Tour Pakistan: September 2011

Friday, 16 September 2011

Badshahi Mosque

The Badshahi Mosque or the 'King's 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. Epitomizing the beauty, passion and grandeur of the Mughal era, it is Lahore's most famous landmark and a major tourist attraction.

Capable of accommodating 5,000 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), when overtaken in size by the completion of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. Today, it remains the second largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world after the Masjid al- Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al -Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

To appreciate its large size, the four minarets of the Badshahi Mosque are 13.9 ft (4.2 m) taller than those of the Taj Mahal and the main platform of the Taj Mahal can fit inside the 278,784 sq ft (25,899.9 m²) courtyard of the Badshahi Mosque, which is the largest mosque courtyard in the world.

In 1993, the Government of Pakistan recommended the inclusion of the Badshahi Mosque as a World Heritage Site in UNESCO's World Heritage List, where it has been included in Pakistan's Tentative List for possible nomination to the World Heritage List by UNESCO.

Minar-e-Pakistan

Minar-e-Pakistan is a tall minaret in Iqbal Park Lahore, built in commemoration of the Pakistan Resolution. The minaret reflects a blend of Mughal and modern architecture, and is constructed on the site where on March 23, 1940, seven years before the formation of Pakistan, the Muslim League passed the Pakistan Resolution (Qarardad-e-Pakistan), demanding the creation of Pakistan. This was the first official declaration to establish a separate homeland for the Muslims living in the Indian Subcontinent. Pakistan now celebrates this day as a national holiday each year.

The monument attracts visitors from all over Pakistan, as well as the inhabitants of the Walled City of Lahore. The large public space around the monument is commonly used for political and public meetings, whereas Iqbal Park area is popular among kite-flyers.

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Lahore Zoo

Lahore Zoo in Lahore, Punjab,

Pakistan

, established in 1872, one of the largest zoos in South Asia. It is currently managed by the Wildlife and Parks department of the Government of Pakistan. Today the zoo houses a collection of about 1380 animals of 136 species. Lahore Zoo was the host of the fifth annual conference of SAZARC in 2004. The stated mission of the zoo is:

To carry out ex-situ conservation of species and to actively contribute to Pakistan’s International commitment in terms of the Convention on Biological Diversity in addition to provide excellent educational and recreational facilities.

Lahore Zoo is thought to be the third or fourth oldest zoo in the world. Vienna Zoo of Austria, established in 1752 as a menagerie, was opened to public as a zoo in 1779. London Zoo of England, established in 1828, was opened to public in 1847. The Alipore Zoo of

India

, established some time in the early 19th century, was opened to public as a zoo in 1876.

Shalimar Garden Lahore

The Shalimar Gardens, sometimes written Shalamar Gardens, is a Persian garden and it was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Lahore, modern day

Pakistan

. Construction began in 1641 CE (1051 AH) and was completed the following year. The project management was carried out under the superintendence of Khalilullah Khan, a noble of Shah Jahan's court, in cooperation with Ali Mardan Khan and Mulla Alaul Maulk Tuni. The Shalimar Gardens are located near Baghbanpura along the Grand Trunk Road some 5 kilometers northeast of the main Lahore city. There are five geographical sources of inspiration for Shalimar Gardens: Central Asia, Kashmir, West Punjab, Persia, and the Delhi Sultanate. They are not to be confused with the Shalimar Gardens (Jammu and Kashmir).

Lahore Fort

The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is Citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the Northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore. The trapezoidal composition is spread over 20 hectares.

Origins of the fort go as far back as antiquity, however, the existing base structure was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556–1605), who was a Secular Emperor of Hindustan (India) and was regularly upgraded by subsequent rulers, having thirteen gates in all. However, it is said to be built first in 800B.C. Thus the fort manifests the rich traditions of Mugal architecture. Some of the famous sites inside the fort include: Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Shalimar Gardens (Lahore).

Satpara Lake

Elevation 2636 Meters, 8650 Feets

Location Sakardu Valley, Gilgit Biltistan.

Description

Satpara Lake is located in Skardu Valley and is one of the largest fresh water lake in Pakistan. It supply water for the town of Skardu

Saturday, 10 September 2011

Saiful Muluk

Elevation

3,224 Meters, 10,578 Feets

Location

Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Description

The lake is located in the Northern end of Kahgan Valley. The lake has total surface area of over 2.5 square kilometer. The lake is famous for its fairy-tale of Suful Muluk.