5 Observation Decks & Towers in Pakistan That You Shouldn't Miss

Reviewed By Ali_Vazir-BBJeffery - Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Constructed in the memory of Sir William L. Merewether, who served as Commissioner of Sindh from 1867 to 1877, it was raised with public money by the Governor of Bombay, Sir James Fergusson who laid the foundation stone in 1884. It was constructed in 1886 and is located at the intersection of M.A. Jinnah Road and I.I. Chundrigar Road, near Kharadar. It was formally opened to the public in 1892 by the Commissioner of Sindh, Sir Evan James. The tower was designed by James Strachan, the Municipal Engineer, The Tower stands on a base of 44 feet square and rises to a height of 102 feet. Strachan designed the tower in the Gothic Revival style popular in Victorian England, to evoke the architecture of Medieval England (11th to 15th century A.D.). The structure is built in buff-colored Gizri stone and shows a heightened sensitivity to detailing and emphasis on carving and decoration. The architecture takes the form of an Eleanor cross. Eleanor crosses were a series of 12 monuments erected in England by King Edward I between 1291 and 1294, in memory of his wife, Eleanor of Castile. Three of the original Eleanor Crosses still exist in England. The Star of David is also visible on its exterior. Many similar neo-Gothic style structures were built in Victorian England, and impressive clock towers are found all over Pakistan. It is now maintained by sponsorships that presently rests with Standard Chartered Bank.