Historical Places

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Qila Rohtas- Pakistan Beautiful Historical Place in Jehlum

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10 Best Natural Places to Visit in Pakistan 

 Natural beauty is un matched. Pakistan have world most beautiful places for visit, specially at its best in northern areas of Pakistan and Kashmir region. This part of the country is famous all around the world because of sky high mountains, lush green valleys, mighty rivers, beautiful lakes, and amazing wildlife. The Pradise on Earth ‘Neelum Valley’ Mini Switzerland ‘Swat Valley’ and Mountain Kingdom ‘Hunza valley’ are the major tourist attractions in Pakistan. All these places are real natural beauty of the world. Here a list of top 10 Best Natural Places to Visit in Pakistan. The naturally beautiful places of Pakistan, you will not found these beautiful places all over the world.

1. Neelum Valley

Neelam Valley is a 144 km long bow-shaped valley in Azad Kashmir Region. The Valley is situated at the North & North-East of Muzaffarabad (The Capital of Azad Kashmir). Running through the Lesser Himalaya, the Neelam River valley has excellent scenic beauty, panoramic views, towering hills on both sides of the noisy Neelum river, lush green forests, enchanting streams and attractive surroundings make the valley a dream come true.
Neelum valley is one of most attractive place for tourists due to its famous lush greenery, springs, streams,lakes and hilly and slopy mountains. Some of its famous places like Athmuqam, Kutton Jagran, Karen, Neelum, Ratti Galli, Baboon, Noori top, Sharda, Sharda Fort, Sharda University (The Oldest University of Sub-Continent) Kel, Surgon, Halmet, Taobut and many more.

2. Hunza Valley

The Hunza Valley is a mountainous valley in the Gilgit–Baltistan region , It was formerly a princely state. The Hunza valley is situated north/west of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around 2,500 metres. The Valley has three Regions – Upper Hunza (Gojal); Center Hunza and Lower Hunza.
Hunza valley is the most beautiful place to visit and have many places to see. Some of these beautiful places are. Rakaposhi Base Camp; Diran Base Camp; Hoper Glacier; Passue and Gulmit; Khunjrab Pass; Atta Abad lake and Nagar valley.

3. Swat Valley

Swat is a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the upper valley of the Swat River, which rises in the Hindu Kush range.
Swat Valley, Mini Switzerland of Pakistan has many attraction for visiting such as Mahodand Valley & Lake, Natural Ushu Valley & Ushu Forest, Malam Jabba (Famous ski resort in Swat Valley), Madyan, Swat & Kalam Vallies, Bonir, Der and many other naturaly beautiful sites.

4. Kalash Valley

Kalash Valley is one of the major tourist attractions in Pakistan. This is situated in the Chitral district of Pakistan. This valley has a historic background but its history has controversies. Kelash is actually a very old greek civilization. The people beloning to this civilization are called ‘The Kelash’. Belongs to old tribes and have their own religion and culture. This valley has a unique and amazing culture. The People here live in small villages which they built on the hill sides. These villages are at the banks of the streams and rivers. People construct their homes with rough shaped logs. People of Kalash are cheerful, they celebrates many festivals like Uchal Festival, Phoo Festival and Chomos Festival. There are many attractive sites for visting.

5. Kaghan Valley

The Kaghan Valley is a beautiful valley in the north-east of Mansehra District . It attracts many tourists from not only Pakistan but also from the whole world. Laying in lower Himalayan mountains range, the Kaghan valley, famous for its bewitching splendor and natural beauty, is one of the most charming tourist resorts in scenic Hazara division. There are many beautiful and attractive spots like Shogran, Jared, Naran,Lake Saiful Muluk, Lake Dudipat Sar, Lake Lulu Sar, Babusar Pass and much more to do.

6. Murree Hills

This is a summer hill station, summer resort and is sitated in Murree, the subdivision of Rawalpindi District and includes the Murree Hills. Murree was the summer capital of the British Raj in the Punjab Province. People from all over the Pakistan wish to go there in summer to enjoy its beauty and in winter season for astonishing experience of snowfall. Bhurban and New Murree (Patriata) are amain tourist centre. One of the most favorite tourist point of Murree is Galliat, it has fascinating greenery and scenic beauty that attracts tourist belonging different regions of Asia. Most Popular Picnic Points of Murree Hills are Dunga Gali , Muskpuri Hill , Nathia Gali, Bara Gali and Mall Road.

