Multan is famous for its various historical background and has many wonders for those who have deep insights about historical places. Multan is Pakistan’s seventh-largest city and recognized for its magnificent architecture and ancient locations.
Some historians’ states that Multan has existed around 2000 years old and has considered the centre of Sufi activities making it more interesting to know about the famous places to visit in Multan.
Multan is also known as the ‘city of saints’ because of the number of graves buried in the city. The famous places in Multan include historical forts, Chenab River boating, and seeing the famous farms of mangoes and citrus. In addition, many shrines of Muslims and Hindu temples are popular sites for tourists that make it worth visiting Multan. The handicrafts, local embroidery, sweets, fruits, souvenir tiles are the main attraction for buyers who want to explore different markets and bazaars in the city.
Multan is the best destination to explore various architectural designs in Pakistan and to know about the unfolding stories behind the beautiful city. This makes a unique place to visit in Punjab and has their language which they speak Saraiki with a few Persian words.
To explore the unfolding facts and stories about the historical city, you will enjoy the beautiful and iconic landmarks of these places to visit in Multan.
To visit the beautiful city in Punjab
Here are the 10 places to visit in Multan:
1. Multan Fort
The Multan Fort is the ancient landmark of South Asian Defence and Architecture, which is also known as Fort Kohna Qasim Garden. Fort Kohna has existed about 2600 years old and has estimated to build around 800 to 1000 BC. The Katoch Dynasty built Multan Fort to protect the invaders of the west and northern neighbouring cities. However, during colonial control, the fort has severely destroyed by the British Empire. Despite the destruction, the place leaves the beauty and art where you will be amazed by the architecture of this stunning fort.
The enormous fort is indeed an artistic masterpiece where you can stand by and enjoy the architecture of the place. Their structure is 7000 feet long and 40 feet wide and includes the centre of Multan. Within the fort stood a citadel that has badly damaged by the battering guns of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1818. Multan Fort contains 30 towers, a mosque, a temple of Hindus, and a palace. There were eight gates in the fort and only four gates existed over time. They are Qasim gate, Khizri gate, Sikhi gate and Hareri gate. To know about Multan historical place, be sure not to miss the Multan Fort!
2. Patrick Alexander Vans Agnew Monument
In the centre of Multan near Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh, which has found within Fort Khona, you will find a huge tower named Patrick Alexander Vans Agnew. This considers the iconic landmark where it marks the foundation of the Sikh Evolution.
It is a memorial to a British civil servant called Patrick Alexander who has murdered by the retainers of Dewan Mulraj. This led to the Second Sikh War and the British annexation of the Punjab region.
The story marks the iconic monument in Multan where you will awe by the tragic incident where his grave was buried in Kohna Fort. Once you visit the Vans Agnew Monument, you will find his grave alongside the fort. It is one of the historical places in Multan. To know about the insights and the architecture, be sure not to miss Vans Agnew Monument!
3. Shrine of Baha-ud-Din Zakariya
Baha-ud-Din Zakariya (or Bahauddin Zakariya) was one of the leading Sufi mystics, poets, and instructors in medieval South Asia. He established the Suhrawardiyya order of Baghdad and was also the grandfather of Rukn-e Alam. A recognized saint that has buried 500 meters southwest on a stunning mausoleum. This iconic place in Multan has visited by pilgrims around the world to worship and spread Islam.
In 1268, he died in Multan and his shrine has constructed to spread about Islam. The mausoleum is measured inwards, with a square of 51 ft 9 in (15.77 m). Above this is an octagon, approximately half the height of a square overlooking a hemispheric dome. It is among one of Multan famous places.
The shrine leaves an unfolding story about Bahauddin Zakariya. When Zakariya was young, he travelled across the Islamic world after the death of his father at the age of 12. He visited Khurasan, Bukhara and Medina. He was in Baghdad where he studied under Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi, a Sufi master. Abu Hafs Umar was so admired by his studies that he sent Zakariya back to Multan to build a compound for Sufi gatherings. This gathering becomes the most iconic places to visit in Multan.
To see Multan historical places, you will admire the history and the beauty of this lovely landmark in the city. When visiting this shrine, be sure you are fully covered from head to toe to avoid unwanted exposure of the legs and arms.
4. Tomb of Shah Rukn e Alam
Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fateh is one of the Sufi’s most prominent Saints of Multan. He was also known as Shah Rukn-e-Alam where the tomb locates in Multan Qila on the northwestern edge of Multan Fort.
Shah Rukn-e-Alam was a mystical man who was part of the Sufi order of Suhrawardiyya and was the son of Pir Sadar Al-Din Arif. The tomb leaves a beautiful construction where it has built with red tiles to present the earliest example of Tughluq architecture.
With the impressive shrines and popular historical place in Multan, more than 100,000 worshippers visit the shrine every year from all around the world. It is one of Multan beautiful places you can visit the architecture of this tomb. Since the tomb is the heart of Multan, the tomb has been around for 700 years and has renovated by the department of Auqaf in the 1970s.
The tomb was built between 1320 to 1324 CE. Historians say the tomb has constructed by the famous Ghias-ud-Din Tughlak, the governor of Dipalpur. Multan Kashigars repaired the grave by decorating it with Bluestones to represent the old Mughal architecture in this antique structure. To visit the unfolding stories about the tomb, be sure not to miss Shah Rukn-e-Alam Tomb!
