Table of Contents
History of Islamabad:
Islamabad is Capital of Pakistan, Its situated on the Potohar Plateau in the northwest of the nation. This location has historically been crucial as a junction between Rawalpindi and the Northwest Frontier Province. The city was built in 1960 to replace Karachi, which had served as Pakistan’s capital since 1963. Islamabad and Rawalpindi are called twin cities because of their proximity. Famous Places in Islamabad for tourist.Famous Places in Islamabad
In 1958, a commission was established with the purpose of finding a suitable location for the new capital, with a focus on location, climate, logistical and defense needs, aesthetics, and scenic and natural beauty. So Govt. Select this Current location for Capital of Pakistan. It was implemented following the National Cabinet’s final decision.in this article you read short intro about Famous Places in Islamabad .
Who is Architect Designer of Islamabad?
Doxiadis Associates, a Greek Designer, master plan of Islamabad is designed a grid-based master plan with the Margallah Hills to the north. one of the most beautiful capitral in the world. In the long run, Islamabad was supposed to completely encircle Rawalpindi, reaching west of the old Grand Trunk Road.
At the northern edge of the Potohar Plateau, Islamabad is nestled against the Margallah Hills. It has a healthy climate with little pollution, plenty of water, and abundant greenery. It is a contemporary metropolis with large streets and avenues, magnificent public buildings, and well-organized bazaars, marketplaces, and retail malls.
Administrative, diplomatic enclave, residential areas, educational sectors, industrial sectors, commercial areas, rural and green regions are the eight fundamental zones that make up the city.
Islamabad, in comparison to other cities in Pakistan, is a clean, big, and calm metropolis with plenty of greenery. The city’s location has a long history in Asia, dating back to the first human settlements. The Margalla Hills are located to the north of the city.
The pulsing rhythm of Pakistan today is Islamabad, echoing with the energy and power of a thriving, developing nation. It is a metropolis that embodies the goals and dreams of a young and vibrant nation, as well as the values and codes of the generation that has brought it to this point. It is a city that embraces and promotes new ideas while still acknowledging and valuing its traditional values and rich heritage. If you want peaceful environment then Islamabad perfect for you.
If you are plan to visit in Islamabad/Rawalpindi then you must visit following places:
Famous Places In Islamabad
Pakistan Monument
Shakar Parian National Park, Islamabad, Pakistan:
Faisal Mosque
Bari Imam Shrine
Bari Imam Shrine
Saudi Pak Tower Building
Memorial to Sir Syed
Fatima Church
Golrah Shrine
Lal Masjid
Supreme Court of Pakistan
St. Thomas Church
Jinnah Super Market
Centaurs Mall
Giga Mall
F9 Park Islamabad
Lok Virsa
Convocation Center
Shah Allah Dita Caves
Rawal Lake
Jinah Park Rawalpindi
Pakistan Monument
The Pakistan Monument, which was dedicated on March 23, 2007, in Islamabad as a national monument commemorating the country’s history, is rich in cultural allusions.
To depict the four provinces and three regions that Pakistan is divided into, architect Arif Masood drew inspiration from the image of a blooming flower. The building is made up of four larger ‘petals’ (provinces) interspersed with three small pieces (territories), all of which are made of granite and have paintings on the inside.
When viewed from above, the monument resembles Pakistan’s national flag’s 5 star. A silver crescent is etched with lines from Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Indian poet Muhammad Iqbal underneath the petals.
Shakar Parian National Park
Shakarparian Hills Islamabad, also known as Shakarparian National Park, is a popular tourist attraction in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is located near the Zero Point Interchange on Garden Avenue. It was constructed in the early 1960s and approved by President Muhammad Ayub Khan on May 24, 1960. It covered a 1,998-foot-high region.
Whilst we discuss the key elements of Shakarparian Park, each of them is noteworthy. Similarly, that park has certain distinguishing characteristics from others; for those people who enjoy quiet and peaceful areas surrounded by lush vegetation and a wide variety of imported flowers, that location is akin to heaven. Shakarparian Park is a family-friendly location where you can discover a variety of facilities that provide comfort in a professional manner.
Furthermore, tourists can clearly see the noteworthy sites Margalla Hills and Rawal Lake from the summit of the Shakarparian Hills, and the Islamabad city view is spectacular, especially at night. The Pakistan Monument Museum in Islamabad, on the other hand, is likewise set among the Shakarparian hills, which has increased its appeal to people of all ages.
Faisal Mosque
Many people were surprised when Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay’s design for the Faisal Mosque was chosen. The idea stood apart from conventional mosque design because it had modern, sleek lines and, most importantly, no dome.
