The Khewra Salt Mine is also known as Mayo Salt Mine in the honour of Lord Mayo.It is second largest salt mine in the world while it is the most largest and oldest salt mine in Pakistan.In 326 BC, Alexander the Great, the Greek King famous for conquering an empire ranging from Asia into Africa and Europe, was making his way across Pakistan. Stopping his army for a rest in the area now known as Khewra, Alexander's horse began licking the stones on the ground. Seeing that all the horses were doing so and taking note, a soldier himself tried one and found that the rocks were quite salty. The Khewra salt deposits had been discovered.
| Khewara |
Today, some 2,330 years later Khewra is the second largest salt mine in the world.It is a major tourist attraction destination which attracts people all over the world.Almost 2,50,000 people visited there.
Visitors are taken into the mine on a train.There are numerous pools of salty water inside the mine.The Badshahi Mosque was built in the mining tunnels with multi-colored salt bricks about fifty years ago.
| Badshai mosque build with salt bricks
Other artistic carvings in the mine include a replica of Minar-e-Pakistan, a statue of Allama Iqbal, an accumulation of crystals that form the name of Muhammad in Urdu script, a model of the Great Wall of China and another of the Mall Road of Murree
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