Multan is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province. It has a population of over 3.8 million (according to 1998 census), making it the sixth largest city of Pakistan. It is built just east of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic center of the country and about 966 km from Karachi.
Multan is known as the 'City of Sufi Saints (Pir) and Shrines'. The city is filled with bazaars, mosques, shrines and superbly designed tombs. A network of rails, highways and air flights has Multan well connected to the rest of the world.
Multan city has the distinction of being the birthplace of three distinguished men in history: Mohammad Tughlaq is said to have been born in 13 century in a hamlet at the place which is now known as 'Kotla Toleh Khan'. Emperor Bahlol Lodhi was born in Qazian Wala Makan near Hussain Agahi. Ahmed Shah Abdali, the first Durrani sovereign of Afghanistan, was also born at Multan in 1722. The city of Multan is bound on the north by the depression lying between it and the fort and on all other sides by a brick wall. It has six gates i.e., Lohari Gate, Pak Gate, Bohar Gate, Delhi Gate, Haram Gate and Daulat Gate. The old city has narrow colorful bazaars full of local handicrafts and narrow winding lanes. There are many places of historical, cultural and recreational interest in the city. Multan Fort was built on a mound separating it from the city by the old bed of river Ravi. Its date cannot be fixed with accuracy. When intact, its circumference was 6,600 ft. having 46 bastions, including two towers at each of the four gates i.e., Delhi Gate, Khizri Gate, Sikhi Gate and Rehri Gate. The fort was ravaged by the British to avenge the murder of one Mr. Agnew in 1848. At present it is survived by some parts of the old rampart and bastions besides the shrines of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakaria and Shah Rukn-e-Alam, an obelisk in memory of Agnew and a Hindu temple. The famous Qasim Bagh and a stadium are located within the walls of the fort. A panoramic view of Multan City can be had from the highest point in the fort.
Geography and climate
The city of Multan is located in southern Punjab province at almost the exact center of Pakistan. The very next major adjoining city is Sahiwal. The area around the city is a flat plain and is ideal for agriculture. There are many canals that cut across the Multan District that provide water from nearby rivers. It is extremely hot in the summer. Multan is has several citrus and mango farms . It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Tourism
Multan, being an historic city, attracts a number of tourists every year. When the first settlements established themselves in Multan, access to the city was through a circular road around the rampart that gave access to the city through thirteen gates and even now some of the imposing structures of these gates are still visible and well preserved. The Old City has narrow, colorful bazaars full of local handicrafts and narrow winding lanes. There are many places of historical, cultural and recreational interest in the city. In the bazaars of the Old City one still comes across tiny shops where craftsmen can be seen busily turning out masterpieces in copper, brass, silver as well as textiles in the traditional fashion.
The numerous Sufi shrines within the old city offer impressive examples of workmanship and architecture. The Shams-e Tabriz shrine is built almost entirely of sky-blue engraved glazed bricks. That of Shah Rukn-e Alam (Tughlaq period) has one of the biggest domes in Asia. The shrine of Sheikh Yusuf Gardez is a masterpiece of the Multani style. Other shrines include the Pahladpuri Temple and the Idgah Mosque (1735).
Sites of interest
Multan is known as the 'City of Sufi Saints (Pir) and Shrines'. The city is filled with bazaars, mosques, shrines and superbly designed tombs. A network of rails, highways and air flights has Multan well connected to the rest of the world.
Multan city has the distinction of being the birthplace of three distinguished men in history: Mohammad Tughlaq is said to have been born in 13 century in a hamlet at the place which is now known as 'Kotla Toleh Khan'. Emperor Bahlol Lodhi was born in Qazian Wala Makan near Hussain Agahi. Ahmed Shah Abdali, the first Durrani sovereign of Afghanistan, was also born at Multan in 1722. The city of Multan is bound on the north by the depression lying between it and the fort and on all other sides by a brick wall. It has six gates i.e., Lohari Gate, Pak Gate, Bohar Gate, Delhi Gate, Haram Gate and Daulat Gate. The old city has narrow colorful bazaars full of local handicrafts and narrow winding lanes. There are many places of historical, cultural and recreational interest in the city. Multan Fort was built on a mound separating it from the city by the old bed of river Ravi. Its date cannot be fixed with accuracy. When intact, its circumference was 6,600 ft. having 46 bastions, including two towers at each of the four gates i.e., Delhi Gate, Khizri Gate, Sikhi Gate and Rehri Gate. The fort was ravaged by the British to avenge the murder of one Mr. Agnew in 1848. At present it is survived by some parts of the old rampart and bastions besides the shrines of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakaria and Shah Rukn-e-Alam, an obelisk in memory of Agnew and a Hindu temple. The famous Qasim Bagh and a stadium are located within the walls of the fort. A panoramic view of Multan City can be had from the highest point in the fort.
