Shalimar Gardens
To the northeast of town, about 4km from the main train station, this was one of three gardens named Shalimar Gardens created by Shah Jahan in the 17th century. Its also the only surviving Mughal garden of several built in Lahore. The Shalimar Gardens are now rather rundown and a f
Petroglyphs
Check out the Petroglyphs near the Indus bridge (to Darel). They include a detailed Buddhist tableau and many inscriptions and travellers names, pecked into the rocks from the 1st century AD onwards. (There is more of this extraordinary ancient graffiti along the road from here to
Mausoleum of Baha
Just near the Mausoleum of Sheikh Rukni-Alam, the Mausoleum of Baha-ud-Din Zakaria, father of Rukni-Alam, was built in 1263. A disciple of the Sufi mystic Hazrat Shahabuddin Umar Suhrawardy of Jerusalem, Baha-ud-Din (1182-1262) introduced the Suhrawardiya branch to the subcontinent
Qasim Bagh Fort
Multans most prominent landmark, now largely in ruins except for its gate and part of the outer walls and bastions, is Qasim Bagh Fort, near Hussain Agahi and Chowk Bazaars. In the fort is the Qasim Bagh Stadium that occasionally hosts cricket matches. Apart from the shrines, most
Jehangirs Tomb
Standing in a garden on the northern outskirts of Lahore, the elaborately decorated sandstone Jehangirs Tomb is that of Emperor Jehangir. Built in 1637 by Jehangirs son, Shah Jahan, its believed to have been designed by Jehangirs widow, Nur Jahan. The tomb is made of marble with tr
Ganish Village
The restoration of Ganish Village is particularly good and won a Unesco Asia Pacific Heritage Award. While Baltit Fort shows how the cream of society lived, Ganish shows another side of traditional Hunza life. Behind a shaded, tranquil tank are several richly carved wooden mosques,
Badshahi Mosque
Completed in 1674 under Aurangzeb as the Mughals final architectural fling, the sublime Badshahi Mosque, opposite the main gateway to the Lahore Fort, is one of the worlds largest mosques. Replete with huge gateways, four tapering minarets of red sandstone, three vast marble domes
Shah Faisal Mosque
The eye-popping Shah Faisal Mosque, nestled at the foot of the Margalla Hills, is one of Asias largest and reflects an eclectic blend of ultramodern and traditional architectural design styles. Topped by sloping roofs (a stark contrast to the traditional domes found on most mosques
Faqir Khana Museum
About 500m inside Bhatti Gate on the right-hand side, a small mansion houses the Faqir Khana Museum. It houses the treasures of the Faqir family, who have lived in Lahore since the 18th century. It is said to be the largest private collection in south Asia, with over 13,000 pieces
Buddhist Monastery
This Buddhist Monastery sat on a commanding rocky hill 15km northwest of Mardan is by far NWFPs stand-out Gandharan site, and compares more than favourably with Taxila near Islamabad. It thrived between the 1st and 7th centuries AD before being abandoned, finally giving up its secr
Mausoleum Of Sheikh Rukn
Lying just inside the main entrance to the fort, this masterpiece of Mughal architecture is the most significant and attractive of Multans shrines. A pious and widely loved scholar, Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fatah (1251-1334), commonly known as Sheikh Rukn-i-Alam (Pillar of the World), beca
Rohtas Fort
Some 16km northwest of Jhelum, colossal Rohtas Fort is an extraordinary example of military architecture. It was started in 1543 by the Pashtun ruler Sher Shah Suri, to protect the strategic Peshawar to Calcutta (now Kolkata) road from the Mughals and their allies. He never lived t
Baltit Fort
The oldest parts of Baltit Fort date from the 13th century. Over the years more houses and towers were added, and it was fortified. To cement an alliance with Baltistans Maqpon dynasty in the 17th century, Mir Ayesho II (great-grandson of the legendary Girkis) married a daughter of
Uprising Memorial
The Uprising Memorial, is a memorial to those who rose against the Maharaja in 1947. It includes the graves of the local heroes, Mohammed Babar Khan and Safiullah Beg of the Gilgit Scouts, and Mirza Hassan Khan of the Kashmir Infantry. At Partition, many had anticipated Maharaja Ha
Smugglers Bazaar
On the fringes of Peshawar as you head towards the Khyber Pass is the Smugglers Bazaar (Karkhanai Bazaar). It thrives openly on the sale of goods imported through Pakistan for Afghanistan, then smuggled back through the Tribal Areas to avoid paying duty. Everything is available her
Lahore Fort
Built, damaged, demolished, rebuilt and restored several times before being given its current form by Emperor Akbar in 1566 (when he made Lahore his capital), the Lahore Fort is the star attraction of the Old City. Note that the museums here may close an hour or so before sunset. T
Doing business & staying in touch while in Pakistan
Pakistan: Doing business & staying in touch
Pakistan Weather, Climate and Geography
Pakistan Weather, climate and geography
Pakistan History, Language and Culture
Pakistan History, Language and Culture
Pakistan Travel Guide and Travel Information
Pakistan Travel Guide
