Top 12 Attractions in Pakistan

The most picturesque places in South Asia are located on the territory of Pakistan; this country keeps traces of a history that is already more than 5 thousand years old. The ancient kingdom of Harappa, which existed in the XXIII-XVII centuries. BC, the early Buddhists of Gandhara, the successors of Alexander the Great, the Seleucids and the Great Mughals left their mark here. In the foothills of the Himalayas, the remains of the most grandiose Buddhist monasteries are still hiding, medieval Muslim mystics - Sufis live in old cities, and the magnificent temples of Lahore keep the secrets of Akbar the Great.

Pakistan is still waiting for a booming tourism dawn in the future, but so far the infrastructure is very poorly developed. Good and comfortable hotels are concentrated in the capital city of Islamabad, as well as Lahore and Karachi. Due to tension and frequent military conflicts in the region, many areas are dangerous for foreigners to visit. But the authorities are trying to offer guests a varied and interesting holiday. In the first place in Pakistan are sightseeing and ethnographic tours, followed by sports and extreme tourism.

What to see in Pakistan?

The most interesting and beautiful places, photos and a brief description.

Lahore fortress

The building of the XII century, which served as the residence of Muhammad Guri. It was located at the crossroads between Tibet, India and Persia, so it was repeatedly conquered, destroyed and rebuilt. The building that has come down to us is a red sandstone fortress, which was erected on the initiative of Akbar the Great.

Mausoleum of Jinnah

The tomb of the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the city of Karachi. This is a modern building of the 1960s, made of white marble. The mausoleum is considered a landmark, one of the symbols of the country. Thousands of Pakistanis come daily to pay tribute to the founding father of their nation.

Badshahi Mosque

Located in Lahore. The temple was erected by the last of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who also took part in the creation of the Taj Mahal. The mosque was built in the 17th century, when the Mughal style of architecture was flourishing. This is an austere and monumental building made of red sandstone with minarets and white domes looking up at the sky.

Faisal Mosque in Islamabad

This temple was built at the expense of the King of Saudi Arabia, Faisal ibn Abdul Iziz al-Saud. More than 120 million dollars were spent on the construction. The building does not repeat the traditional canons of Muslim mosques, it is made in a modern style by the Turkish architect Balokay.

Wazir Khan Mosque

The picturesque mosque in Lahore, built under the ruler Shah Jahan. The building is an architectural masterpiece with richly decorated and brightly painted walls. The interior decoration has not changed since the 17th century. Many tourists come to admire the temple every day. For local residents, this is an important and revered shrine.

Rohtas Fortress

Punjab fortress in Islamabad, built by the warlord Sher Shah. It served for the purpose of defense against the formidable Hamayun, the second emperor from the Mughal dynasty. Here the Mughal army was defeated. The height of the fortress walls is 18 meters, the width is almost 12.5 meters. Hamayun did not succeed in taking the fortress, the commandant-traitor himself opened the gates to his soldiers.

Fortress Baltit

A three-story building with a rectangular base in the city of Karimbad. It was conceived for the purpose of ensuring control and order during seasonal trade between Central and South Asia. On the last floor of the fort there are rooms for receiving foreign delegations, the rest of the floors are given over to the museum.

Deravar

Majestic medieval fortress in the Kholistan desert. One of the most striking sights of Pakistan. The fortress walls reach a length of almost 30 meters and seem to disappear into the sky. The fort is well preserved, but it is quite difficult to get to and inspect it, as it is far from cities and beaten routes.

Mohatta Palace

One of the popular attractions in Karachi. The building appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, it served as a residence for businessman Shivratan Mohatta and his family. Now, excursions are being led around luxurious apartments, accompanied by fascinating stories from the life of former owners.

The ancient city of Taxila

The capital of the historical region of Gandhara, located in the valley of the Indus River. Back in the 5th century BC. Taxila was a resort city, in the 4th century BC. the troops of Alexander the Great entered here. The great commander entered into an alliance with the king of Gandhara against the ruler of the Eastern Punjab. In the 1st century, Taxila was destroyed by a powerful earthquake.

Ruins of Mohenjo-Daro

The remains of the city of the ancient and mysterious Harrap civilization. According to some sources, Mohenjo-Daro died about 3.5 thousand years ago as a result of an inexplicable catastrophe. Some researchers even suggest that the buildings and inhabitants were destroyed by a "nuclear explosion", since the destruction is similar to those in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Shalimar Gardens

A public park that was founded by Emperor Jahangir at the beginning of the 17th century. The ruler built these gardens for his wife Nur Jahan. They are a wonderful monument of Mughal garden art - waterfalls flow here, decorative ponds are broken, mosques and marble palaces richly decorated with mosaics delight the eye.