Chhota Imambara, Lucknow Travel Guide - History, Architecture & Visitor Information

The remarkably ornate Chhota Imambara, fondly locally dubbed highly as the unique 'Palace of Lights,' is an incredibly exquisitely beautiful and delicate Shia historic shrine vividly situated happily in vibrant Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Purposefully constructed deliberately in 1838 exclusively by Nawab Muhammad Ali Shah to finally respectfully serve as his massive own majestic personal mausoleum, this elegant jewel box profoundly represents the very absolute finest delicate intricacies precisely of truly late classic Awadhi regal architecture. The spectacularly grand interiors are lavishly completely heavily adorned directly with exquisite, massive ornate crystal glass chandeliers magically imported largely directly explicitly from Belgium, stunning complex Arabic calligraphy gracefully bordering pure polished marble, and magnificent gold-plated domes. The peaceful entire complex famously includes a spectacular striking replica precisely of truly the magnificent Taj Mahal serving uniquely as the delicate royal princess's grave. It provides totally an absolutely magical, highly photogenic cultural immersion immediately into Nawabi elegance.