7 Must-See Cultural Heritage Sites in Pakistan

What we now call Pakistan has sat at the crossroads of civilization since the dawn of civilization.

Connecting east and west. Connecting north and south. Connecting mountain and sea.

Empires have risen and crumbled. Belief systems have come and gone. Rulers, princes, and paupers have lived and died each leaving traces of their story - clues for the intrepid seeking a story of their own.

Explore some of Pakistan's most fascinating historical, religious, and palace sites that have been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. All of these locations are amazing relics of Pakistan's rich, varied past, and visiting them will provide a rich, cultural trip through its past.

Also read: National Heroes of Pakistan that created history

First of all, let's talk about cultural tourism before discussing world heritage sites in Pakistan.

What is cultural tourism?

Cultural tourism is defined as "movements of persons for essentially cultural motivations such as study tours, performing arts and cultural tours, travel to festivals and other cultural events, visits to sites and monuments, travel to study nature, folklore or art, and pilgrimages," by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

We broaden this term to include visitors taking part in cultural events, whether or not that is the main reason they are traveling.

Here are some cultural places to visit in Pakistan that tell the story of human civilization while offering you the adventure of a lifetime.

Mehrgarh
Mohenjo-Daro
Taxila
Takht-i-bahi
Katas Raj Temples
Lahore
Makli Necropolis

1- Mehrgarh

Near the mouth of the Bolan Pass, on the Kachi plain, are several small mounds that make up the Mehrgarh archaeological site. They are around 30 kilometers from the town of Sibi and are situated near to the Bolan River's west bank. The archaeological deposits, which cover about 250 hectares, are mostly deeply buried beneath alluvium buildups, yet in some places, 'in situ' buildings can be seen degrading on the surface.

The site's now visible excavated remains are made up of a collection of substantial compartmental mud-brick buildings. The purpose of these subdivided apartments, which were constructed using manually shaped plano-convex mud bricks, is unknown, however it is assumed that many were used for storage rather than residential purposes. Parts of the formal cemeteries found in Mounds, MR3 & MR1 have been excavated.

The mountains may dominate the landscape of Pakistan, but the culture started in the plains and valleys below. 9,000 years ago the neolithic village of Mehrgahr was founded. Today the archeological sites at Mehrgarh are hailed as the earliest evidence of agriculture, farming, and herding in Southern Asia.

Over 11 meters deep and spanning the seventh to third millennia BC, the archaeological sequence at the Mehrgarh site. The location exemplifies a traditional archaeological tell site, which is an artifactual mound made of successively piled mudbrick buildings. The timeline that its excavators have suggested is as follows:

IA Aceramic Neolithic c.6500-6000 BC Mound MR3
IB Ceramic Neolithic c.6000-5500 BC Mound MR3
II - c.5500-4500 BC Mound MR4
III Early Chalcolithic c.4500-3500 BC Mound MR2
IV-VII Chalcolithic c.3500-2500 BC Mound MR1

2- Mohenjo-Daro

Mohenjo-daro, often spelled Mohenjodaro or Mohenjo Daro, is a collection of mounds and ruins located in northern Sindh province, southern Pakistan, on the right bank of the Indus River. It is located about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Sukkur on the level Indus alluvial plain. One of the two major centers of the ancient Indus civilization (c. 2500-1700 BCE) is still visible at the site; the other being Harappa, some 640 kilometers (400 miles) to the northwest in Pakistan's Punjab state.

In 1922, the year Harappa was discovered, the site's significance as an archaeological site was first acknowledged. The mounds are home to the ruins of the greatest city the Indus civilization ever had, according to later investigations. The city is typically recognized as the capital of a large state due to its size—about 3 miles (5 km) in circumference—and the comparative wealth of its monuments and their contents.

However, it is unclear how it related to Harappa, including whether the two cities were rival centers or whether one city came after the other. In 1980, Mohenjo-daro received the designation of UNESCO world heritage sites pakistan.

By 5,000 years ago, agriculture had spread across the region and was thriving in the Indus River Valley home to the archeological site of Mohenjo-Daro, which loosely translates to Mounds of the Dead Men. We may not know the true name of this early empire; only one-third of the site has been excavated to date. We do know, however, that it represents one of the earliest, largest, and most urbanized civilizations in Southern Asia.

Also read: Visit-Worthy Places in Sindh

3- Taxila

A Mesolithic cave, the remnants of four ancient settlements, Buddhist monasteries, a Muslim mosque, and a madrassa can all be found at Taxila, a massive complex of sites in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Taxila reached its zenith during the first and fifth centuries, when it was strategically located on a section of the Silk Road connecting China to the West. It is currently one of Asia's most significant archaeological sites. The ruins of the four settlement sites at Taxila show how urban development has changed over more than five centuries on the Indian subcontinent.

