Pakistan is a country that is absolutely a gem for the tourists. The main reason is that it has got a flavor for all types of tourists and beautiful locations, mountains, landscapes, large cities, and historic places can be witnessed here. The historical places in Pakistan dominate the entire arena because of its rich history and one of the oldest civilizations of this world has lived where Pakistan stands today.
Mohenjo-Daro
Mohenjo-Daro is probably the most attractive historic place in the country which is famous throughout the world. It is part of the Larkana District of the province of Sindh and it is just on the right bank of the mighty River Indus. The archeological ruins of the place take us back into the history till 3000BC. So, this makes it a 5000-year-old city which is the oldest civilization known to man after the Chinese. It was also the most urbanized and the largest civilization in South Asia. They were first discovered in the year 1922 but, it was the year 1965 when significant excavations were completed. Now, people come from all over the place to witness this historic site.
Lahore Fort and the Shalamar Gardens
These places in Lahore tell about the charismatic approach of the Mughal dynasty when it comes to making some really attention-grabbing beautiful constructions. They both are distinct places and the royal complexes of the unforgettable Mughal era. The Fort is very prominently located in the northwest part of the Lahore city which has been renovated several times all through its history. The Shalamar Gardens on the other side is the Royal Mughal Gardens with beautiful lawns, fountains, and beautiful constructions. It was built by Shah Jahan in the year 1642.
Makli
Makli is actually a necropolis in the famous and historic city of Thatta. The history of Makli dates back to the 14th century. People flock here from different parts of the country and even from outside Pakistan to witness the amazing mausoleums and monuments in the country. The best thing about the place is that it is built with the use of some really top-quality stone, glazed tiles, and bricks which represent the actual Sindh civilization of the time.
Takht-i-Bahi
The literal meaning of Takht-i-Bahi is the ‘spring throne’ which refers to the monastic complex of the Buddhists dating back to the 1st century BC. It is situated right up a 152 m hill and the place is about 16 km from Mardan city and some 80 odd km from Peshawar city. It has four major parts which are its Stupas courts, monastic complex, tantric complex, and temple complex.
Taxila
Taxila is a great archeological site that is very much approachable and near the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. The history of this city takes us back to the Gandhara period and now it holds the ruins of that civilization. It used to be a very critical place in history for the Hindus and the Buddhists. Further, it still is a great place for visitors and also sacred for the people who follow Hinduism or Buddhist traditions.
Minar-e-Pakistan
The literal meaning of Minar-e-Pakistan is the ‘Tower of Pakistan’. It is situated right at the heart of Lahore city and it took about 8 years to complete in the year 1968. The history of this place is that the famous Lahore resolution in the year 1940 was passed at this location by the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam. It has huge gardens all around it and has become one of the finest historic tourist spots in Pakistan.
Rohtas Fort
This fort was actually built as a garrison by the then-ruler of the area, Sher Shah Suri. It is located near Jhelum, Punjab at a distance of just about 15 km. This fort is loved by all because of its exceptional architecture and apart from this it also beautifully reflects the Islamic architecture of the military. It was built with the help of the architectural intelligence of the designers from the Indian subcontinent and Turkey. It has a very strategic location on top of the hill which gave the then army a good chance to protect themselves against the Ghakkars.
Badshahi Mosque
The Great Badshahi Mosque is one of the oldest mosques of the region which was built in the Mughal Era by the Great Emperor Aurangzeb. It was constructed in the year 1671 and today it is the second-largest mosque in the country after Shah Faisal Mosque. It can accommodate as many as 100,000 worshippers at a time when all its halls and courtyards are occupied. It was till 1986, that this historic mosque was known as the largest mosque in the world. But, Shah Faisal Masjid and several other mosques in the entire world were constructed which were bigger than this one. But, that doesn’t take away any credit from this mosque as it is still one of the most frequently visited historic places in Pakistan.
Quaid’s Residency
Quaid’s Residency is the last place where the great leader Jinnah spent the last few months of his life. It is located in Ziarat which is a picturesque hill station some 3 hours’ drive from the Quetta city of Baluchistan province. It has historic relevance for the entire nation as the ailing Quaid was recommended by his doctors to live in a peaceful area such as Ziarat. It was because of the fresh mountain air and the fragrance of the place that convinced Jinnah to live there.
Islamia College
Islamia College is located in the historic city of Peshawar and it was established by Nawab Abdul Qayyum and George Kepel. It has great historical relevance as the idea here was to develop not only an educational building but also to give a platform for boosting the much-needed political activities of the time. It is still in Peshawar and serving students with all the modern knowledge of the time. During the independence movement for Pakistan, Jinnah thrice visited this college to encourage the youth.