Makli Hill, Ancient City of the Dead in Pakistan

The huge Middle Ages necropolis located in Sind, a sultry province in south Pakistan, is one of the most unusual archeological monuments in South Asia. Local residents call it the City of the Dead. This is indeed an entire ancient city with its legends, traditions, relics and even inhabitants.

The necropolis is located on Makli Hill, 80 kilometers from Karachi, and has an area of 15 square kilometers. Its houses are strange mausoleums of local rulers and also famous Sufi saints.

Historians honor and have great interest in the Makli necropolis, which is an unusual Eastern Middle Ages culture monument. In early 1980s, this complex was listed as a United Nations World Heritage Site.

Each Makli mausoleum has its own peculiarity, dozens of architects and calligraphy specialists worked to create them. The cenotaphs in the mausoleums are decorated with bizarre holy texts.

Here we see that the valley of the Indus River combines different traditions and cultures. Many Muslim mausoleums are decorated with Hindu floral designs and geometrical Islamic arabesques.

The City of the Dead may seem deserted only at first. It has its own inhabitants like this guard who protects the monuments.

A snake charmer has taken up residence near the walls of a mausoleum – this occupation is traditional for local fakirs.

The construction of the Makli necropolis was started by the residents of the nearby city of Thatta. Today this is not a large settlement but it was an important commercial and trade center in the Middle Ages.

Local rulers and rich merchants started building mausoleums for themselves when they were alive.

The burial places of Sufi saints remain the sites of pilgrimage. Pilgrims are the majority of this ancient city’s population.

The mausoleums of former rulers (photo: mausoleum of Sultan Ibrahim Turhan, 16th century) are not popular among pilgrims.