A brief one-hour car ride from the modern capital of Islamabad, travelers can explore the ancient ruins of Taxila, one of the earliest Buddhist settlements in the region, and what many scholars believe to be one of the world's first universities.

Dating back thousands of years, Taxila was occupied by Alexander the Great and subsequently changed hands multiple times over the millennia. The area remains to be of significance in the Buddhist, Hindu, Jain traditions and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site attracting upwards of a million pilgrims and tourists a year.

4- Takht-i-bahi

The beautiful Mardan, located in the Valley of Peshawar, was once the center of the entire Buddhist world and is now home to the most well preserved Buddhist monastery in Pakistan, Takht-i-bahi - the Spring Throne or the Throne of Origin.

The Buddhist monastery was founded in the 1st century CE and was in use until the 7th century. The complex is regarded by archaeologists as being particularly representative of the architecture of Buddhist monastic centers from its era. Takht-i-Bahi was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

One of the most impressive examples of Buddhist architecture may be seen in Pakistan's Gandhara region at the Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighboring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol. The inscribed property is made up of two separate parts that are both from the same time period.

The Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi (Throne of Origins) are a monastic complex that was established in the first century A.D. They are magnificently situated on a number of hilltops that range in height from 36.6 meters to 152.4 meters, which is characteristic for Buddhist ruins. The complexes take up about 33 hectares of space.

Also read: Beautiful Places in KPK

5- Katas Raj Temples

The Hindu Shahi (kings) who reigned between around 615 and 950 CE are credited with building the Lord Shiva-dedicated Katas Raj Temples in the Punjab state of Pakistan, which are located close to Chakwal. They are one of the most significant Hindu pilgrimage destinations in Pakistan as a result, and both local Pakistani Hindus and those who travel there annually from overseas continue to use them today.

In the Punjab province, the Katas Raj Temple complex surrounds a holy water pond said to spring from the teardrops of the deity Shiva as he wandered the earth desolate after the death of his beloved. The Hindu deity Krishna is said to have laid the foundation of the temple. Hindu pilgrims from India compete every year for the few visas available allowing visitation to this holiest of sites.

Also read: Best Places to visit in Punjab

6- Lahore

With a population of 11 million, Lahore is a thriving metropolis with a wide range of cultural experiences. Lahore flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries under the rule of the Mughal empire. Some of today's most popular cultural heritage of Pakistan sites were built during this era. The stunningly beautiful Shalamar Gardens and the Lahore Fort with its iconic Alamgiri Gate have both been proclaimed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Visitors to Lahore will see many of the most awe-inspiring mosques ever built including the Wazir Khan Mosque and the Badshahi Mosque which reigned as the largest mosque in the world for over three centuries.

7- Makli Necropolis

In the southern Pakistani province of Sindh, close to the Indus River's delta, there is a massive cemetery with 500,000 graves and tombs spread across an area of around 10 km2. The necropolis of Makli, which is massed at the edge of the 6.5 km-long plateau of Makli Hill and was connected to the nearby city of Thatta, which was once a metropolis and center of Islamic culture, bears exceptional witness to Sindh's civilisation from the 14th to the 18th centuries.

There may be no better place to reflect upon the ebb and flow of cultural empires through Pakistan than the Makli Necropolis, situated roughly 100 kilometers east of Karachi. Occupying over 10 square kilometers, Makli Necropolis is home to as many as one million tombs. The largest and most elaborate of which have been lauded as a testament to the Sindhi culture melding Muslim, Hindu, Persian, Mughal, and Gujarati influences.

Tentative List of Cultural Heritage Sites in Pakistan

As of right now, Pakistan has proposed more additional cultural heritage in Pakistan and historical sites for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The list of historical locations in Pakistan that are being considered is as follows:

Badshahi Mosque, Lahore
Wazir Khan's Mosque, Lahore
Tombs of Jahangir, Asif Khan and Akbari Sarai, Lahore
Hiran Minar, Sheikhupura
Rohtas Fort
Rani Kot Fort, Dadu
Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta
Chaukhandi Tombs, Karachi
Baltit Fort, Hunza Valley
Tomb of Bibi Jawindi, Baha'al-Halim and the Tomb and Mosque of Jalaluddin Bukhari
Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Multan

Along with the archaeological sites of Harappa, Mehrgarh, Rehman Dheri, and Ranigat, other historical sites include the Port of Banbhore, Derawar, and the Desert Forts of Cholistan. Hingol Cultural Landscape, Karez System Cultural Landscape, Nagarparkar Cultural Landscape, Central Karakoram National Park, Deosai National Park, Ziarat Juniper Forest, and the well-known Khewra Salt Mine have also received nominations from the nation. Additionally, the Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra Rock Edicts are being taken into consideration.

The Bottom Line

So, this was our article on Cultural Heritage Sites in Pakistan. If you love history and want to explore more ancient sites, book your trip to Pakistan with Manaky now! We will make sure to get you the best trip of your life.