5. Ghanta Ghar
One of Multan’s primary tourist attractions is the renowned Multan Clock Tower, popularly known as Ghanta Ghar. The Clock Tower serves as the city government headquarters in Punjab and marks as the most popular tour in the city. Ghanta Ghar constructed around 1884 AD by the British Raj Era. In February 1884, building on the Ghanta Ghar began and it took four years to complete it.
Ghanta Ghar is constructed on the remnants of the Ahmad Khan Sadozai Haveli, which were demolished during the Multan Siege that left an interesting but unknown reason. The building was once called Ripon Hall after the name of Ripon and changed the name to Jinnah Hall after the independence. The hall had utilized for office meetings and cultural activities. However, due to the insufficient space for workplace meetings, the hall converted into a museum to visit the historical place behind the Clock Tower.
The tower is easy to get there by using a rickshaw as the Clock Tower is close to Multan Fort. You should visit Ghana Ghar Multan if you want to observe the bustle and thrill of the city. Several shops are selling traditional Multani products like Ajrak and clay ceramics around the Ghanta Ghar. To explore the unfolding history of the city, you will enjoy visiting Ghanta Ghar!
6. Multan Art Council
The Multan Art Council is a great gallery if you are an art enthusiast and love to explore various paintings of various historical events. Multan Art Council is also known as Multan Art Gallery. The Art Gallery was established in 1975 under the Punjab Council of Arts (PUCAR) Lahore. The centre consists of a hall, an art gallery, a stage, and a garden. You can explore famous invaders such as Alexander the Great, Muhammad bin Qasim, Sher Shah Suri and different British Emperors.
The council often hosts art exhibitions and performing arts. In addition, the council also hosts puppets shows, painting exhibitions, sculptures, and other events for the residents of Multan and its surrounding regions. The art gallery hosts genuine paintings made by local handicrafts to explore the beautiful tapestries about the city. This leaves a sense of style to enter the art council and fascinated by the handicrafts and paintings.
The main events held by Multan Art Council are the Sufi Festival, Sadiq Ali Shehzad’s Sculptures, International Women’s Day, Lok Mela, Fine Arts Class Work Thesis and the Japanese Calendar Show. Once you visit this place, you will enjoy exploring the unfolding stories about the local arts behind the city! To find a place for arts, be sure not to miss this Multan Art Council!
7. Tomb of Shah Gardez
Shah Yousuf Gardezi is another renowned Sufi saint buried in Multan. His grave lies around 600 meters southwest of Multan’s old fort. The tomb leaves a little story where Shah Yusuf Gardezi came to Multan in 1088 AD. It is said that he restored the city by converting people to Islam, and performed numerous miracles. Yusuf Gardezi came from the Paktia Province of Afghanistan.
The tomb comprises a little cubic structure with a flat roof, all sides covered with blue and white glazed tiles painted with aina-Kari flowering mirror work embellished with floral patterns. The shrine covers in blue tile work that represents the Multani style to give the architectural design of the tomb. Yousaf Gardezi is famous for his huge labour in the subcontinent for the revival of Islam. To visit this beautiful tomb with the blue and white tile work, this tomb marks the beautiful places to visit in Multan!
8. Bibi Pak Daman Mausoleum
The mother of the renowned Rukn-e-Alam was Bibi Pak Daman, widely recognized as Bibi Rasti. She was also a student of Bahauddin Zakariya and worked a lot about the revival of Islam in Multan. Her tomb locates near the ancient temple of Mai Tola. The grave has a rectangular shape with a flat roof and has extensively adorned with blue and white stonework to give the trademark of Multan’s style.
Although the tomb needs maintenance and cleanup, it is worth visiting to know about the historical background of the members of the Sufi saints.
The eastern front of the tomb is adorned with a set of triple arches on double columns, allowing access to a deep portico that shelters numerous burials. The tomb stands at the centre of the large compound of thick walls and includes a domed gatehouse on the northeast corner for the ease of entrance. Many people from Multan come to visit and pay their honour to Bibi Pak Daman. To go for the most attractive places to visit in Multan, be sure not to miss Bibi Pak Daman Mausoleum!
Chenab River Bank
To take a break from historical places in the city, Multan has a few physical and beautiful features to enjoy the view. This includes the Chenab River Bank where the river makes a great picnic spot to visit in the winter months. During the summer months, many pulses lie on the surface of the water when the river can be dangerous. This causes floods, which should avoid when visiting the riverbank in summers.
Once you visit the riverbank, you can have a picnic nearby and enjoy boating along the river. Ahead of the shore, you can see riding horses and camels on the bank. To visit and plan to have a picnic in Multan, you will enjoy the breathtaking view of the Chenab River Bank!
Yadgar e Shuhada Park
Yadgar e Shuhada marks the most beautiful and iconic place to visit in Multan. Yadgar e Shuhada means Martyr’s Memorial where the park constructs entirely out of marble. The park locates on Shershah Road and has constructed for the memorial of martyred soldiers who fought and sacrificed the wars between India and Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. Since eatables are forbidden in the park; you can sit and relax in the stunning place.
The park leaves a lovely atmosphere where it covers a small area to visit in the evening. To enjoy a stroll in the park, this place will leave you in peace! To plan for a family outing with your children, be sure not to miss Yadgar e Shuhada Park!
Wrap Up
Multan is known for historical backgrounds and deeper insights about the past Sufi saints where the city is full of harmony and leaves unfolding stories that make it worth visiting places in Punjab. The top ten places to visit in Multan will leave you in awe and astonishment to enjoy the lovely historical sites to mark the beauty of these fascinated landmarks. When visiting Multan, be sure not to miss these mentioned places for an enjoyable tour!