Work on the project began in 1976 and was finished ten years later. Most of the criticism had fallen in face of the enormous, mesmerising structure that now stands at the foot of the Margalla Hills and overlooks Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital city.
The mosque is named after Saudi King Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz, who proposed and primarily funded the construction of a national Pakistani mosque. With a capacity of 100,000 worshipers, the 5,000-square-meter prayer hall is an eight-sided concrete building inspired by Bedouin tents.
Bari Imam Shrine
Bari Imam is a shrine and a popular destination for millions of Silsila Qadria followers in Pakistan. It is a shrine dedicated to the muslim sufi and saint “Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif,” also known as “Bari Imam,” “Bari Sarkar,” “Sarkar Bari,” and “Imam Bari.” Sufism is a kind of Islamic mysticism that promotes spiritualism and self-control.
The shrine of Hazrat Bari Imam Sarkar is in Nurpur Shahan, popularly known as Bari Imam or Imam Bari Sarkar, a tiny hamlet in Islamabad. Nurpur Village is in the beautiful green Margalla Hills, close beyond Islamabad’s famed D Chowk. It is around a 12-kilometer trip from Zero Point Islamabad, which takes approximately 22 minutes. It is around 7 kilometres from Blue Area Islamabad, which is approximately 16 minutes away by car. Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb established the Shrine of Bari Imam Sarkar in the 17th century. It was then refurbished during the British rule period. The shrine has been refurbished several times since then. It was recently refurbished by the Pakistani government.
The shrine is now more spacious because of recent improvements. As a result, the largest possible number of people may be accommodated in the region. Both male and female devotees have separate entrances.
Saudi Pak Tower Building
Saudi Park Tower is one of Islamabad’s most magnificent structures. It is a true representation of Islamic architecture and houses key offices for Saudi Pak and other global corporations. Although you cannot readily enter the building due to rigorous security measures, you may always take in the sights while roaming about Blue Area.
Golrah Shrine
Golra Sharif is a township in Pakistan’s Islamabad Capital Territory, in the Margalla Hills, at roughly 520 metres (1,710 feet) above sea level and 17 kilometres (11 miles) from the historic city of Taxila. The Mausoleum of Meher Ali Shah, Golra Sharif, holds great significance for the inhabitants of the Pothohar Plateau, and hundreds of people visit each year to pay their respects to the Pir Meher Ali Shah.
Prior to the emergence of Hazrat’s forefathers, Golra Sharif was merely a little village called golra in the Rawalpindi suburbs, owned by Abdullah and Khair Muhammad golra. In terms of geography, Golra Sharif is equally crucial. The immense swaths of land that make up the Margalla Hills and their surrounding plains have seen a lot of history. The area stretching from Hasan Abdal to the Taxila district, a 2000-year-old community, is home to a rich pre-Islamic cultural history. The archaeological ruins that dot the area now provide evidence of the Buddhist era’s magnificent cultural and religious traditions. Experts agree that it was here that Greek knowledge and Indian civilization collided, resulting in a synthesis that affected civilizations and creative movements across the world. Many foreign invaders, including Greeks, Persians, Afghans, White Huns, Mughals, Sikhs, and British, conquered it over time.
It was a time of immense political turmoil and insecurity. Marauding tribes, for example, were addicted to violent crime and internecine violence. On the highways south of the Margalla Pass, they imposed a blackmail charge. On Golra Road in Golra Sharif town lies Golra Sharif Railway Station. During the British control, the station was founded in 1882. It connects Peshawar, Kohat, Havelian, and Multan via Pakistan Railways. Because of the Railways Heritage Museum, it is gaining in popularity. The Mausoleum of Meher Ali Shah is a Sufi shrine from the twentieth century that houses the burial of Peer Meher Ali Shah, a Sufi scholar from the early twentieth century. The shrine lies in Islamabad’s Capital Territory.
It is in the Margalla Hills in Pakistan’s Islamabad Capital Territory, at an elevation of 520 metres (1,710 feet), 17 kilometres (11 miles) from Taxila.
Babuji succeeded Peer Mehr Ali Shah when he died on May 11, 1937. It took approximately two decades to finish the mausoleum’s construction. Marble was sourced from the Makrana mines in the state of Jodhpur for this project.
Lal Masjid
One of the oldest mosques in the capital, the Red Mosque, is located on Masjid Road. Maulana Qari Abdullah founded the Lal Masjid in 1965. The name Lal Masjid means “Crimson Mosque” in English, and it comes from the red hue of the mosque’s walls and interiors.
