Islamabad Pakistan,s capital nestles against the backdrop of the Margalla hills,the foothills of the Himalayas.modern,spacious and carefully planned Islamabad is a city of wide, tree-lined streets, large houses, elegant public buildings and well-organized shopping malls, traffic jams and crowds seldom occur, and narrow lanes and slums are few and far between sidewalks are shaded and safe behind rows of flame trees jacaranda, hibiscus,roses and jasmine at full bloom present the city to its best.
This beautiful city offers some of the lovely places like Lok virsa museum and Faisal mosque which is one of the biggest mosques in the world.it also has a natural history museum, and eye-catching spots kike Daman-e-koh, Japanese garden, Shakarparian and Rawal dam, Islamabad, being the federal capital, is also the custodian of the parliament house, presidency and all the foreign embassies.
Islamabad Tourist attractions
- Shah Faisal mosque
- Pir Sohava
- Daman-e-koh
- Lok virsa Museum
- Pakistan monument
- Golra sharif Railway station
- Rawalpindi Raja bazaar
Faisal Mosque
Faisal Mosque is the mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan. Located on the foothills of Margalla Hills in Islamabad, the mosque features a contemporary design consisting of eight sides of concrete shell and is inspired by a Bedouin tent. The mosque is a major tourist attraction, and is referred as a contemporary and influential feature of Islamic architecture.
Construction of the mosque began in 1976 after a $120 million grant from Saudi King Faisal, whose name the mosque bears. The unconventional design by Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay was selected after an international competition. Without a typical dome, the mosque is shaped like a Bedouin tent, surrounded by four 260 feet (79 m) tall minarets. The design features eight-sided shell shaped sloping roofs forming a triangular worship hall which can hold 100,000 worshippers, while the surrounding porticoes and the courtyard up-to 200,000 more.
Combined the structure cover an area of 54,000 square ft, the mosque dominates the landscape of Islamabad. It is situated at the north end of Faisal Avenue, putting it at the northernmost end of the city and at the foot of Margalla Hills, the westernmost foothills of the Himalayas. It is located on an elevated area of land against a picturesque backdrop of the national park. The largest mosque in Pakistan, the Faisal Mosque was the largest mosque in the world from 1986 until 1993, when it was overtaken by mosques in MENA region. Faisal Mosque is now the fourth largest mosque in terms of capacity.
Lok Virsa (Heritage Museum)
Lok Virsa (Heritage Museum) is situated in Islamabad, Pakistan. It displays the cultural heritage of Pakistani people. The living style of the different areas of Pakistan is exhibited here in statues, pictures, pottery, music and textile work. Lok Virsa is the finest cultural museum in Pakistan.
The Heritage Museum also known as the Folk Heritage Museum run by the National Institute of Folk & Traditional Heritage represents art works towards preserving the living folk and traditional culture and crafts of Pakistan. It is located near Shakarparian Hills and has a large display of embroidered costumes, jewelry, woodwork, metalwork, block printing, ivory and bone work. Traditional architecture facades exhibiting such skills as fresco, mirror work and marble inlay; tile, mosaic and stucco tracery are also displayed.
Adjacent to the Lok Virsa Museum, the Lok Virsa Heritage Reference Library is well equipped with resource data on ethnography, anthropology, folk music, art, history and crafts. Books on culture, heritage, audio and video-cassettes of folk and classical vocal and instrumental music are available for sale at Lok Virsa’s sales centre.
Taxila
Taxila is one of subcontinent’s archaeological treasures and was once an important city of kingdom of Gandhara. The ruins of Taxila, scattered about 30kms away from Rawalpindi, represent one of the most important archaeological sites in Pakistan. The history of Taxila spans over 1000years ( around 500 BC to 500 AD ), evolving and changing over the centuries as it absorbed the influences of various conquering empires, Taxila had been the site of the best-known university in the subcontinent, which offered courses in law, history, medicine, arts, etc.
The various sites at Taxila, spread over a large era, include: Bhir mound the oldest city of Taxila, Dharmarajika Buddhist Stupa and Monastery, Sirsukh city, Jaulian Buddhist monastery, etc. The Taxila museum is noted for its magnificent collection of Gandharan art- a rare blend of Greek and Buddhist art, it also housed an interesting coin- collection, utensils, jewelry, toys and pottery highlighting the daily life of the inhabitants of ancient Taxila.