7. Shandur Pas

Shandur – The Highest Polo Ground on Earth, is a bout 3738 meter an above sea level and lies midway between Chitral and Gilgit. Each summer a hug event called the Shandur polo festival is organized here, which is a big source of attraction for the tourists. Different come against each other in this freestyle contest. The pass is generally unpopulated and passing through its snow covered slopes in winters is an exceptionally difficult adventure. The polo ground is about 168 Km from the main town Chitral and accessible by jeep. The road is closed during winter due to heavy snow.

8. Rawalakot

Rawalakot is a town in Azad Kashmir, and is the district headquarter of Poonch Division. It is in a beautiful valley surrounded by hills, which is located 80 km away from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Rawalakot is a summer visiting point The winters in Rawalakot are cold and chilly. There are many attraction for vistors like Banjosa; Toli Pir; Poonch River; Tatta Pani; Banjosoa Lake; Sudhngalli and many more.

9. Ziarat

Ziarat is the capital of Ziarat District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Ziarat is a famous holiday resort of Balochistan and nearly every trip from Karachi to Quetta stops at Ziarat. Ziarat was the summer residence of the chief commissioner of Baluchistan, and sanatorium for the European troops at Quetta. There is a good water supply, and the hills around are well-wooded and picturesque. A visit to Quetta is incomplete without a trip to Ziarat. Ziarat is a hill station in the Sibi district of the province of Baluchistan. It remains quite cool during summer and receives enough snowfall during the winter.

10. Jehlum Valley

This is an ideal valley of Azad Kshmir region for both the domestic and international tourists. The curling river Jhelum passes through from East to West between the high green mountains of this valley. This valley has a most beautiful valley “Leepa Valley” . This is the most fascinating & loveliest valley in Azad Kashmir. Its lush green rice fields in summer and typical wooden Kashmiri houses present a wonderful view to the people visiting the area. Walnut, Apple, Cherry and honey of Leepa are very popular and in great demand. There are many visting sites like Peerchanasi, Chikar, Chinary, Leepa, Chakothi, Ghari Dopatta, Chokothi Cham-fall and Zilzaal Lake.

10 Most Beautiful Mosques in the World 

Mosque (Masjid) is a Holy place for Muslims. It is a place for worship for all the followers of Islam. Mosque is the place where all the Muslims of the community come together and have their prayers. Mosques or Masjids are fine examples of excellent architecture of Islam and Muslims. Beautiful mosques are found all around the globe, with the spread of the Islamic empire throughout the World. Islam has taken its fine culture and arts to those places. Because Islam had reached parts of Europe and Africa, it has left great influences in their cultures, which is clear from the offset.
There are so many beautiful mosques founded in many countries. All these look stunning from the outside and if you are lucky enough to be a Muslim and have visited some of the interior, well then you would know that it is breath-taking!
What better time than to appreciate the beauty of these Islamic architectures than the month of Ramadan? Here’s 10 awe-inspiring, beautiful mosques from various countries around the world that’ll leave you breathless.

These are top ten of the Most Beautiful Mosques.

1.  Al Haram Mosque – Macca, Saudi Arabia

The Qur’an said that this was the first house built for humanity to worship Allah. The most famous monument in the world, Al Haram mosque or “Grand Mosque” is located in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is the largest mosque in the world and surrounds one of Islam’s holiest places, the Kaaba. The mosque is also known as the greatest Mosque. Current structure covers an area of 400,800 square meters (99.0 acres), including outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to 4 million people during the period of the Hajj, one of the largest annual worship of the Muslim in the world.

2.  Al-Masjid an-Nabawi – Medina, Saudi Arabia

Al Nabawi Mosque, often called the Prophet’s Mosque, is a mosque built by the Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) situated in the city of Medina. It is the second holiest site in Islam (the first being the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca). It was the second mosque built in history and is now one of the largest mosques in the world after the al-Haram mosque in Mecca. One of the most important place of this mosque is Green Dome (the center of the mosque), where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is located. In 1279 AD, a wooden cupola was built over the tomb which was later rebuilt and renovated multiple times in late 15th century and once in 1817. The dome was first painted green in 1837, and later became known as the Green Dome.

3.  Al Aqsa Mosque – Jerusalem, Palestine

Al-Aqsa Mosque also known as Al-Aqsa and Bayt al-Muqaddas, is the third holiest site in Islam and an Islamic shrine located in the Old City of Jerusalem. In the mosque itself is part of Al-Haram ash-Sharif or “Sacred Noble Sanctuary” (together with the Dome of the Rock), a site which is also known as Temple Mount as the holiest site in Judaism, because it is believed to be The Temple of Jerusalem once stood. Muslims believe that the Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was transported from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Night Journey. Islamic tradition states that Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) led prayers toward this mosque until the seventeenth month after the emigration, when Allah ordered him to turn to the Kaaba.

