Pakistan :: Peshawar

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Peshawar

Founded over 2,000 years ago by the Kushan Kings of Gandhara, Peshawar has had almost as many names as rulers. Moghal emperor Akbar, formally gave the city the name Peshawar which means "The Place at the Frontier". Earlier it had been known as the "City of Flowers" and the "City of Grains".

Until the mid-fifties Peshawar was enclosed within a city wall and sixteen gates. Of the old city gates the most famous was the Kabuli Gate but only the name remains now. It leads out of the Khyber and on to Kabul.

One of the main attractions of Peshawar is Qissa Khawani Bazaar. Here perhaps visiting travelers or the relaxing townsmen were regaled with stories by professional story-tellers, in the evening, in the many tea-shops Hence the name Qissa Khawani (story telling). The tea-shops still adorn the bazaar front with their large brass samovars and numerous hanging teapots and tea-cups, though the legendary story-tellers are nowhere to be seen.

Handicrafts such as engraved and embossed jars, bowls, ewers, plates and jewelry etc., can be found at other famous bazaars of Peshawar which include: The Khyber Bazaar, Bird Bazaar, Fruit Bazaar, Basket Bazaar, Andershehr Bazaar, Jewelry Bazaar, Meena Bazaar for women and Mochilara (Shoemakers' Bazaar.)

In fact, the variety of craft in which Peshawar excels even today is amazing and this is a part of the city's character often eclipsed by it's martial tradition. Remember that it was in this valley of Peshawar that there flourished that remarkable school of Gandhara Sculpture (roughly from from the first century B.C. to the fifth century A.D.), which is one of the glories of Pakistan's heritage. The prime attraction in this region is the Khyber Pass situated in the Sulaiman Hills which form the Western barrier of Pakistan. The hills dip down here, leaving a passage sometimes as broad as one mile and sometimes as narrow as fifty-two feet. The pass begins near Jamrud Fort, eleven miles from Peshawar and extends beyond the border of Pakistan at Torkkam, thirty six miles away.

Places Of Attraction:

Qissa Khawani Bazaar
- Extending from west to east in the heart of the city is the romantic 'Street of Story-tellers' - the Qissa Khawani Bazaar. In olden days, this was the site of camping ground for caravans and military adventures, where professional story-tellers recited ballads and tales of war and love to throngs of traders and soldiers.
Bazaar Bater-bazan
- 'The Street of Partridge Lovers' lies on the left hand corner of Qissa Khawani Bazaar. It derives its name from the bird-market which stood here till a few decades ago and has now been replaced by stores and shops selling exquisitely engraved brass and copper ware.
Bala Hisar Fort
- Built on a raised platform from the ground level, the Bala Hisar Fort stands at the north-western edge of the city. The original structure was raised in 1519 AD during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Babar. It was reconstructed in its present form by Sikhs who ruled over Peshawar valley between 1791 and 1849 AD.
Takht-e-Bhai
- Situated atop a 160 meter high hill are the remains of a famous Buddhist monastery at Takht-e-Bhai, about 80 kms from Peshawar. This site has produced fragmentary sculptures in stone and stucco that indicate the highly developed sculptural sense of their creators. This site dates back from 2nd-3rd century AD.
Mahabat Khan's Mosque
- This mosque was built in 1630 AD by Mahabat Khan, the Governor of Peshawar, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan (1628-1658 AD). It is a fine massive structure with lofty minarets. Situated in the Andar Shahar Bazaar, it is the finest mosque in the city.
Shahji-Ki-Dheri
- The 'Dheri' is an ancient mound about a mile outside the city in the south-east corner. The present two mounds, lying east and west, represent a stupa. The stupa, it is said was about 400 feet in height and its construction was undertaken by a Greek in the service of King Kanishka.
Related Information:
Peshawar Info

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