Raiwind Palace
Palace in Raiwind, Lahore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raiwind Palace (Urdu: رائے ونڈ محل) is a palace located in Lahore, Pakistan. It is spread over 1700 acres and is the main residence of the Sharif family.[1][2]
| Raiwind Palace | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of the Raiwind Palace area | |
| Alternative names | Raiwind Farm House |
| General information | |
| Status | In use |
| Type | Palace |
| Architectural style | Indo-Saracenic |
| Location | Raiwind, Lahore |
| Coordinates | 31.331242°N 74.203717°E |
| Current tenants | Sharif family, Nawaz Sharif |
| Owner | Sharif family |
History
The construction of Raiwind Palace was started in 1997 and was completed within a span of 17 months.[3] It was built in mediterranean-style with at least twenty-two rooms.[4] During the premiership of Nawaz Sharif, Raiwind Palace was declared as the Prime Minister's camp office.[1]
In October 1999, Nawaz Sharif was about to move to this newly built palace but was removed from power in a military coup.[4]
In 2014, it was reported that the palace was owned by Shamim Sharif, the mother of Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif.[5]
In 2019, Ijaz Ahmed Shah, former Interior Minister of Pakistan, claimed that 280 million rupees were withdrawn from the national exchequer and spent by the Sharif family to build Raiwind Palace.[6]
Architecture
The Raiwind Palace compound encompasses four marble-faced villas surrounded by expansive lawns and hundreds of acres of wheat fields.[7] During the harvest season, farmworkers can be observed collecting ripe corn from these fields.[7] The palace also includes a private zoo, which houses deers, a herd of antelopes, and a large turkey.[7] Taxidermied leopards are displayed outside the main entrance of the palace.[7]
The interior of the palace features marble flooring in various colors, including pink, green, and blue.[4] The ceilings are decorated with hand-painted rose friezes, while the floors are made of inlaid oak.[4] The walls are covered with panels of silk fabrics, and the rococo chairs are heavily gilded.[4] The central hall includes an atrium with a skylight, where two taxidermied lions are displayed on platforms.[4] Artificial floral arrangements are attached to the edges of the marble staircase, which leads to the second floor containing private rooms.[4] Access to the private quarters is restricted.[4]