Ayub Arch and Lansdowne Bridge in Sukkur-Rohri, Sindh, Pakistan - Amazing Architecture and Rich History

This beautiful sight is offered in the Southern province of Pakistan - SINDH. The two bridges are named as Ayub Arch (in front) and Lansdowne Bridge (at the rear).

History behind the Name : Ayub Arch is named after Pakistan's Military President Field Marshall Ayub Khan who ruled Pakistan from 1958-1970. Lansdowne Bridge was named after (at the rear).
SIZE of  Ayub Arch and Lansdowne Bridge  : It is hardly 4 kms in length with a maximum width of 1 km.
HISTORY of  Ayub Arch and Lansdowne Bridge  : The design of Lansdowne Bridge has always been a headline in the Architectural world. At one time it was believed that this design will not hold itself and will fall to rubble, however it has survived more than a century. You can a lot of details from another blog post about the same bridges at : Ayub Arch and Lansdowne Bridge at Sukkur.
LOCATION of Ayub Arch and Lansdowne Bridge : Bridges connecting the twin cities of Sukkur and Rohri in Sindh, Pakistan.
How to Reach  Ayub Arch and Lansdowne Bridge  : You can reach Sukkur via Aeroplane, Train and by road too. The train takes around 6 hours from Karachi while you can travel by road for approx ___ hours to reach this site.
Hotels/Lodging Facilities on  Ayub Arch and Lansdowne Bridge : Being the 3rd largest city of Sindh province, you can get all sorts of hotels and lodging facilities at Sukkur. Some of the best hotels in the town include InterPak Inn Hotel, Hotel Al-Habib and Mehran Hotel Sukkur.
Specialities of  Ayub Arch and Lansdowne Bridge :

• Lansdowne Bridge was the longest rigid girder bridge in the World, when its construction began in 1887.
• Lansdowne Bridge is a Railway bridge.
• Lansdowne Bridge was inaugurated on March 25, 1889.
• The bridge provided the Railway link between Lahore and Karachi. Before the construction of bridge the train boggies were required to be transported across the river on ferries.
• The great steel Ayub Arch was constructed in 1962 and railway traffic was shifted there. 
• About a hundred feet apart, the two bridges seem like one from a distance. 
• The Ayub Arch became the world's third longest railway arch span and the first bridge in the world to have "the Railway desk slung on coiled wire rope suspenders." 
• Dr. D.D. Steinman of New York, proponent of 'vocational aesthetics' designed this graceful bridge which cost about two crore rupees. 
• The foundation stone of Ayub Arch was laid on December 9, 1960. 
• Ayub Arch was opened by President Muhammad Ayub Khan on May 6, 1962.

A night view of this beautiful set of bridges can not be forgotten for a long time.
Have you visited these amazing engineering marvel?
You can find more amazingly beautiful tourist attractions in Pakistan HERE.

Astola Island, Pasni, Balochistan - Green Water, Coral Reef & Endangered Turtles

Although Astola Island is a small, uninhabited island in Pakistan's territorial waters in Arabian Sea, yet it is Pakistan's largest off-shore island. It is the only significant island in Pakistan's territorial waters.

