Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Everything at Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe is served in takeout containers.
Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe
The fried green tomato sandwich comes on jalapeño cornbread toast.
Café Reconcile
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
The pastries at Lagniappe Bakehouse are worth waking up for.
Lagniappe Bakehouse
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
13 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
14 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
15 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
16 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Pakistan Karachi Chaukhandi Tombs

Chaukhandi Tombs

Reputedly haunted sandstone necropolis with exquisite stone carvings.

Karachi, Pakistan

Added By
Tawsam
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Chaukhandi Tombs   Adnan Arain
Chaukhandi Tombs   Adnan Arain
Chaukhandi Tombs   Wajahatali001
Chaukhandi Tombs   Ali Bin Tahir
Overview of some of the tombs (Wikimedia Commons)   Mwaqas
Close-up on the marvelous stone carvings (Wikimedia Commons)   Chandana Liyange (Sri lanka)
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

If you're going to bury someone above ground, the container should probably be both secure and reverent. This knowledge seems to be almost instinctive, as ornate tombs and mausoleums can be found sheltering bodies above the surface in cemeteries from New Orleans to Timbuktu. The most famous of these tombs are clearly the great pyramids of Egypt, but other examples of respectful celebration through decoration are found the world over.

The Chaukhandi Tombs near Karachi, Pakistan are a unique example of such burials. Buried south to north – unusual for the area and time period – these tombs are constructed out of huge sandstone slabs, which are delicately stacked into a finessed pyramid shape. The slabs were then clearly painstakingly carved with intricate patterns, drawings and relatable scenes.

Built between the 15th and 18th centuries, the Chaukhandi Tombs now form a remarkably well-preserved necropolis that often attracts curious visitors and archeologists alike, but the area is not without foreboding legends.

Beyond the elaborate decoration of the tombs, another feature the tombs seem to share with similar necropoli around the world is the conviction locals tend to have that the area is haunted. The tombs at Chaukhandi are renowned for being one of the most haunted sites in the region, and visitors are particularly warned against entering the graveyard at night.

Avoiding the tombs at night isn't bad advice, haunting or otherwise, because the details and drawings on these fascinating artifices are clearly best experienced in the broad light of day. A fact for which many visitors are likely very thankful.

Related Tags

Memento Mori Catacombs And Crypts Ruins

Community Contributors

Added By

Tawsam

Edited By

kostas1964ath, Meg

  • kostas1964ath
  • Meg

Published

May 13, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaukhandi_tombs
Chaukhandi Tombs
Chaukhandi Road
Karachi
Pakistan
24.867183, 67.273613
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Asia's Largest Cross

Karachi, Pakistan

miles away

Mazar-e-Quaid

Karachi, Pakistan

miles away

Karachi Press Club

Karachi, Pakistan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Karachi

Karachi

Pakistan

Places 6
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Asia's Largest Cross

Karachi, Pakistan

miles away

Mazar-e-Quaid

Karachi, Pakistan

miles away

Karachi Press Club

Karachi, Pakistan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Karachi

Karachi

Pakistan

Places 6
Stories 3

Related Stories and Lists

9 Tombs That Prove You Don't Have to Be a Pharaoh to Be Buried Under a Pyramid

cemeteries

By Meg Neal

Related Places

  • The Tanis tombs.

    Tanis, Egypt

    Tanis

    The once great capital of Egypt now crumbles forward as evocative ruins.

  • Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis.

    Samarkand, Uzbekistan

    Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis

    The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.

  • Citadelle Laferrière

    Haiti

    Citadelle Laferrière

    This iconic fortress was once the crown jewel of Haiti's national defense.

  • Walbrzych, Poland

    Totenburg Mausoleum

    This mysterious and once-grand memorial still embodies a remarkable architectural vision.

  • Jersey

    La Hougue Bie

    A passage grave used in neolithic rituals.

  • The Tomb of Ali at Shakhimardan. (Wikimedia Commons)

    Ulugnor District, Uzbekistan

    Tomb of Ali at Shakhimardan

    Beautiful palace stands tall over the Fergana Valley.

  • Catacombs of San Gennaro.

    Naples, Italy

    Catacombs of San Gennaro

    An underground paleo-Christian burial site composed of the remains of several cemeteries and Basilicas.

  • Athenry Dominican Priory.

    Athenry, Ireland

    Athenry Dominican Priory

    Ruins battered by centuries of war and disaster offer a wondrous glimpse of medieval Ireland.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.