Lucknow

After Agra we went by train to Lucknow, a bit in the east. After the Mongul empire, the Nawab ruled the north of India from 1724 for 1 century and Lucknow was their capital. The city has some nice remainings from this period and in the center are many parks, it's a good place to stay, we were there for 2 days, even if the riksha drivers are annoying.

The Chhota (Hussainabad) Imambara is one of two mausoleums we visited. It's from the beginning of the 19th century, quite new, and different in the style of other one's. The interior of the mausoleum is full of lamps, mirrors and other shiny things, but the exterior is like all other from the Islamic period in a garden with water in the middle.

Nearby are the Hussainabad clocktower and the mosque which is similar like this one in Delhi.

Also this place is a famous site for Indian tourists, however the mausoleum wasn't as interesting as taking photos with us or mainly with Laura who also often had to carry their babies.

The Bara Imambara, the big mausoleum, is really big. Surrounded by a garden, a mosque on the right hand side and finally the mausoleum which has a lot of large halls and a labyrinth on the top.

The train station from the British period.

Also for the British this city was once important and here the Indians fought in 1857 for their independance, the residency of the British rulers was under a siege during 4 months before defeating the revolution. The area of the Residency is still how it was after the siege, a lot of dammaged buildings which are now part of a museum.

For sunrise I went to La Martiniere, a building which is now a college, was built by a French at the end of the 19th century .