Punjab is Pakistan’s most historically layered province. From the ruins of a 4,500-year-old Indus Valley city to Mughal-era monuments still standing in Lahore, the province holds a civilisational record that spans millennia.
As of 2025, that heritage is at the centre of Pakistan’s biggest-ever provincial tourism push — a Rs 60 billion restoration drive covering 60 key sites, with 170 more in a phased development pipeline.
Punjab’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Punjab is home to three of Pakistan’s six UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
- Fort and Shalamar Gardens, Lahore — declared in 1980, under active UNESCO conservation review in 2025
- Taxila — an ancient Gandharan city 32 km from Islamabad
- Rohtas Fort, Jhelum — inscribed in 1997, the last Pakistani site to receive this status
If Pakistan’s five new UNESCO nominations are approved, the country’s total World Heritage Sites would rise from six to eleven — with Punjab already accounting for three of them through the Fort and Shalamar Gardens, Taxila, and Rohtas Fort.
Magnificent Punjab — A Rs 60 Billion Heritage Drive
In 2025, the Punjab government launched its most ambitious heritage programme to date.
Rs 60 billion has been earmarked for the development and restoration of 60 key archaeological and historical sites across the province, with the initiative aiming to highlight these locations on the international stage and stimulate local tourism, cultural preservation, and economic growth.
In the 2025–26 provincial budget, a further Rs 28 billion has been allocated for tourism and archaeology, with Rs 4 billion earmarked specifically for new projects in South Punjab.
170 Sites, Nine Zones, Three Phases
The Punjab government announced plans to restore and develop 170 historic sites into world-class tourist destinations, encompassing 101 gurdwaras, 53 churches, temples, mosques, and other significant historical landmarks.
There is a plan to restore Punjab’s historical sites in three phases, with the CM directing the tendering process to begin in July. The first phase is due for completion in June.
For the first time, Punjab has been divided into nine zones based on historical and tourist places.
The Punjab government also approved restoration and maintenance of 170 tourist sites and trails. The province’s first comprehensive tourism app, “Magnificent Punjab,” was developed, offering virtual tours of all 170 sites along with travel planning, hotel bookings, and access to other services.
Taxila as International Heritage City
Taxila has been given special prominence and will be designated as an “International Heritage City.” CM Maryam Nawaz hailed it as the “City of Civilisations,” acknowledging its profound historical significance, particularly its connections with the Gandhara civilisation and sacred Buddhist heritage.
The Gandhara Civilisation Trail will include Taxila Museum, Dharmarajika Stupa, Jaulian Monastery, Sirkap, and Garhi Fort.
Additionally, Taxila is set to be developed into an international tourist city featuring new temples and galleries dedicated to Siddhartha for Buddhist visitors.
Lahore — The Mughal Capital
Lahore defines Punjab’s Mughal heritage. The Walled City alone holds more than a dozen protected monuments within walking distance of each other.
Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens
A masterpiece from the Mughal era, Lahore Fort in the Walled City is characterised by its monumental structures. It is the only place in the country that represents the different phases in the development of Mughal architecture.
The Fort and Shalimar Gardens together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1980. UNESCO’s State of Conservation records confirm active reviews of the Fort and Shalamar Gardens continued in 2025.
A U.S. government grant of $982,500 in 2022 went toward preservation of cross-cultural edifices and inter-religious heritage at Lahore Fort.
Badshahi Mosque
The Badshahi Mosque sits in front of the Alamgiri Gate of Lahore Fort and is one of the largest mosques in the world. Built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir, it presents a fine blend of white marble and red sandstone, can accommodate approximately 100,000 worshippers, and was completed in 1674 AD — in a record time of two and a half years.
Wazir Khan Mosque
The Wazir Khan Mosque was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan and completed in 1641. Incredibly intricate frescoes and elaborate tile work cover almost every square inch. It is found a few hundred metres after entering through the Delhi Gate in Lahore’s Walled City.
A survey for the upgrade of the 17th century Hiran Minar has been completed, and Rs 240 million has been approved to transform the 131-year-old Lahore Museum into a modern museum.
Read more: Rs 16.9 billion beautification drive begins to give all districts of Punjab a brand new look
Beyond Lahore — Punjab’s Wider Heritage
Rohtas Fort, Jhelum
Rohtas Fort sits about 15 km from Jhelum and is one of the best historical places to visit in Punjab. Construction began in 1541 under Sher Shah Suri. The fort spreads over 70 hectares and is considered one of the largest and most formidable fortresses in South Asia.
Located on the historic Grand Trunk Road, Rohtas Fort was built by Sher Shah Suri and manifests a powerful display of masonry with several interesting sites including old concept Baolis — traditional water resources.
Harappa, Sahiwal
The settlement at Harappa once spanned 150 hectares between 2600 BC and 1900 BC. The present-day archaeological site is located about 24 km from Sahiwal.
Harappa is one of the principal cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation — contemporary with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia — and remains an active excavation and research site.
Derawar Fort and Uch Sharif, Bahawalpur
Located in the southern Punjab city of Uch, Uch Sharif Monuments date back to the 12th century. The city of Uch was founded by Alexander the Great and later became the capital of the medieval empire, the Delhi Sultanate. The Uch Monument Complex is the most visited funerary monument site in the city’s oldest part.
Derawar Fort — a 40-bastion desert fortress in the Cholistan — remains one of the most photographed landmarks in South Punjab and a key site in the current provincial restoration programme.
Religious Sites — Gurdwaras, Temples, and Shrines
Punjab’s religious heritage spans Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
For Sikh pilgrims, 46 inactive gurdwaras will be fully restored as part of the Magnificent Punjab programme.1
The Katasraj Temples near the village of Dulmial in Punjab are believed to date from the 7th century CE or earlier. The temples surround a sacred lake, are mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, and are known as a site visited by Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith.
Multan, the “City of Saints,” holds the Sufi shrines of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Shah Shams Tabriz, Bahauddin Zakariya, and others — all of which attract pilgrims from across Pakistan and internationally.
Hiran Minar — Nominated for UNESCO in 2025
Pakistan will nominate five culturally and historically significant sites for the UNESCO World Heritage List. Among them, the Mughal-era Hiran Minar in Punjab has been proposed — a monument built by Emperor Jahangir in memory of his pet antelope, set within a complex featuring a large pool and pavilion near Sheikhupura.
The nomination aligns with Pakistan’s broader efforts to highlight its pre-Islamic and Islamic-era heritage, attract cultural tourism, and strengthen international partnerships in heritage conservation.
International Partnerships and Funding
Pakistan is home to 35 U.S. government-funded cultural preservation projects amounting to over $8.4 million, ranging from the conservation of Gandhara archaeological treasures to the preservation of Mughal architectural heritage, the restoration of Sufi shrines, and the digitization of museums.
A UNESCO project running through 2024–2025 is specifically designed to tap the economic potential of tourism at cultural and religious heritage sites in Punjab, aiming to contribute to economic development through effectively managed tourism and capacity building.
With Rs 60 billion committed, 170 sites in active development, and international partners including UNESCO and the U.S. State Department engaged, Punjab’s historical sites are no longer just points on a map — they are the centre of the province’s economic and cultural strategy for the next decade.