Field guides / Punjab / Hakim's Tomb
Field guide · Heritage
Hakim's Tomb
Hakim`s tomb and a tank are stated on a platform being 38.4 m long and 21 m wide.
The tomb is situated on the platform east of the tank. Built in undressed stone blocks, a square shaped tomb each side of which is 11 m in length. It is plastered all over in a mixture of lime and concrete being about three inches in thickness. It has got vaulted roof, decorated with typical rose motifs. Two graves inside were removed and leveled during the Sikh rule, when many other buildings of Islamic period were damaged. The tomb is contemporary of Attock fort (1581-83), which was built by Khawaja Shamsuddin Khawafi as his own burial place. For some time he performed duties as Governor of Lahore and stayed at Hasan Abdal/Attock for about five years. Attock fort was also built in his supervision. But in the tomb two eminent figures of Mughal Emperor Akbar`s period were buried, namely Hakim Abdul Fateh Gilani and Hakim Karimuddin.
Why go
- ✦Built by Khawaja Shamsuddin Khawafi as his own burial place
- ✦Two of Akbar's eminent physicians buried here instead
- ✦Vaulted roof decorated with rose motifs
- ✦Set on a platform beside a tank, 38.4 by 21 metres
- ✦Exact contemporary of Attock Fort, built under the same supervision
History
Khawafi served for a period as Governor of Lahore and stayed around Hasan Abdal and Attock for about five years. The tomb is undressed stone, plastered in lime and concrete, under a vaulted roof decorated with rose motifs, set on a platform beside a tank. Two graves inside were removed and levelled during the Sikh period, when many other Islamic-period buildings in the area were damaged.
Historical Significance
A dated, documented Akbar-period building whose construction history is tied directly to Attock Fort.
Architecture
A square tomb of undressed stone, each side 11 metres, plastered throughout in lime and concrete some three inches thick, standing on a platform east of a tank at Hasan Abdal.
Why Visit
A man built his own tomb and someone else was buried in it. The tank and the tomb are one composition — the water is part of the design.
Interesting Facts
- Khawafi built it for himself and was not buried in it
- It is the exact contemporary of Attock Fort, built under the same supervision
- The vaulted roof is decorated with rose motifs
- Two of its graves were destroyed during the Sikh period
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, October to March.
Getting there, Strung along the Grand Trunk Road between Rawalpindi and Attock, roughly 40–80 km west of Islamabad. Hasan Abdal's monuments cluster together and pair naturally with Taxila.
Allow, Twenty to forty minutes each; a half day for the Hasan Abdal and Attock group.
What to Do
Make Hakim's Tomb Part of a Trip
GreenPak resorts within reach, and the journeys that travel this region.
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Hakim's Tomb, within 30 km.
