[3] Prior to the arrival of Islam, the region already had a sophisticated culture, as embodied in various Maranao epics, chants, and recorded history.

[3] During the Pre-Spanish time, there were 4 important boundaries which held the power of appointing a new sultan namely: Bakayawan, Dalama, Madamba and Sawer.

On May 2, 1942, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines José Abad Santos was killed by the Japanese Imperial forces in a firing squad at Malabang, Lanao del Sur.

[further explanation needed] They used infantry weapons, the Maranao Kris, Barong and Kampilan swords against the Japanese forces in the Battle of Lanao.

1552 changed the name Dansalan to Marawi, taken from the word rawi, referring to the reclining lilies abundant in the Agus River.

The petition advocates a Warsaw-style Rehabilation Effect, where the culture and styles of a particular area is used as foundation for rehabilitation of built heritage and landscape.

Located within the province is Lanao Lake, the second largest in the country, its waters drained by the Agus River which eventually empties into Iligan Bay.

The majority of people in the province are Maranaos,[3] while some are Cebuanos, Ilocanos, Bicolanos, Hiligaynons, Kapampangans, Tagalogs, Maguindanaons, Iranuns, Higaonons, Zamboangueños, Tausugs, Yakans, and Sama.

Minority languages such as Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Higaonon are also spoken Most of the people of Lanao del Sur are practitioners of Islam.

The Philippine ambassador to UNESCO and France noted that it will be better to inscribe Maranao's traditional crafts in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding as they have been endangered due to the 2017 Battle of Marawi.

The torogans of Lanao are also recommended by UNESCO to be nominated in the World Heritage List once proper documentation and restoration has been completed.

Two torogans have been bought by a controversial heritage resort company, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, and were transported to Bataan, sparking a provincial campaign to get back the two royal houses to their ancestral homeland.