4.  Hassan II Mosque – Morocco

The Grande Mosquée Hassan II, located in Casablanca, Morocco. It is the largest mosque in the country and the 7th largest in the world. Its minaret is the world’s tallest at 210 metres (689 ft). It was completed in 1993. The minaret is 60 stories high topped by a laser, the light from which is directed towards Mecca. The mosque stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean, the sea bed being visible through the glass floor of the building’s hall. The walls are of hand-crafted marble and the roof is retractable. A maximum of 105,000 worshippers can gather together for prayer: 25,000 inside the mosque hall and another 80,000 on the mosque’s outside grounds.

5.  Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque – Brunei

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is a royal Islamic mosque located in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. The mosque considered one of the most beautiful mosques in the Asia Pacific and a major landmark and tourist attraction of Brunei. The building was completed in 1958 and is an example of modern Islamic architecture. The mosque is built in an artificial lagoon on the banks of the Brunei River at Kampong Ayer, the “village in the water”. It has marble minarets and golden domes with courtyards and lush gardens full of fountains. The mosque is surrounded by a large number of trees and floral gardens which in Islam symbolizes heaven. The mosque unites Mughal architecture and Italian styles.

6.  Zahir Mosque – Kedah, Malaysia

The Zahir Mosque is Kedah’s state mosque. It is located in the heart of Alor Star, the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is one of the grandest and oldest mosques in Malaysia. The mosque was built in 1912, funded by Tunku Mahmud, son of the Sultan Tajuddin Mukarram Shah. The architecture from the mosque inspired by AZIZI Mosque in the city of Langkat in north Sumatra, Indonesia.The mosque was founded with five large domes symbolizing the five main principles of Islam. The state’s Quran reading competition is held annually within the premises of the mosque. This mosque has been voted the top 10 most beautiful mosques in the world.

7.  Faisal Mosque Islamabad – Pakistan

Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the biggest mosque in south east and southern Asia and the fourth largest mosque in the world. It was the largest mosque in the world of 1986-1993 before defeated measure by the completion of the Mosque of Hassan II in Casablanca, Morocco and after the expansion of Masjid Al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca and the Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi (Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Mosque) in Medina, Saudi Arabia in the 1990s.

8.  Taj ul Mosque – Bhopal, India

Taj-ul-Masajid literally means “The Crown of Mosques” situated in Bhopal, India. The mosque is also used as a Islamic school during the day time. It is one of the largest mosque in asia. The mosque has a pink facade topped by two 18-storey high octagonal minarets with marble domes. The mosque also has three huge bulbous domes, an impressive main hallway with attractive pillars and marble flooring resembling Mughal architecture the likes of Jama Masjid in Delhi and the huge Badshahi Mosque of Lahore. It has a courtyard with a large tank in the centre. It has a double-storeyed gateway with four recessed archways and nine cusped multifold openings in the main prayer hall.

9.  Badshahi Mosque of Lahore – Pakistan

The Badshahi Mosque or the ‘Royal Mosque’ in Lahore, commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and completed in 1673, is the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world. Epitomising the beauty, passion and grandeur of the Mughal era, it is Lahore’s most famous landmark and a major tourist attraction. Capable of accommodating 55,000 worshippers in its main prayer hall and a further 95,000 in its courtyard and porticoes, it remained the largest mosque in the world from 1673 to 1986 (a period of 313 years).

10.  Sultan Mosque, Singapore

Sultan Mosque, located at Muscat Street and North Bridge Road in Kampong Glam Rochor District in Singapore is still considered one of the most important mosque in Singapore. Sultan mosque has stayed essentially unchanged since it was built, only with improvements made to the main hall in 1960 and annex added in 1993. It set as a national monument on March 14th 1975.

TOP 25 PLACES TO VISIT IN PAKISTAN

The motive to introduce these places through Listedium is to change the perspective of the people who think Pakistan is a dangerous place to live in. When I was coming back to Pakistan from Spain, I invited my professor to visit Pakistan someday. And what he replied was that he’s scared to come to Pakistan. Although, I tried my best to entice him by telling the Euro to Pakistani Rupee conversion rate and the fact that he’ll find things much cheaper here. But even then, he was scared and too reluctant to visit. So may be, this is also one such attempt to show people what Pakistan is all about. =)

25)      Khyber Pass

Khyber pass is a passage connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan. Its starting point is Peshawar, Pakistan and it ends up opening in Kabul, Afghanistan.  Cutting through the Hindukush mountains, this passage is of main importance because of trading purposes.