History behind the Name : Astola Island is known as Jazeera Haft Talar in the local language, meaning "Island of the Seven Hills"
SIZE of Astola Island : It is hardly 4 kms in length with a maximum width of 1 km.
HISTORY of Astola Island : The first known mention of Astola Island in the history is dated back to Arrian's Account of Alexander's Admiral Nearchos in 325 BCE. Nearchos was tasked to explore the coast of Arabian Sea, Gulf of Azadi and Persian Gulf. According to Dr. A. V. Williams Jackson, "The seamen on board the ships of Nearchos, being superstitious, like the sailors of all ages and countries, were much frightened at the weird tales told about an uninhabited island, which Arrian calls Nosala, and is now known as Astola or Astalu. It lies nearly midway between Urmera and Pasni headlands, and is to this day as much an object of dread to the Med fisherman as it was long ago to the Greek sailors."
LOCATION of Astola Island : Lying in the Northern Tip of Arabian Sea, Astola Island is about 25 kms off the shore of Makran coastline and approx 39 kms SE of Pasni - Pakistan's Fishing Port. Astola Island is the northern most island in Arabian Sea.
How to Reach Astola Island : You can access Astola Island by hiring/ renting boats from Pasni. In order to reach Pasni, you will have to travel by road from Karachi or Gawadar on Makran Coastal Highway. It takes about 5 hours to reach Astola Island from Pasni via motor boats.
Hotels/Lodging Facilities on Astola Island : In one word I can say NONE. The island is totally uninhabited and has no hotels at all. Despite being a popular yet "Hard" destination for eco-tourism, tents are the only source of spending a night, and that too you will have to carry with you.
Specialities of Astola Island :

• Astola Island is popular for its limited marine life and wildlife. 
• The endangered species of Green Turtle and Hawksbill Turtle nest on the beach of the island at the foothills of the cliffs. 
• Astola Viper is an important endemic reptile found on the island.
• A large number of breeding water birds including coursers, curlews, godwits, gulls, plovers and sanderlings also live on the island.
• The island is also the home of Coral Reef.
• Ruins of an ancient Hindu Temple of Hindu Goddess - Kali can be seen on Astola Island.
• A small Mosque dedicated to Muslim Saint - Khawaja Khizar.
• Camping, Fishing and Scuba Diving can be planned, but provisions will have to be carried by you.

Spending a moonlit night at Astola Island, having camp fire and fish would surely be a lovely experience.
Would you like to spend a night at Astola Island?
You can find more amazingly beautiful tourist attractions in Pakistan HERE.

PAKISTAN - the most beautiful country in the World

Pakistan is one of the most beautiful country on the planet and exhibits all forms of lands from deserts to mountains. The land height from mean sea level varies from the 0 Feet on the beach of Arabian Sea to 28251 Feet at the summit of K-2 - World's Second Highest Peak.
I was planning to do a venture to share the most amazing places in Pakistan, but my plan got delayed due to various reasons (Like every blogger ;) ), but I have decided that now is the time and I must take action.

So I am starting a series of posts to share the most picturesque places from my beloved Pakistan.

In this series, I shall be posting the details about many locations in Pakistan as follows (You can click on the names of places to visit them too - I will be uploading the links one post at a time and adding more locations):-

• Punjab
• Lahore Fort, Lahore
• Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore
• Head Marala, Sialkot
• Sindh
• Arror Rock, Rohri
• Great Wall of Ranikot Fort
• Lansdowne Bridge and Ayub Arch, Sukkur/ Rohri
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Dudipatsar Lake, Kaghan Valley
• Lake Saif-ul-Muluk, Naran, Kaghan Valley
• Lulusar Lake, Kaghan Valley
• Kalam Valley, Swat 
• Malam Jabba, Swat
• Karamber Lake, Chitral and Ishkoman
• Balochistan
• Astola Island, Pasni, Balochistan
• Chandaragup, Mud Volcano
• Hingol National Park, Hingol
• Makran
• Route to Quetta - A Marvel of Architecture
• Azad Jammu and Kashmir
• Village Halmet, Neelum Valley
• Banjosa Lake, Rawalakot
• Sudhan Gali
• Dheerkot - A Hidden Treasure
• Gilgit Baltistan
• Atta Abad Lake, Hunza
• Shandur Polo Festival, Shandur
• Deosai Plains, Skardu
• Snow Lake, Biafo Glacier Hispar Glacier
• Skardu Snow Desert
• Concordia Base Camp, K-2
• K-2
• Kachura Lake, Shangrila, Skardu
• Laila Peak, Hushe, Karakorum Range
• Nanga Parbat
• Passu Peaks, Hunza
• Rakaposhi, Nagar Valley, Hunza
• Trango Tower
• Uli Biaho Tower

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