Bara Imambara by Willettsworld
This is one of Lucknow's premier tourist attractions. It was built under the royal patronage of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula (1775-97), and designed by architect Kifayatullah, as a famine relief project in 1784. The Bara Imambara contains the tombs of the Nawab and his queen, Shamsunnisa Begum. You first enter through two triple-arched gateways and past the Asafi mosque on your right. The main building is right in front of you and is a three-storied building constructed on a raised platform. There are seven arched openings in the facade and there are three halls inside which include the main hall that measures 47.71m long by 16.16m wide and is 14.65m high making it one of the world's largest vaulted galleries. The main hall is flanked by the Chinese Hall on the right and the Indian Hall on the left. The building is exquisitely decorated with stucco work and adorned with parapets and chattris. The interior is ornamented with chandeliers. More photo's can be found in one of my travelogues.Open: Sunrise-sunset. Admission: Rs300 for foreigners.