Lucknow is perhaps the most romantic of capital towns in India. There is no city where it is so simple to turn back the pages of history and look into the colourful days of Nawabs and Begums, through the eyes of those who claim to have personal knowledge of court and customs, secrets and intrigues. Lucknow is famous for its gold and silver brocades, silverware, clay figurines and pottery.

In ancient times, Lucknow was part of Kosala kingdom (modern Ayodhya) ruled by Ikshvaku dynasty to which Lord Rama belongs. It is believed that he gave the territory comprising of modern Lucknow to his devoted brother Lakshman. Therefore, the original name of Lucknow was Lakshmanpur, popularly known as Lakhanpur or Lachmanpur.

Lucknow's medieval history begins with its elevation to a capital city under the Nawabs of Awadh. The architectural contributions of the Awadh rulers, many paintings of whom are maintained at the Art Gallery today, include numerous mosques and palaces. Of the monuments standing today, the Bara Imambara, the Chota Imambara, and the Roomi Darwaza are notable examples, although neglect by the authorities has put them in danger of turning into ruins.

The province of Awadh (anglicized to Oudh) was annexed by the British rulers of India in 1856. In the Indian Mutiny of 1857(also known as First War of Indian Independence), the garrison based at the Residency in Lucknow was besieged by rebel forces. The famous Siege of Lucknow was relieved first by forces under the command of Sir Henry Havelock and Sir James Outram, followed by a stronger force under Sir Colin Campbell. Today the ruins of the Residency, and the picturesque Shaheed Smarak offer reminiscences of Lucknow's role in the events.

During the siege of the Residency in 1857, it was the students of La Martiniere College that went ahead to defend the Residency. For the valour that they displayed, La Martiniere College at Lucknow is the only college in the world that has received battle honours of the British Empire, until McGill University in WWI.

Other architectural delights in Lucknow include the Vidhan Sabha (State Parliament) and the main railway station at Charbagh with its yellow domes and pillars. One of the oldest schools in the world is also situated in Lucknow: La Martiniere, founded by the bequest of the immensely successful colonial entrepreneur Claude Martin (1735 - 1800).

Situated at the heart of Uttar Pradesh, 500 km south-east of New Delhi, Lucknow is surrounded on the eastern side by Barabanki District, on the western side by Unnao District, on the southern side by Raebareli District and on the northern side by Sitapur and Hardoi districts. The Gomti River flows through the city, dividing it in trans-gomti and cis-gomti regions. Some of the tributaries of this river are the Kukrail, Loni, and Beta. The Sai River flows from the south of the city and in the east enters Raebareli District. Lucknow is accessible from every part of India through air, rail and road. It is directly connected with New Delhi, Patna, Calcutta, Mumbai, Varanasi and other major cities by Amausi Airport. Lucknow's amausi airport is an international airport and is 13th online station for Air India. Some international destinations include Dubai, Jeddah, Sharjah. Soon, flights to Bangkok would be started.

Bara Imambara

Built in the year 1784 by the champion of charity Nawab Asaf ud Daula, the Bara Imambara provided food to the famine stricken subjects of the Nawab. The monument is known for its simplicity of style, sheer proportion and symmetry. 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.

Clock Tower

The beautiful clock tower, constructed in 1887, is the tallest Clock Tower in India and 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.

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.

By Air

Indian Airlines connects Lucknow with Delhi, Patna, Calcutta and Mumbai

By Rail

Agra, Ahmedabad, allahabad, Amritsar, Delhi, Dehradun, Guwahati, Calcutta, Jammu, Mumbai, Varanasi.

By Road

Lucknow is well connected with some major cities like Agra (363 km), Allahabad (225 km), Calcutta (985 km), Delhi (497 km), Kanpur (79 km) and Varanasi (305 km).

Lucknow is famous for its cotton textiles and chikenkaari work. Lucknow's perfumes are famous too. Aminabad, Chowk, Hazratganj and Janpath are the main markets here. If one like non-veg dishes then one can enjoy rich delicacies on street side shops (Shikawat near Gymkhana Club and Tunde ke kebab in Chowk are two well known shops).