Governor’s House

The Governor’s House is the official residence of the Governor of Punjab.  It stands in the Mall Road.  It is an enormous colonial-style building set in extensive gardens.  In the days of the British Raj, it was the official home of the British Lieutenant-Governor of the Province.  

The house is built on the site of the Mughal sepulchral chamber built by Emperor Akbar as a magnificent tomb on the grave of his cousin, Qasim Khan, who died in 1597.  It was converted in 1830 into a regular octagon shape.  When the British annexed Punjab in 1849, they acquired the site and remodelled it as their own residence between 1851 and 1853.  This was done under the supervision of Sir John Lawrence, the first resident Lieutenant-Governor between 1853 and 1859.  In 1858 the building was renamed as Government House, Lahore.  

In 1892 a double-storey wing was added and a beautiful balcony constructed under the supervision of Lockwood Kipling, father of Rudyard Kipling.  Offices were added on the north side of the building, and in 1913 Governor wing, family wing and Darbar Hall were built.  A guest wing in which the Royal Suite is to be found was specially added before the visit of the Prince of Wales (later Duke of Windsor) in 1920.  Many royal guests and Viceroys stayed here in the British era.  After Partition, it was used to host VIPs.  It is now the residence of the 58th Governor of Punjab, Chaudry Muhammad Sarwar.