This amazing country in Southeast Asia, which has absorbed centuries-old traditions, incredibly beautiful landscape, ancient rituals, as well as openness and hospitality of the local population. Although, for the sake of fairness, we note that for many years life in Pakistan remained closed to Europeans, and staying in this country was unsafe. Now the modern world looks at the Asian state with different eyes, and today in our short review we present the most beautiful sights of Pakistan.
1
Lahore fortress
In the heart of the Pakistani city of Lahore is the Shahi Kilah Fortress, a World Heritage Site.
The first defensive structures appeared here in the XII century, and the present fortress began to be built under the emperor Akbar at the end of the XVI century. In the historical and architectural complex, in addition to the walls and towers, the majestic Mirror Palace and the beautiful Pearl Mosque.
The massive gates of Alamgiri, which have long become the architectural symbol of the Pakistani city, lead to the fortress.
2
Jinn's Mausoleum
In the heart of Karachi is the majestic Mausoleum, which became the tomb of the founder of the state of Pakistan, M. A. Jinn.
The construction was made of beautiful white marble, and four Moorish arches became a real decoration of the mausoleum. A massive structure with a side of 75 m is crowned by a massive dome, and the total height of the tomb is 43 m.
The mausoleum, built in the 60s of the last century, has become a place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of the country who come to pay tribute to the founding father.
3
Badshahi Mosque
The beautiful mosque in Lahore was erected in 1674 by the last of the Mughals, the famous emperor Aurangzeb.
It was built at a time when the Mughal style of architecture was experiencing its dawn. The mosque has a huge courtyard. The main building is built of red sandstone, and eight minarets and the mosque itself are crowned with white domes.
A small museum was created on the top floor, where among the exhibits are the main Islamic relics. Locals consider their mosque the largest in the world, and its architectural style is the most original.
On the pages of most-beauty.ru you can also read an article about other equally beautiful mosques in the world.
4
Mohenjo daro
On the territory of Pakistan are the ruins of one of the oldest cities on Earth Mohenjo-Daro, founded in the Indus Valley in about 2 600 BC.
For 9 centuries, the city was the center of the Harappan civilization, the most important trade and craft settlement of that time.
Regular excavations began on its ruins in 1922, during which magnificent temples, public and residential buildings were opened. The oldest city on Earth surprised archaeologists with an almost perfect layout.
5
Faisal Mosque in Islamabad
One of the largest mosques in the world and original in terms of architectural design in Islamabad was built over 10 years, from 1976 to 1986.
Funding for the development of the project and construction was allocated by the King of Saudi Arabia, Faisal ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, and therefore it was consecrated in his honor.
The building breaks the stereotypes and traditional canons of Muslim shrines. At the same time, up to 300 thousand people can be located within the ultramodern mosque.
6
Rohtas Fortress
A powerful Punjabi fortress was erected by personal order of Sher Shah in 1543 to protect the land of the Ghawars from the devastating raids of the Mughals.
The fortress received its name in honor of the bloody battle at Rohtar, in which the troops of Sher Shah defeated the superior Mughal forces.
As a result of the betrayal, the fortress was captured by the Mughals, and became the most important strategic point of their great power. Over time, it lost its military mission and became a monument of fortification architecture.
7
Wazir Khan Mosque
In the reign of Shah Jahan, by personal order of the governor Lahore Wazir Khan, a beautiful mosque was built in the 30s of the 16th century, which became an important cultural and religious center.
The walls of the mosque were brightly painted, and the facade is decorated with mosaics and marble. Many generations have managed to preserve a unique monument of Islamic architecture, and the interior decoration takes tourists to the distant XVII century.
Today, the government of Pakistan and public organizations of the country are seeking to ensure that the Wazir Khan Mosque is included in the World Heritage List.
8
Nur Mahal Palace
The construction of a magnificent palace in the city was completed in 1875, and the fifth ruler of the province of Bahawalpur, struck by its beauty, transferred its residence to it.
The architect was the British Mr. Hinan, conducting a kind of experiment. He brought elements of Venetian architecture to the traditional Indo-Saracen style.
In 1947, the palace was looted. And only in 1999 it was possible to partially restore its internal exterior. Today, a huge collection of ancient weapons and other artifacts related to the history of the Punjab are stored in the architectural monument.
9
Baltit
In the important strategic point of the Hunza Valley, the first stone walls and a tower began to appear in the VIII century, and over time the walls were strengthened, and the fortress acquired its present shape.
The main function of the fortress was control over trade routes, as well as protecting the population during enemy raids. On the top floor of the fortification there is a hall for the reception of foreign delegations, and the rest of the premises are equipped under the exposition of the Museum of Karimabad.
Its walls and towers offer magnificent views of the picturesque mountain landscapes of the Pakistani Gilgit district.
10
Karachi Port Fountain
The most picturesque fountain in Asia and the most unusual in Pakistan hits sky high in the port city of Karachi.
An unusual fountain emits one of the highest and most powerful jets of water in the world into the sky. The building itself is located on the platform, and the fountain began to work in 2006, delighting local residents and numerous tourists.
