The Pakistan National Monument is located at the west viewpoint of the famous Shakar Parian Hills in Islamabad. It is grand, it is vast and it is absolutely magnificent! The monument is dedicated to those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the future generations of their beloved country, Pakistan.

Once you enter the wrought iron gates, you come across a path that diverges in two directions. On the left is the Pakistan Monument Museum. The museum is truly awe inspiring and one must commend the efforts of the designers, artists and sculptors who have preserved the precious heritage and rich culture of their country in such an extra-ordinary way. The multi-dimensional, life-like exhibits in the museum display the journey from the advent of Islam in the subcontinent to the struggle for freedom and the desire of Muslims of sub-continent to have a separate homeland of their own under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Once you enter the Museum, you are asked to wear plastic covers on your shoes so as not to bring in dust and grime from outdoors. One cannot really do justice to the grandeur and magnificence of the displays which are very vivid in color and extremely rich in detail. The history of the Indus Valley Civilization, the arrival of Islam in the subcontinent, the majestic Mughal era, the Freedom movement of 1857, the poetry and dream of Pakistan’s national poet Allama Iqbal and Jinnah’s peerless leadership is brought to life before our eyes.

There are realistic statues, wonderful paintings, pictures and colorful backgrounds to bring history to modern era. One can easily spend hours here absorbing the wonderful historical heritage of this region. The upper floor of the museum houses an Audio-Visual Centre where there are rare speeches, photos, videos, documentaries and national records.

A special section for children offers video games, interactive quiz, music and movies related to the struggle and many sacrifices of the forefathers for the sake of their homeland. A section of the museum also depicts Pakistan’s development and success in various fields.

The entry fee for the museum is just Rs 20 for adults and Rs.10 for children. Mobile phones have to be switched off and no food is allowed inside. The visitors are not allowed to touch the artifacts.

The Pakistan Monument is located across from the museum. The petal-shaped granite structure has been designed to reflect the history, culture and unity of provinces of Pakistan. The inner walls of the petals are decorated with murals which show important landmarks of Pakistan like Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, Khyber Pass, Minar-e-Pakistan etc. There is also a metallic crescent that is inscribed with sayings of Quaid-e-Azam and poetry of Allama Iqbal. The monument is surrounded by green and well groomed gardens that give a very serene impact.

There is a large circular terrace at one end of the monument from where one can have a terrific bird’s eye view of the capital city. This section is called the Islamabad View Point. A lift is also available for the physically handicapped people to take them to the upper level to see the monument.

The Pakistan National Monument is a fantastic tribute to those who sacrificed their today for the better tomorrow of their future generations. It is a place truly worth visiting if one is interested in learning about history, art, culture and traditions of a nation.

Click here for a virtual tour of the place.. you won’t be disappointed!