The Red Mosque was the largest in the capital before to the construction of Faisal Mosque. It is centrally located, near to the Aabpara Market in the east and the Melody Market in the north. According to CDA archives, it was erected. Its first imam was Maulana Muhammad Abdullah Ghazi.
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Pakistan’s Supreme Court is the country’s highest appellate court and last court of appeal. It is the law’s and the Constitution’s final arbitrator. All other courts in the country are bound by its orders and rulings. The Supreme Court must be supported by all executive and judicial authorities. The Court’s composition, jurisdiction, powers, and tasks are all detailed in the Constitution. Judges’ qualifications and manner of appointment, retirement age, grounds and procedure for removal, and terms and conditions of service are all detailed in the statute. In 1956, the Constitution established the Supreme Court. It was founded in 1948 to replace the Federal Court of India, which had been established in 1937. The Supreme Court’s name and authority have been preserved via various legislative documents, notably the Constitution of 1973, since its inception in 1956.
The Supreme Court is to sit in Karachi and at such other locations as the Chief Justice of Pakistan, with the agreement of the President, may decide. The Court was formerly located in Karachi but was subsequently relocated to Lahore and relocated to the High Court building. Islamabad was designated as the permanent seat of the Court in the 1973 Constitution. However, the lack of funding prevented the structure from being built. The Court relocated from Lahore to Rawalpindi in 1974 and was housed in an improvised structure known as East Pakistan House. The new structure in Islamabad was approved in 1989, and construction began in 1990. The construction was finished, and the Court relocated on December 31, 1993.
The Prime Minister’s Secretariat to the south and President’s House and the Parliament Building to the north border the Supreme Court building, which is located on Constitution Avenue.
Its Court Complex is divided into three sections: the Main Central Block the Judges’ Chambers Block, and the Administrative Blocks. The Main Central Block stands 167 feet tall. To the east, the Judges’ Chambers Block, and to the north and south, the Administrative Block. The Main Central Block houses the courtrooms. A total of 11 courtrooms are available.
This Courtroom hosts full Court References on various occasions, such as the beginning and end of judicial years, the retirement of a Judge, the death of a retired or current Judge, and so on. The remaining Courtrooms on the first level can accommodate a Bench of five to seven Judges. The ground-floor courtrooms are designed to accommodate Benches with fewer judges, generally two to three. The Court Auditorium, with an ornate dais, is in the basement of this structure. It can accommodate up to 1000 people. On the right and left sides of the theatre, large hallways serve as serving areas for the audience.
The Chief Justice, 20 Judges, and the Registrar all have chambers and offices in the Judges’ Chambers Block. The basement houses the library, which has a collection of 72,000 volumes, reports, and periodicals. The Entrance Hall, Conference Room, and Dining Hall (Judges’ Lounge) are all located in this Block. The administrative officers’ and other members of the Court’s personnel have offices in the two Administrative Blocks. The Supreme Court’s employees are housed in the northern Block.
The Attorney General of Pakistan, the Advocates-General of the Provinces, the Pakistan Bar Council, the Supreme Court Bar Association, the Bar Room, Secretariat, and the Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan are all located in the southern block. This Block also has a cafeteria on the ground floor.
The present structure covers 3,39,861 square feet. Additional blocks in Phase II with a total covered area of 1,34,000 S.ft are now being built. They are extensions of the administrative blocks, connecting them to the Judge’s Chambers Block at the back of the structure. Phase-II will bring the complex’s total covered space to 4,73,861 square feet. As a result, the Court’s and other bodies’ immediate demands for office space will be satisfied.
Who is Architect of Supreme Court of Pakistan Building?
M/S Kenzo Tange Associates, a well-known Japanese Aechitect, designed the structure. Consultants and interior designers were provided by Pakistan Environmental Planning and Architectural Consultants (PEPAC). M/S Moinsons (Pvt.) Ltd and M/S Siemens (Pvt.) Ltd oversaw the building’s civil and electrical work, respectively..
Sir Syed Memorial
The Memorial includes a magnificent hall where many clubs and organizations have their own gatherings. Religious, editorial, academic, musical, and other types of publications All performances are possible. The hall is rather large and can hold many people. The sole stipulation is that it be rented out.
Sir Syed Memorial is a well-guarded tourist attraction rather than a well-kept secret. It features magnificent murals and enormous paint canvases that depict the history of the Pakistan movement. A major draw for academics and others.
Unfortunately, even in Islamabad, few people are aware of its presence.
