Discover the historic traces and culture of Peshawar District
Accommodation in Peshawar District
Peshawar District is home to artefacts and buildings associated with past Buddhist, Afghan, Mughal and British civilisations. This variety of historical heritage makes the district appealing to travellers who do not want to reduce culture to a single era. Buildings, as well as artefacts, are among the documented evidence. Those interested in the destination’s history can use these different forms as a starting point and decide which cultural focus they would like their trip to have.
Culture in the North-West Frontier Province
One specific cultural attraction in the wider destination of the North-West Frontier Province is the Peshawar Museum. It was established in November 1907 to house Gandhara sculptures from important Gandhara sites. The locations mentioned include Shah-Ji-Ki-Dheri in Peshawar, Sahri Bahlol and Takht-i-Bahi in Mardan District. Jamal Garhi and other Gandhara sites excavated by British researchers were added later. The museum’s history connects the idea behind the collection with several specifically named locations; when planning a trip, Gandhara art can therefore be considered as a distinct cultural focus. The different place names also give the collection’s history a regional context.
In the wider destination of the North-West Frontier Province, Gor Khatri is a fortified historical and archaeological complex at one of the highest points within Peshawar’s Old City. This description emphasises its character as a complex and its location in the Old City, while the Peshawar Museum is brought to life through the history of its collection. This makes it possible to distinguish between two cultural themes: an architectural and archaeological complex on the one hand, and a collection of sculptures on the other.
In the wider destination of the North-West Frontier Province, the Swat Museum displays a large historical collection of Gandhara sculptures excavated locally. The pieces are arranged and labelled to illustrate the life of the Buddha. In the wider destination of the North-West Frontier Province, the ethnographic department of the Swat Museum adds another focus, with local embroidery, carved woodwork and antique jewellery from Swat. This brings different interests together: Buddhist artworks and their depiction of the life of the Buddha on the one hand, and local crafts and jewellery on the other. This distinction can help you narrow down your cultural interests when planning a trip.
A virtual tour of the Buddhist remains at Takht-i-Bahi is available in the wider destination of the North-West Frontier Province; it requires JavaScript. It offers a different thematic focus from the descriptions of the museum collections: here, the focus is explicitly on the remains of Takht-i-Bahi. If you organise travel ideas by theme, you can consider this tour as a distinct focus alongside Gandhara sculptures, archaeological buildings and ethnographic exhibits.
When looking for a holiday rental in Peshawar District, it is worth first sorting out your interests: would you like to focus mainly on the district’s wide-ranging historical heritage, or explore specific examples of Gandhara art, architecture and ethnography in more depth? You can then base your further research on the places and themes that are especially relevant to your travel plans.
Discover more destinations
Go to the main travel overview: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
