History:
Established in 1748, Bahawalpur was the capital of the previous August territory of Bahaman Abad, controlled by the Abbasi group of Nawabs until 1955. The Nawabs left a rich engineering inheritance, and Bahaman Abad is presently known for its landmarks dating from that period. I’d never heard of it either until I started researching lesser-known historical places in South Asia. Turns out Bahawalpur was its own independent kingdom for over 200 years, located right in the heart of modern-day Pakistan. Its history is a fascinating glimpse into a lost world of royalty, culture, and tradition.