Not far from the unique attraction there are narrow port streets with their own national flavor, where you can taste national dishes and the famous Pakistani tea.
On the pages of our Most-beauty.ru you can see an article about other surprisingly beautiful fountains of the world!
11
Mount Chogori
The system of the Baltoro mountain range includes the most beautiful Mount Chogori, which is the northernmost eight-thousander of the earth and the second highest after the famous Chomolungma.
The very word "Chogori" dates back to the ancient Baltic language, and literally means "high", because the height of the mountain is 8,614 m. Europeans learned about it in 1856 during an expedition to Karakokumi, and designated it as "K2".
The mountains of Pakistan are beautiful but dangerous. Climbing Chogori is very difficult, because in the entire history of mountaineering, only 284 people climbed to its peak.
12
Gardens of Shalimar
Within Lahore, in the 17th century, Emperor Jahangir set up a beautiful park for his beautiful wife Nur Jahar, which over time became the public domain of the state.
The park complex impresses with its splendor. Within the park are beautiful mosques, gazebos, marble-decorated palaces.
The gardens are divided on three terraces, and waterfalls fall among the structures, beckon cool alleys with decorative trees, and numerous ponds are pleasing to the eye.
13
Taxila
From Sanskrit, the name of the city is translated as Takshi-rock, and from the 5th century BC the city was the capital of the Gandhar state.
According to the holy book "Ramayana" Taxila was based on the intersection of three trade routes by the younger brother of Rama Bharat. In the IV century, the city was besieged by the troops of Alexander of Macedon, but the ruler of Gandahara managed to make peace with the great commander.
In the I century of a new era, the majestic ancient city was destroyed by a powerful earthquake, and people were forced to leave it.
14
Mohatta Palace
In 1927, in the city of Karachi, the renowned architect Aga Ahmed Hussein built a luxurious palace by the order of one of the prominent businessmen, which became the summer residence for businessman Shivratan from Mohatta.
In 1947, the building was acquired by the Government of Pakistan and housed in it the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After the capital of the state was moved to Islamabad, the palace became the property of Sister Jinnah.
Now the building is a kind of museum of architecture and life of the beginning of the twentieth century, and excursion groups drive along its chic halls and halls.
15
Fortress Deravar
The square fortification structure grew in the middle of the Kholistan desert near the urban settlement of Bahawalpur in the first half of the 18th century
It is noteworthy that the ruler of Bahavalpur ordered to erect a fortress on the ruins of a more ancient fortification. In 1748, the Nawabs lost control of the fortress, and returned to its walls only in 1804.
The fortress has stood the test of time and dry winds, and perfectly preserved its original appearance to this day.
16
Observation deck Daman e Koch
To the north of the Pakistani capital on a high hill there is a magnificent park, the real gem of which is the observation deck.
From a height of 730 m above sea level and more than 150 m above the city itself, it offers scenic views of Islamabad, surrounded by majestic mountain peaks.
In winter, monkeys come to the park above the city in search of food. In winter, you must be extremely careful within the park and on the site, since during heavy snowfalls cheetahs can come down from the mountains here.
17
Ship cemetery
Modern ships are designed for long-term operation, but they also become unusable. Recycling the marine giants is quite a costly undertaking, and countries like Bangladesh, India and Pakistan make good money on this.
The ship cemetery in Pakistan, of course, is an impressive sight, and has become a kind of landmark of the country. Here you can see ships of different sizes and modifications.
Due to cheap labor and, most importantly, more loyal environmental laws, similar cemeteries in Pakistan have grown incredibly in recent years.
18
Pakistan Monument
The Pakistan monument was built in the historical district of the capital in 2007, and is a national memorial.
Four large petals symbolize the provinces of Pakistan, and three small petals are images of the three territories of the country.
A monument was erected in honor of the fighters for the formation of the country, who died as a result of the Pakistan movement.
19
Tomb of Bibi Javindi
The tomb of Bibi Javindi was built in 1493 by the Iranian prince Dilshad. This is one of the most beautiful buildings in the region. It is located in the small Pakistani town of Ukh, founded by Alexander the Great.
The outer part of the building in plan has an octagonal shape and has three tiers, the upper part of which is supported by a dome, and the inside is round because of the thick corner walls rising up two floors. The interior and exterior of the building is richly decorated with Islamic scriptures, carved wood and bright blue and white mosaic tiles, known as faience.
20
Minar e Pakistan
Minar-i-Pakistan is a beautiful 62-meter minaret, built in the center of Lahore, Pakistan's second largest city. It was in Lahore in 1940 that a resolution was signed that laid down the principles of the country's future structure. Recall that only in 1947, Pakistan became an independent political unit on the world map.
Finally
In conclusion, we note that the name of the country literally translates as “the country of the pure”, but in fact it is an acronym in which “P” was taken from Punjab, “A” from Pashtuns, “K” was granted by Kashmir, “C” was given by Sind, but the ending "tan" is from Balochistan.
As you can see, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan can provide tourists with various types of recreation and thematic excursions to memorable historical places where three world religions miraculously converged - Islam, Buddhism and Christianity, and most importantly, the remains of ancient civilizations have been preserved.