Minar-e-Pakistan

The historical city of Lahore, Pakistan with 10 million people, and Karachi are the two most popular tourist destinations in the country. Major attractions in Lahore city are the fortress with its main portal Alamgiri Gate, and Badshahi Mosque, built in 1673 with amazing marble inlays and ornaments. Symbol of national identity of all in Pakistan, however, is the high tower Minar-e-Pakistan.

Minar-e-Pakistan is a memorial tower of the National Party, which dominates the city. Raised in Iqbal Park, as a memorial of the Pakistan Resolution (Pakistan Resolution-Minar-e-Pakistan is where in 1940 Muslim League held the historic 34th annual session at which they announced their desire to form a separate state for Muslims).

This happened on March 23, and this is the first formal declaration establishing a separate country for Muslims living in South Asia. Today Pakistan celebrates this day as a national holiday each year.

Minar-e-Pakistan was erected to the memory of the symbolized Muslim world, time and spirit of this progress. Its magnificent façade stands radically from most architectural buildings in Lahore, which are part of the historical legacy of the dynasty of the Mughals. The large public space around the monument Minar-e-Pakistan is normally used for political and public meetings. Iqbal park has several fountains and marble is a pleasant place for walking. The original name of the monument is Yadgar-e-Pakistan, but was later renamed.

In 1960 the Muslim League leaders pay attention to local authorities in Lahore on the need to build such a monument.

Governor of West Pakistan, Akhtar Hussain, urges the public to raise funds for the construction of Minar-e-Pakistan. They organized a committee of prominent philanthropists, who collected the funds.

Architect of the Minar-e-Pakistan is Murat Khan, who laid the foundations of the tower of March 23, 1960. After about 8 years it is completely finished. Found on October 31, 1968, and the entire project cost about 7, 5 million. Main body of the structure is on a detached from the earth platform in the form of five-pointed star. The platform is 4 meters from the ground and the whole basis of the Minar-e-Pakistan is about 14 meters. In appearance resembles the lotus blossoms.

The tower rises about 60 meters from the base, thus the overall height of the minaret is 72 meters above ground. The diameter of the tower is about 97.5 meters. The main platform includes two pools, crescent-shaped, lined with green and red marble.

The marble slabs of the central part of the Minar-e-Pakistan have written on them a brief history of the Pakistan Resolution in English, Urdu and Bengali, and the names of 99 God and poetic verses from the epic Allama Iqbal.

Inside, the Minar-e-Pakistan has a central staircase reaching a whole 162 feet. The top dome of the minaret is made of stainless steel inlaid with fine glass pieces. Construction materials, with which was raised the symbol of Pakistan are reinforced concrete, stone and marble. To reach the top, you need to go 324 feet, but there is a lift. The first terrace of the Minar-e-Pakistan is 30 meters high, the second - 50 meters.