24)  Jinnah Mausoleum

Jinnah Mausoleum or Mazar e Quaid is a memorial and resting place for the founder of Pakistan,  Quaid e Azam (Father of the Nation) Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The mausoleum was fully consutrcted in 1960s and is situated in Karachi. After every 20 minutes there is a ceremonial position shift of the honor guard, and every 4 hours changing of the guard. This is a must see if you are into military formalities. The mausoleum houses a museum too, where different artifacts such as bedroom furniture, guns, swords, pens, etc are found.

23)  Minar e Pakistan (Minaret of Pakistan)

Minar e Pakistan is a historical landmark that was built as a memorial for the Pakistan Resolution in 1968 in Lahore. The tall minaret stands to represent a mix of Mughal and modern architecture. This minaret is housed with an elevator to take the visitors up the 62 meter heighted tower. Views of the city Lahore can also be seen from the top.

22)  Port Fountain

Karachi has the third tallest fountain in the world. Situated next to the Oyster Rocks, Karachi harbor, this fountain raises water upto 620 ft.

21) Shah jahan Mosque

Shah Jahan Mosque is situated in Thatta and is considered as a master piece of Mughal architecture. The mosque was built in 1647 AD on the orders of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor. The mosque has 93 domes and 33 arches and no minarets.

The mosque has been designed with Turkish art work with beautiful mosaic tiles and floor work. The mosque is a worth visiting place in order to realize the design aesthetics of the Mughal Emperors.

20) Wagha Border

Wagha Border is the border between India and Pakistan connecting Lahore, Pakistan with Amritsar, India. This place is known for the Wagha Border Ceremony and should be visited before sunset as the ceremony starts at that time.

19) Karachi beach

Karachi is not only about tall buildings, market places, buzzing traffic horns… The densely populated city Karachi is blessed with a range of beach spots where people can go and enjoy a calm holiday. These places are an oasis of serenity amidst the bustling city.

Although these beaches have been well polluted by the industrial waste but still there are some virgin spots where people can enjoy and have a sense of calm. Some of the well known beach spots in Karachi are: Seaview, Cape Monze, Clifton Beach, French Beach, Gadani, Hawke’s Bay, Manora Island, Paradise Point and Sandspit Beach.

18) Makli Graveyard

Makli necropolis is one of the largest in the world. The graveyard is situated a few kilometers away from Thatta. It is believed to be the resting place of over 125,000 rulers and saints. This is one of the sites in the World Heritage list.

The major attractions of the site are the unique engraved inscriptions on the graves. It is one of the most stunning archaeological sites in Pakistan, covering an area of approximately 15 square kilometers.

17) Ziarat

Ziarat is the capital of Ziarat district in Balochistan. It is a very good family resort place and offers a number of tourist attractions such as the Juniper forest, Jinnah’s Ziarat residency and a small dam. Ziarat is famous for the variety of fruits mainly cherries and apples. A must visit place in summers as the weather becomes really pleasant.

16) Gwadar Bay

The newly constructed city Gwadar has the most speckles beaches in Pakistan. Attempts are underway to develop the city so that a large number of tourists are attracted. Gwadar bay is a haven for the beach lovers around.

15) Mohen jo daro

Mohen jo daro is a sindhi phrase that means Mound of the Dead. It is situated around 30 Kilometers from the city of Larkana. The site was discovered in 1922. It is an archeological site which has the honor of being one of the 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southern Asia. It is believed that Mohen Jo Daro was constructed back in 2600 BC and was one of the major urban sites in that period.

http://www.mohenjodaro.net is a website containing all the necessary information.

14) Badshahi Mosque

Situated in the city of Lahore, Badhshahi Mosque was built in 1673. Badshahi mosque has had the honor of being the world’s largest Mosque from 1673 to 1986. Badshahi mosque has not made it to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites but has been included in the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

This extravagant structure stands firm in the hustling and bustling city of Lahore. This site provides the visitors with a sense of calmness and tranquility. The view of the mosque can be enjoyed from the surrounding restaurants.

13) Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort, also called “Shahi Qila” is a fort in the historical city of Lahore. The Fort is connected with the Badshahi mosque through Alamgiri Gate. The fort was built during the reign of Akbar in 1605. The design of the fort is a pristine depiction of the Muslim architecture. It also contains Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Naulakha Pavillion, Diwan e Khaas, Diwan e Aam and many other places to visit inside the fort.

12) Mall Road

Mall road, Murree is a haven for all the shopping maniacs. From jewellery to bags, clothes to shoes, everything is available in a very low price. You’ll find the cheapest stuff here. Good bargainers can bargain upto half of the original price. A must visit place if you have to buy gifts for family and friends.

11) Hanna Lake

Hanna Lake is an alluring picnic place, situated near the city of Quetta. The lake has a vast variety of eye catching sights. The lake’s water is turquoise in color which gives a good contrast with the mountainous range around. You can take a boat ride or sit in the lake side restaurant and sip chai and enjoy the scenery.

A must visit place if you go to Quetta. This is the one of the biggest and most accessible tourist place in Balochistan.

10) Rani Kot Fort

Although neglected, Rani Kot holds the title for being the largest fort of the world, with a circumference of about 26 Kilometers. It is situated 90 kilometers from Hyderabad. It is a nomination for the World Heritage site list. The history for the site is unknown.

9) Khewra Salt Mine

World’s second largest salt mine, located in Khewra. It is a major tourist attraction with around 250,000 tourists visiting the place every year. There’s a train that takes the visitors inside the mine. Inside the salt mine, there are a number of replicas made with salt bricks of major tourist attractions in Pakistan such as the Badhshahi Mosque, Minar e Pakistan, Mall road of Murree etc.

8) Port Grand

Port grand is a newly constructed complex that has integrated together food, fun, sightseeing and shopping. This complex is situated in the biggest port city of Pakistan, Karachi. The complex depicts an overall atmosphere of modernism along with serenity. Port grand has been a blessing for the people of city of lights; Karachi. Port grand has been dedicated to building an open eco-friendly environment, with special focus on regeneration.

7) Hingol National Park

The largest national park in Pakistan, located in the Makran coast in Balochistan. This national park covers part of the three districts of Balochistan namely: Gwadar, Lasbela and Awaran. Balochistan has a number of mud volcanoes and this park has a few of them.  This park also covers a large area where the Hingol river can be seen and thus this park supports a significant diversity of bird and fish. Hingol National Park is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles and 185 species of birds. Some 250 plant species were recorded in the initial surveys including 7 yet undescribed species. [source: Wikipedia]

6) Pir Sohawa

Pir Sohawa is the most visited place in Islamabad. It is located at an elevation of 5000 ft. It is located in a picturesque valley giving an excellent sight of the capital city. The place has a number of restaurants, where visitors can enjoy the food and the view along. This place will provide the visitors a view of the urban city on one side and as they turn their head on the other side, they’ll have a scenic view of the jungles and trees on Margalla hills.

5) Attabad Lake

Also known as the Hunza Lake, situated in the Hunza Valley was created as a result of the landslides in January 2010.  It is one of the biggest artificially created lakes of Pakistan.

4) Gorakh Hill Station

Gorakh is a hill station situation in the Dadu district in the province of Sindh. Situated at a height of 1,734 meters, is the only hill station in the province of Sindh. This is a hill station which is being developed at the moment. Though visits are possible but there is a need of proper hotels / motels in the area. This is the only place where it snows in winters.

3) Muzaffarabad

Muzaffarabad is the capital of Azad Kashmir. The city lies in the North of Pakistan. Apart from the promising sceneries and beautiful valleys, the city is home to two historical forts: the Red Fort (also known as the Chak Fort) and the Black Fort.

People from the South visit Muzaffarabad in summers to escape away from the heat and enjoy the pleasant weather.

2) Lake Saif ul Malook

Lake Saif Ul Malook is quoted as “Heaven on Earth” by the people who visit this magical place. It is located in the Kaghan Valley near the city of Naran. It is known to be one of the highest situated lakes in Pakistan.

Visitors can reach the place by jeeps in summer season, however due to intense snow falls in winters; this place can only be reached through 3-4 hours of trekking.

1) Concordia

The most beautiful place on Earth, Concordia, heart of the Karakoram range in Pakistan. Concordia is home to four of the world’s fourteen ‘Eight-Thousanders’. It is the best place for mountain hikers. The place is considered to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The sight provides breathtaking views of a number of notable peaks of Pakistan, such as the Godwin Austin, Gasherburn I, Broad Peak and others.