Pakistan: Archaeology, Mughal Art and the Karakoram

Pakistan brings together very different travel interests: archaeological settlements and historic buildings sit alongside mountaineering in the Karakoram. The sites also vary in scale—from an extensive series of archaeological sites and an ancient urban settlement to a large-scale fort or a single mountain. This makes it possible to plan your trip around the subjects that interest you most.

Archaeological sites and early settlements

Taxila in Punjab Province is not a single ruin, but an extensive series of archaeological sites. It includes a Mesolithic cave, the remains of four early settlements, Buddhist monasteries, as well as a mosque and a madrasa. The range of components makes Taxila a place where different forms of settlement and religious architecture come together. The focus, then, is not just on a single monument, but on the diversity of the site complex.

Moenjodaro offers a different perspective on the country's history. The ruins lie on the right bank of the Indus, in Larkana District in Sindh Province, 510 kilometres northeast of Karachi and 28 kilometres from Larkana. Moenjodaro dates from the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC and is one of the best-preserved urban settlements in South Asia. While Taxila is defined by the variety of its archaeological components, Moenjodaro focuses attention on a single urban settlement.

Forts and Mughal art

Rohtas Fort was built in the 16th century at a strategic location in northern Punjab Province, Pakistan. Its main fortification comprises massive walls more than four kilometres in circumference, 68 bastions and twelve monumental gates. These dimensions convey the scale of the complex and make Rohtas a striking example of fortification. Those interested in defensive structures will find a different architectural focus here than at the settlement ruins of Taxila and Moenjodaro.

Lahore is home to two royal complexes: Lahore Fort and the Shalimar Gardens. They are seven kilometres apart and are considered outstanding examples of Mughal art from the 16th and 17th centuries. Their shared artistic classification connects them thematically; at the same time, they are two distinct complexes in Lahore.

Altit Fort in the Hunza Valley in Gilgit-Baltistan is another example of regional architecture. The fort is estimated to be more than 900 years old and was originally built by the rulers of Hunza from the Mir family. As an outstanding example of traditional Hunza architecture, it is made from a combination of stone and wood. Its style, materials and recorded building history give the site its own architectural character.

The Karakoram and K2

K2 lies in the remote Karakoram in northern Pakistan. It is considered one of the most challenging and dangerous mountains to climb. K2 therefore offers a very different focus from the historic sites: here, mountaineering takes centre stage, while Taxila, Moenjodaro, Rohtas Fort, Lahore and Altit Fort are each defined by archaeological or architectural features.

Buddhist ruins of Takht-i-Bahi

The Buddhist ruins of Takht-i-Bahi lie in Pakistan's Gandhara region. The architectural complex includes a main stupa court, a court with votive stupas and a group of three stupas. It also includes a monastic quadrangle with meditation cells, a conference hall, covered stairways and other secular buildings. These different components give an understanding of Takht-i-Bahi as a monastery complex: in addition to the stupas, the overall site includes spaces for monastic life and other buildings. In its described layout, this distinguishes the site both from a single fort and from an urban settlement.

Discover more destinations: Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, Hunza, Muzaffarabad, Nātho Khān Khoso, Rāwala Kot, Skārdu, Islamabad Capital Territory.

For the overarching travel overview: Asia.