Bara Imambara
Built in the year 1784 by the champion of charity Nawab Asaf ud Daula. It provided food to the famine stricken subjects of the Nawab. It is said that once even the rich persons worked here as laborers in the construction of this impressive monument. They worked at night to avoid the embarrassment of being noticed. The monument is known for its simplicity of style, sheer proportion and symmetry. The interior vaulted hall (162 ft x 53 ft x 50 ft) does not have even a single beam to support it. Unique acoustics have been used. Outside a staircase leads into the bhulbhulaiyan which is a complicated entanglement of zigzag paths. Visitors should not enter this area without a guide. To the left of the Imambara is a grand mosque. To the right is a row of cloisters concealing a huge well known as the Baoli.
Open : 0600 hrs to 1700 hrs

Charbagh Railway Station
Overpowering in dimensions yet aesthetically designed, Charbagh Railway Station was built in 1914 and incorporates the nest of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. Charbagh i.e. four gardens, it is said that four gardens were here at the time of Nawabs. It gives an ideal, traditional warm welcome to every visitor.

Chhattar Manzil
The Umbrella Palace stands near the present Hanuman Setu. The construction of this building was started by Nawab Ghazi Uddin Haider though it was completed after his death by his successor Nawab Nasir Uddin Haider. The building has an imposing facade, huge underground rooms and a beautiful dome surrounded by a gilt umbrella. The European influence can clearly be seen in the architecture of this beautiful building. Today it houses the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI).

Chhota Imambara
Also known as the Hussainabad Imambara, it was built by Mohammad Ali Shah as a mausoleum for himself. It is set inside a beautiful garden with a raised water reservoir in front of it. It is flanked by two replicas of the Taj Mahal inside which are the remains of Ali Shah's daughter and her husband. The main building is a domed structure with many exquisite turrets and minarets. The arcade on the exterior is adorned with verses from the Holy Quran. The calligraphic writing is in white against a black background. The interior is lavishly decorated with huge chandeliers, gilded mirrors, colorful stucco and Tazia in sandalwood wax and zari.
Open : 0600 hrs to 1700 hrs

Clock Tower
Constructed in 1887, the Hussainabad Clock Tower, the tallest Clock Tower in India, is one of the finest examples of British Architecture in India. The 221 feet tall structure was erected by Nawab Nasir-ud-din Haider to mark the arrival of Sir George Couper, Ist Lieutenant Governor of United province of Avadh in the year 1887 with a cost of Rs. 1.75 lakhs

Jama Masjid
The construction of this mosque was started in 1840 by Mohammad Ali Shah but it was finally completed by his wife Begum Malika Jahan after his death. This splendid mosque built in the typical Mughal style lies to the west of the Hussainabad Imambara. It is entirely free from pseudo Italian art then in vogue in Lucknow

La Martiniere
The finest and the largest example of European funerary monument in the subcontinent, La Martiniere is associated with its rather strange and romantic past. Claude Martin, the French Soldier of Fortune, was imprisoned by the English at Pondicherry. Thereafter he was commissioned by the East India Company to raise a joint European Regiment to fight their common enemies at Mysore. He was then promoted to the post of Major. His task was to befriend the nawabs of Oudh. Martin finally received the position and importance he had always looked forward to. Adopting the salient features of Italian Architecture and blending them with the indigenous and Muslim styles, Martin himself designed this building. This was perhaps the first building of the European Order to be built in Northern India. He breathed his last as Major General Claude Martin in Lucknow. Today it houses one of the leading educational institutions of the city.

Moti Mahal
There are three beautiful buildings on the fringes of the Gomti. One of them is the Moti Mahal or the Pearl Palace constructed by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan. The other two buildings were built by Nawab Ghazi Uddin Haider are known as the Mubarak Manzil and the Shah Manzil. They were mainly constructed for the Nawab and his courtiers to watch animal comabts from the balconies of the buildings, which were held at the other side of the river. The Nawabs also used these buildings to view the birds in flight.

Residency
Built by the Nawabs of Oudh for the British resident between the years 1780 and 1800, it became the last outpost of the English Resistance. It faced heavy bombardment and cannon firings during the mutiny of 1857. Now in a dilapidated state, the main building faces the river Gomti and has wide verandahs, a guard tower and several underground rooms. Surrounding it is an arrangement of terraced lawns which are beautifully flood-lit at night. It seems that these ruins have preserved the English Ego wounded mortally in 1857 offensive. English narratives of the period give great sentimental value to this monument

Laxman Tila
Popularly believed to have been one of the earliest habitations of the city the Laxman Tila is situated to the north of the Imambara complex. It contains the famous Alamgiri Mosque which was built by Sultan Ali who was Governor of the province of Avadh during the reign of Aurangzeb. The mosque is known for its outstanding symmetry of form and sobriety of decoration.

Rumi Darwaza
Also known as the Turkish Gateway, the Rumi Darwaza leads into the outer ward of the Bara Imambara. Widely believed to be a facsimile of one of the gates of Constantinople it expresses the heart and soul of Avadh architecture.Its uppermost part consists of an eight faceted chhatri, approachable by a staircase

Sadar Ali Khan's Tomb
The twin maqbaras of Saadat Ali Khan and Khurshid Zadi near Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, are one of the best examples of Awadh architecture. The proportionate domes with elegant kiosks and above all, well balanced architectural design makes them extremely interesting

Shaheed Smarak
A Martyr's Memorial was raised opposite to the Residency to mark the first centenary of the Mutiny of 1857. The tower is a mark of respect for the thousands of unknown warriors who laid down their lives for the freedom and glory of the nation.

Shahnajaf Imambara
Situated on the banks of river Gomti near Sikander Bagh this is a white domed building which has floral designs and chandeliers adorn the interior and the tombs are plated in gold and silver. Also known as the Najaf-e-Ashraf. The Imambara gets its name from the city of Shahnajaf in the area that is modern Iraq which contains the tomb of Hazrat Ali. Buried here are the remains of Nawab Ghazi-ud-din Haider, the first king of Awadh and his wives including Begum Mubarak Mahal who was a European lady. It was a stronghold of the Indian mutineers in the Mutiny of 1857.

Sikander Bagh
This was the summer house of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Situated in the Sikander Bagh Gardens, gets its name from Begum Sikander Mahal who was the favorite wife of the Nawab. It was 120 square yards in area surrounded by a high wall, with a summer house in its centre. The garden now houses the National Botanical Research Institute of India.

State Museum
The state museum houses a large collection of artifacts and memorabilia and is located at Banarasi Bagh, within the city. The Numismatic, Handicrafts, Natural history and ethnographic sections of the museum are particularly interesting.

It is not only the oldest museum of the state but also one of the richest in the country. It displays a fascinating collection of coins right from the terra- cotta coins of the Indus Valley to the coins of the present day. Among other things the museum boasts of an Egyptian Mummy, the pistol of Chanderashekhar Azad, famous freedom fighter and many other works of art which are of historical importance.
Open : 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM