve in 2020 and 2021. In August 2021 the authority said the restoration had taken a year and about PKR 10 million, and that the mosque was open to visitors again.
During the work, a small strongroom (toshakhana) was found under the courtyard, about eight feet deep and eight feet wide, with decayed iron sheets on its walls. The authority's experts think it dates from the Sikh period, when the building held the treasury, which fits the written accounts. It is not usually on show, so don't expect to see it.
How do I fit Moti Masjid into a Lahore Fort visit?
Enter the fort by the Alamgiri Gate, opposite the Badshahi Mosque across Hazuri Bagh. Moti Masjid is close to the gate on the western side, so it can be your first or last stop. A sensible route is:
- Enter by the Alamgiri Gate and see Moti Masjid while you are fresh and the fort is quiet.
- Walk east to the Diwan-e-Aam, the hall of public audience.
- Continue north to the Shah Burj quadrangle and the Sheesh Mahal, which may need an extra ticket.
- Leave time for the tiled Picture Wall along the outer north and west walls.
Ticket prices, timings and the Sheesh Mahal add-on are covered in our Lahore Fort ticket guide. Fees have been revised several times, so pay what is posted at the counter. Go early on a weekday morning between October and March for the best light and the fewest school groups.
Is Moti Masjid worth seeing?
Yes, and it costs you nothing extra once you are inside the fort. It is one of the few places in Lahore where you can see a Shah Jahan marble building in complete, restored condition, and its quiet courtyard is a relief after the bigger halls. It is a small building, so don't plan your visit around it; plan it as part of the fort.
For other ideas in the old city, see our Walled City of Lahore guide and our experiences page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Moti Masjid in Lahore?
Inside Lahore Fort, in the north-west corner of the Diwan-e-Aam quadrangle on the western side of the fort, a short walk from the Alamgiri Gate.
Who built Moti Masjid Lahore?
It is usually said to have been begun under Jahangir and completed under Shah Jahan, though some sources credit Shah Jahan alone. Dates given range from 1630 to 1645.
Is there a separate ticket for Moti Masjid?
No. It is part of Lahore Fort and covered by the fort ticket; check at the counter for current prices.
Why is it called the Pearl Mosque?
Moti means pearl, a name given to several white marble Mughal mosques for the colour and sheen of the stone.
Was Moti Masjid used as a treasury?
Yes. The Sikhs turned it into a temple called Moti Mandir, and Ranjit Singh used it as his state treasury. The British found jewels stored inside in 1849.
