cathedral
Faisal Mosque
A strikingly modern mosque shaped like a desert tent, one of the largest in the world, set against the Margalla Hills.
15 km · about 30 min drive
AsiaPakistanPunjab
Rawalpindi
Punjab, Pakistan · Asia
About Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi is worth a stop: 25 minutes from Alipur, 15km from Faisal Mosque.
Rawalpindi is in Punjab, Pakistan, with about 3.4 million people. The nearest town is Alipur, about 13 km away.
Rawalpindi, colloquially known as Pindi, is the third-largest city in the Pakistani province of Punjab and the fourth-most populous city in Pakistan. Located along the Soan River in north-western Punjab, Rawalpindi lies adjacent to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, and the two are jointly known as the "twinRead more
cities".
Rawalpindi is located on the Pothohar Plateau and is close to the ancient city of Taxila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was founded in 1493 by a Gakhar chief and remained a small town until the 18th century. Following the annexation of Punjab by the East India Company in 1849, Rawalpindi became the largest garrison town of the Northern Command of the British Indian Army with the establishment of the Rawalpindi Cantonment. It was granted municipal status in 1867. Following the independence of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, the city became home to the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistan Army.
Rawalpindi also served as the secondary capital of Pakistan, under Ayub Khan, before the new capital was established in Islamabad. Rawalpindi is linked to the national highways through the M-1 and M-2 motorways, and serves as a major logistics and transportation centre for northern Pakistan. The city is home to historic havelis and temples, and serves as a hub for tourists visiting Azad Kashmir, Taxila and Gilgit-Baltistan.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Rawalpindi?
Within an hour or so of Rawalpindi: Faisal Mosque (15 km).
Where is Rawalpindi?
Rawalpindi is in Punjab, Pakistan, about 13 km from Alipur.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 3,357,612
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Pakistan
- Region
- Punjab
- Timezone
- Asia/Karachi
- Coordinates
- 33.5973, 73.0479
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1 notable place within an hour's drive.
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