Fatima Church
It’s built in the heart of Islamabad, is a wonderfully modern structure a true architectural marvel. Its gaping triangular façade and undulating roof that undulates into sharper and taller triangle forms blends in beautifully with the Margalla Hills’ rising background. The continuous concrete between the tapering foundations and the soaring roof gives the impression that the structure was chiseled out of a massive concrete block like an art form.
Fatima Church is a symbol of simplicity and lacks decoration. And, although being almost three decades old, it appears to be brand new a trademark of modern architecture. The Church’s three-point geometry alludes to the Holy Trinity, displaying a Muslim architect’s thorough awareness of traditional church design and emblematic of a growing plurality.
St. Thomas Church
St Thomas Church, on Hospital Road G-7-2, is an attempt to develop a suitable architectural language for a church, designed in collaboration with local practice. The Mughal brickwork heritage is used as inspiration. A vast Hall rests beneath the church, accessible from the back of this steeply sloping site, and a two-story house sits to the side, separating the property into two exterior spaces. It is linked with the Anglican Diocese of Manchester and is part of the Anglican Communion.
A warm red brick edifice of an unknown age dates to the 1980s. Given the monolithic concrete structures adjacent, which appear to be neglected, it appears slightly out of place.
Jinnah Super Market
The wealthier inhabitants of Islamabad shop at the Jinnah Super Market. Traditional and modern Pakistani clothes for men and women, as well as home products, furniture, and decorations, are sold at the stores here.
Centaurus Mall
The Centaurus Islamabad is a multifunctional property investment building that offers Business Class individuals a cutting-edge environment and well-planned structure. Jinnah Avenue’s convenient position between Sector F 8 and Sector G 8 makes it excellent for commercial activity. It was inaugurated on February 17th, 2013, after work began in 2005. It has 200 meters in height, 350 rooms, and 250 businesses.
It is a three-tower structure built by WS Atkins, a British architectural firm. The Centaurus Shopping Mall, which includes 250 stores, connects all three buildings, while the state-of-the-art residential flats give the greatest living facilities to apartment dwellers. ODEION, a Turkish firm, developed the interior decorating of Mall and Residency. It is 6.59 acres in size.
Its Shopping Mall has five floors, and two residential buildings include apartments. The 7-star hotel also offers state-of-the-art and world-class amenities, as well as a dedicated parking space.
Giga Mall
WTC Islamabad was supposed to be a five-tower high-rise complex at first. The design was eventually revised to a Single Low Rise Tower. Atkins came up with the idea for the building design. Arch Vision Plus completed the full design and improved it subsequently. The WTC Islamabad project broke ground on January 21, 2008. Mazyood Giga International, IJM Golf Malaysia, and NESPAK formed a cooperative collaboration to complete the project. The building process was aided by the usage of prefabricated components under the direction of Structure Designer Mr. Orangzaib Alam Khan. It was finished in February 2015, and the Mall opened to the public the following year.
The Giga Mall Extension is a well-thought-out expansion that was created to meet our community’s growing demands.
The beautiful Jamia Masjid occupies the top two floors of the Giga Mall Extension, as well as the rooftop. This place of worship has the potential to become the world’s tallest Masjid while also providing a spiritual experience.
F9 Park Islamabad
The Park is a public recreational area located in Islamabad’s F-9 neighborhood. It was named after Miss Fatima Jinnah, Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s younger sister and the nation’s founding father. Michael Japero, the park’s creator, spent five years designing it. Nayyar Ali Dada, a well-known architect, designed the Metropolitan Club. Except for a few portions of the park that are adjacent to residential zones, the park is basically a wildlife sanctuary, spanning 22 acres with a covered area of 265,000 square feet.
A steel fence surrounds the park, with access doors spaced at regular intervals, albeit only a few are regularly opened and utilized. A pathway runs beside a patch of property outside the gate. Inside the park, there is a well-kept network of walks and jogging tracks, as well as manicured grass and a few monuments.
Lok Virsa
Pakistan is a land of many religions and traditions. It encompasses both ethnic and religious cultures. Pakistan is a country with several historical sites and numerous scenic locations. Pakistanis are exceedingly giving, compassionate, and caring, even though the international media has painted a very negative picture of Pakistan. The media simply presents what seems on the surface; they do not reveal what is going on deep within the country, or what is going on in Pakistani hearts. The Lok Virsa Museum may be found in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital. There are exhibits of Pakistani cultural heritage. There are statues, ceramics, paintings, textile works, and music in the collection. All of this demonstrates the various ways of life in Pakistan’s many regions. The Lok Virsa Museum is one of Pakistan’s top cultural institutions. All the historical artefacts on display, as well as all the knowledge about them, symbolize the authentic Pakistan, the glorious country created by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
The Ethnological Museum of Pakistan is also known as Lok Virsa Museum. It is known as the Lok Virsa Museum because it was planned and built by Lok Virsa, a national institute for traditional and folk heritage. The Lok Virsa Museum is really situated on the Garden Road, which runs behind the Shakarparian Hills. It is a work of art dedicated to the preservation of living folk, crafts, and cultures in Pakistan.
