Situated at the foothills of the Salt Range, Khewra Salt Mines are the oldest in the salt mining history of the sub-continent. Salt occurs in the form of an irregular dome like structure. There are seven thick salt seams with cumulative thickness of about 150 meters. At places rock salt is 99% pure. Salt is transparent, white, pink, reddish to beef-color red. In certain horizons it is crystalline. Inside the mine there are beautiful alternate bands of red and white color salt. There are 18 working levels.
The mines are not only visited by locals but also by international tourists. Among the tourists, a large number of them are students from different schools, colleges and universities who enjoy visiting the site as well as see the mines firsthand after reading about them in books.
Walking inside the mines the visitors come across marvels such as a mosque, a model of Minar-e-Pakistan, a dispensary, Chaghi mountain and some other colourful buildings all made up of salt bricks. The monuments glow with lights inside them. The dazzling Sheesh Mahal, or the palace of mirrors, in another attraction in the mines with walls made of transparent salt and water ponds illuminated with colourful bulbs. The illuminated ponds and chambers have been connected with bridges made of salt.
Taxila
Taxila or Takshashila (“City of Cut Stone” or “Takṣa Rock”) is one of the subcontinent’s treasures, and was once an important city of the kingdom of Gandhara. The ruins of Taxila are located about 30 km north of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, just off the famous Grand Trunk Road. Taxila was an important Buddhist Centre from 5th century BC to 6th Century AD. Ancient Taxila was situated at the pivotal junction of South Asia and Central Asia. The renowned archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham rediscovered the ruins of Taxila in mid-19th century. In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2006 it was ranked as the top tourist destination in Pakistan by The Guardian newspaper.
Taxila was considered to be amongst the world’s earliest Buddhist university. Other notable sites here are: Bhir Mound, Dharmarajika Stupa, Sikap and Sirsukh cities, Shrine of double-headed Eagle, Jandial Temple, Jaulian Buddhist Monastery, etc. Taxila Museum is famous for its magnificent collection of Gandharn Art (a blend of Greek and Buddhist art and house rare collection of utensils, jewelry, toys and pottery highlighting daily life of the inhabitants of ancient Taxila