Lucknow, city, northern India, capital of Uttar Pradesh State. Local industries include the manufacture of gold and silver brocade, muslins and other light fabrics, glass, shawls, and jewelry. Chemicals, cigarettes, and cotton cloth are also manufactured. The chief architectural features are the fort and a mausoleum. Many handsome mosques, including the Pearl Mosque and the Great Mosque, are in the city. An educational and cultural center, Lucknow is the seat of Lucknow University (1921). From 1775 Lucknow was the capital of the kingdom of Oudh until the annexation by the British in 1856. At Lucknow, during the Sepoy Rebellion (1857-1859), a British force was besieged for 12 weeks until reinforcements arrived. Population (1991) 1,619,115.

The city is still famous for its cultivated manners and refined urbane culture.It remains the home of light-classical North Indian music and the Kathak school of dance. Each February, the two-week Lucknow festival continues thetraditions of music and dance made famous by the Oudh court.
Lucknow is the principal Shi'ite Muslim centre in India and the city celebrates holidays and festivals morecommon to Iran than the other, mostly Sunni, Muslim communities.

Although never an industrial centre—Kanpur, 79 kilometres (49 miles) to the southwest, is the great factory town of Uttar Pradesh—Lucknow hastraditionally produced silver and bidri work (gun-metal inlaid with silver) and tradedin copper, brass and cotton. Lucknow is an important rail junction and has excellent connections with most of northern India. The Charbagh RailwayStation in the south of the city is an impressive sight and a good place to begina tour of the city. The architecture reflects both Mughal and Europeaninfluences. The royal emblem of the nawabs, a pair of fish, still decorates many of the buildings.

The places of interest in Lucknow are - Bara Imambara, Chhota Imambara, Rumi Darwaza, Hussainibad picture gallery, Clock Tower, Jama Masjid, Shah Najaf Imambara, Maqbara Saadat Ali Khan and Khurshidzadi, Chhatar Manzil, Qaiserbagh Palace complex, Moti Mahal, Qadam Rasul, Sikandar Bagh, Dilkusha Palace, Bibiyapur Kothi, La Martiniere, Lucknow Residency, Lucknow zoo etc.