Historic Site · Thatta, Pakistan
Makli Necropolis
Makli Necropolis is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, spread over an area of 10 kilometres near the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Built 14th–18th century.
Photo: A.Savin via Wikimedia Commons, FAL. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Thatta, Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 14th–18th century |
| Area | Area: 10 km² |
| Coordinates | 24.7611° N, 67.9000° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Makli Necropolis is known for
Makli Necropolis is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, spread over an area of 10 kilometres near the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh.
About Makli Necropolis
Makli Necropolis is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, spread over an area of 10 kilometres near the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The site houses approximately 500,000 to 1 million tombs built over the course of a 400-year period. Makli Necropolis features several large funerary monuments belonging to royalty, various Sufi saints, and esteemed scholars. The site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 as an "outstanding testament" to Sindhi civilization between the 14th and 18th centuries.
History
The Sufi saint, poet and scholar Shaikh Jamali established a khanqah, or Sufi gathering site, at Makli and was eventually buried there. The 14th century Samma ruler, Jam Tamachi, venerated the saint and wished to be interred near the saint, beginning the tradition of using Makli as a funerary site. The site rose to prominence as a major funerary site during the rule of the Samma dynasty, who had made their capital near Thatta. The most architecturally significant tombs at the site date from around the time of the Mughal era, between 1570 and 1640 CE.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Thatta |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Jinnah International Airport (KHI) |
| Distance from the airport | 46.9 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Jinnah International Airport (KHI) · Karachi, Pakistan · 47.4 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Pakistan
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Makli Necropolis?
Makli Necropolis is one of the largest funerary sites in the world, spread over an area of 10 kilometres near the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh.
Where is Makli Necropolis located?
Makli Necropolis is in Thatta, Pakistan. Its coordinates are 24.7611° N, 67.9000° E.
How do I get to Makli Necropolis?
The nearest town is Thatta, and the nearest airport is Jinnah International Airport (KHI), about 46.9 miles away (straight line).
When was Makli Necropolis built?
Makli Necropolis was built 14th–18th century.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makli_Necropolis — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155043 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.