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Baltit Fort The centerpiece of Karimabad is Baltit Fort. The fort is about 800 years old and housed the Mirs of Hunza until about 45 years ago. It was restored not long ago in a bi-national effort between Britain and Pakistan. Unlike most museums in the west, the guides in Pakistan tend to let visitors handle stuff. Here I am sitting on the old throne (middle, right) looking out at one of the most gorgeous views I've ever seen in my life. Bridget (middle, left) is in the music room. The stained glass is not indigenous but, instead, some Mir's attempt to be "European. We heard lots of stories about how Hunzans live to amazing old ages and many of those stories have made it into print. Mostly people credit the diet but locals also tout the "Hunza Water" (wine, actually). This guy (bottom, left) was supposedly 115 years old. Frankly, we weren't buying it. The people up there looked old for their age and, if they are like many rural Pakistanis, they don't know how old they are anyway. Still I'd say the diet seemed fairly healthy and the environment pristine, so perhaps they live longer than most Pakistanis. But 115? The last photo (bottom, right) is Mir Safdar Khan who ruled from 1887 to 1891. I thought he had the perfect Mir look. |
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I found the fort's "low tech" earthquake proofing fairly interesting. My in-expert analysis is that they created a kind of "Lincoln Log" foundation that allows from some bouncing and swaying without bringing the whole thing down. Too bad so few modern builders in Pakistan don't have such foresight or concern for safety. |