The Lok Virsa Museum has an extensive collection of historical artworks.. Wood artwork, embroidered garments, accessories and ornaments, metal artwork, ivory artwork, printing, and bone artwork are all included in this category. It is a must-see historical site in Pakistan for anyone who truly wants to understand Pakistan. It is a fantastic chance for everyone, especially Pakistanis, to have such a museum in their nation, but it has regrettably not received the recognition that it deserves, and many Pakistanis are unaware that such a site exists.
Convocation Center:
In Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad, the Jinnah Conference Centre is the country’s largest exposition and convention Centre.
It is considered one of Islamabad’s landmarks. In Islamabad, it is home to most large-scale conferences, events, meetings, and exhibits. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of the nation Quid e Azam, is honored with the conference center’s name.
It was established at the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC’s) First Extraordinary Summit in 1997.
Shah Allah Dita Caves
In caverns are in a centuries-old settlement in Sector D-12 (o two to three kilometers to E-11) in Islamabad, in the foothills of the Margalla Hills. Beyond the first stratum of the Margalla Hills, these caves in Shah ALLAH Ditta hamlet are bordered by gorgeous, lush green saffron fields. The settlement is said to be around 700 years old. Alexander and Sher Shah Suri utilized it to go from Kabul to Taxila. The monarch Sher Shah Suri is reported to have travelled the precise path that Shah Allah Ditta road was built on during his visit to the region.
While travelling between Afghanistan and Lahore / Delhi, Mughal rulers often travelled through this area. The location has Buddhist period relics dating from the seventh century. The settlement is named after a Dervish Shah Allah Ditta from the Mughal era, and it is noteworthy for its natural beauty and historical significance. In the hamlet, there are several historic caverns that were formerly used by the eremite Shah ALLAH Ditta and afterwards by a Hindu Sadhu. The shrine of Shah ALLAH Ditta is next to these caverns. The caverns of the Shah ALLAH Ditta temples are built around a natural streamlined with beautiful Banyan trees that enhance to the beauty of this historic place.
This settlement is located on the historic silk route between Punjab and Mansehra. Gernaili Road was the name given to it by the locals, indicating that it was most likely established around that time 1486-1585. King Akbar constructed a drinking well for tourists in the Shah Allah Ditta hamlet, which is still in use today. There are also some vestiges and relics of the ancient road. There is a massive Banyan tree, old caverns, a fine water stream, and a legend of Buddhist marks, all of which indicate that it was erected around 1000 BC during the Buddhist period.
Rawal Lake
Rawal Lake is an artificial lake established on the Margalla Hills’ Korang River in Islamabad. Punjab Government developed it in 1962 to address the area’s water scarcity. The Rawal Dam’s water levels, spillways, and other related technical features are still managed by Punjab Irrigation Department’s Small Dams Organization (SDO). It has a maximum depth of 102 feet and occupies 8.8 square kilometers (31m). Margalla Hills National Park surrounds it.
It serves as a water supply for the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as serving as a famous tourist attraction. It has also aided in the preservation of Islamabad’s subsurface water level and a healthy environment. Rawal Dam is a minor dam built on the Korang River to function as a water reservoir and irrigation system. The stone masonry dam has a crest height of 1742 feet and a crest length of 700 feet. The dam is 133.5 feet tall at its peak. It has control over 500 acres of agricultural land.
Jinnah Park Rawalpindi
some people are aware that this park was once the location of the District Jail Rawalpindi, where former Pakistani Prime Minister and popular politician Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hung in 1979. In 1986, the prison was demolished and relocated to Adyala Rawalpindi. Rawalpindi Development Authority began planning for the park in 1995, and it was officially opened in 2006. It is named after Pakistan’s Father of the Nation, “Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah,” and is one of the city’s most popular amusement parks.
The park, which spans over 17 hectares of lush flora and breathtaking views, provides a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. A tiny amusement park with several rides and swings for youngsters is one of the outdoor activities available.
A small bird aviary with peacocks, chickens, doves, cranes, parrots, and other birds is also available. A skating rink is another kid-friendly feature in the park. There are also playgrounds for other sports such as cricket, football, and basketball.