Golra Sharif Railway Museum
Golra Sharif Railway Museum, also known as Pakistan Railways Heritage Museum, is a Railway Museum located near the Sector E-11 of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. It is a junction station in Rawalpindi Division of the Pakistan Railways, located at 1,994 feet above sea level, in the southeast of the Margalla Hills and east of the cradle of Gandhara civilization, the ancient city of Taxila.This railway station is the site of a venerated Railway Museum housing the relics and memorabilia associated with railways dating back to the days of the British Raj. The Railways station with its museum is a major attraction for tourists and locals alike and is becoming a major attraction for railway enthusiasts.
Raja Bazar
Without doubt, Bazar enthusiasts will enjoy walking through Rawalpindi’s labyrinthine community regarding lanes buying mementos and curios. But people, on the lookout for distinct goods, may find it more fun and fewer stress to look at combined somebody that is aware of just how and also the store. Today we are going to take you to the oldest and historical area of the Rawalpindi city, Raja Bazar. The most famous place of the Raja Bazar is Savour Foods which exists on the college road.
Day excursion from Islamabad
Takht Bhai – UNESCO Heritage Site
Takht Bhai is a Parthian archaeological site in Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It was first a Zoroastrian complex which, after the later arrival of Buddhism, was then converted into a Buddhist monastic complex. It is dated to the 1st century BCE. The complex is regarded by archaeologists as being particularly representative of the architecture of Buddhist monastic centers from its era. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.
Rohtas Fort – UNESCO Heritage Site
Rohtas Fort is a 16th century fortress located near the city of Jhelum in the Pakistani province of Punjab. The fortress was built during the reign of the Pashtun king Sher Shah Suri between 1541 and 1548 in order to help subdue the rebellious tribes of the Potohar region of northern Punjab that were loyal to the Mughal crown. The fort is one of the largest and most formidable in the subcontinent. Rohtas Fort was never stormed by force, and has survived remarkably intact.The fort is known for its large defensive walls, and several monumental gateways. Rohtas Fort was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 for being an “exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of central and South Asia.”
Murree Hill station Tour
Murree is a hill station, summer resort and the administrative center of Murree Tehsil, Pakistan, which is a subdivision of Rawalpindi District and includes the Murree Hills. It is located in the Pir Panjal Range, some 60 km northeast of Islamabad and Rawalpindi via the Benazir Bhutto Road. Murree was the summer capital of the British Raj in the Punjab Province until 1864. The city is a popular tourist destination located on the southern slopes of the Western Himalayan foothills as they ascend northeastwards; at an average altitude of 2,291 meters, it experiences pleasant summers and cold, snowy winters. The city is noted for its Tudorbethan and neo-gothic architecture dating from the colonial era.
Khewra Salt Mines Tour
Khewra Salt Mines are situated in the foothills of the Salt Range Jhelum District, at about 160 kilometers from Islamabad and 260 kilometers from Lahore. It catches the attention of up to 40,000 visitors per annul and is the second largest salt mine in the world. Khewra Salt Mines are the oldest in the South Asia.
According to historians, Salt has been mined at Khewra since 320 BC following the discovery by Alexander’s troops, in an secretive region of about 110 square kilometers. Dr. Warth in 1872 had developed the main tunnel at ground level and that main tunnel has since been transformed into a tourist resort. Khewra salt mine has estimated total of 220 million tons of rock salt deposits. The current production from the mine is 465,000 tons salt per annul.
The mine-head buildings have 19 stories, with 11 below ground. Only 50% salt is mined and 50% is left as pillars to sustain the mountain. The salt-mine is 945 feet above sea level and extends around 2,400 feet inside the mountains from the mine entrance. The collective length of all tunnels is more than 40 kilometers. Salt occurs in a Precambrian deposit in the form of an irregular dome-like structure. Salt is transparent, white, pink, reddish to beef-color red. There are beautiful alternate bands of red and white color salt.
Peshawar City Tours
Peshawar capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa oozes more romance than any city in Pakistan, except possible Lahore. At the east end of the legendary Khyber Pass, this rough edged trading town has been taken and retaken for 2000 years. The meeting place of the subcontinent and central Asia; it is also a place where Ancient traditions rub against those of today, where the bazaar in the old city has changed little in the past hundred years. Peshawar Museum, elegant Mahabat Khan Mosque, Islamic college and Qissa Khawani bazaar are worth visiting places in Peshawar.