Geography and climate
The city of Multan is located in southern Punjab province at almost the exact center of Pakistan. The very next major adjoining city is Sahiwal. The area around the city is a flat plain and is ideal for agriculture. There are many canals that cut across the Multan District that provide water from nearby rivers. It is extremely hot in the summer. Multan is has several citrus and mango farms . It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Tourism
Multan, being an historic city, attracts a number of tourists every year. When the first settlements established themselves in Multan, access to the city was through a circular road around the rampart that gave access to the city through thirteen gates and even now some of the imposing structures of these gates are still visible and well preserved. The Old City has narrow, colorful bazaars full of local handicrafts and narrow winding lanes. There are many places of historical, cultural and recreational interest in the city. In the bazaars of the Old City one still comes across tiny shops where craftsmen can be seen busily turning out masterpieces in copper, brass, silver as well as textiles in the traditional fashion.
The numerous Sufi shrines within the old city offer impressive examples of workmanship and architecture. The Shams-e Tabriz shrine is built almost entirely of sky-blue engraved glazed bricks. That of Shah Rukn-e Alam (Tughlaq period) has one of the biggest domes in Asia. The shrine of Sheikh Yusuf Gardez is a masterpiece of the Multani style. Other shrines include the Pahladpuri Temple and the Idgah Mosque (1735).
Sites of interest
- Fun and Playlands
- Joy Land
- Jinnah Park
- Askari Park Jheel (LAKE)
- Alladin
- Mumtazabad Park
- Temples
- Sun Mandir
- Suraj Kund
- Forts
- Multan Fort
- Fort Munro
- Mausoleums
- Mausoleum of Hazrat Baha-ud-Din Zakaria
- Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-i-Alam
- Mausoleum of Shah Shams Tabraizi
- Mausoleum of Shah Gardez
- Mausoleum of Musa Pak Shaheed
- Mausoleum of Bibi Pak Daman (Near Basti Daira)
- Mausoleum of Hazrat Sher Shah Syed (Multan-Mazzaffargarh Road)
- Mausoleum of Hazrat Makhdoom Abdul Rashid Haqqani (Makhdoom Rashid Road)
- Shrine of Shahadna Shahaid (Near Delhi Gate) (shrine of a faithful disciple of Bahaul Haq)
- Totla Mai (Near Haram Gate)
- Mausoleum of Shah Ali Akbar
- Baba Safra (Near Eidgah)
- Nuagaza tombs
- Manka
- Mausoleum of Makhdoom Jahania in Jahanaian
- Mazar Baba Tal Shah 160/10-R Jangal Maryala
- Museums
- Multan Museum
- Govt. College Museus
- Gardens Parks
- Lake Chamanzar-e-Askari and Company Bagh (Cantonment)
- Qasim Bagh in the Multan Fort
- Langer Khan Garden
- Aam-Khas Garden and the parks at Bohar gate
- Cantonment garden (Multan cantt.)
- Jinnah Park Shah Ruken Alam Colony Multan
- Shah Shamas Park Daulat Gate Multan
- Chaman Zar Askari Cantt
- Qasim Bagh Park
- Mosques
- Jamia Mosque
- Sawi Mosque
- Mosque Ali Muhammad Khan
- Mosque Phool Hattan Wali
- Eid Gah Mosque
- Jamia Khair-ul-Madaris
- Mosque Ahmed Shah Abdali
- Mosque Khalil
- General
- Ghanta Ghar (Multan)
