Altit Valley

"The Himalayan mountain range, the peaks of Ultar and Haiderabad surround Altit, the first capital of Hunza. With the Hunza River defining its limits, Altit is one of the most outstanding historic settlements in the Northern Areas. One of the many habitats located below the rugged Karakoram Mountains, it signifies human ability to tame an extremely hostile natural environment for the purpose of survival. Its topography and the nature of the soil dictated the layout of the built fabric and the man made cultivated terraces, while the settlement is located on rocky ground. Its cultivatable area was terraced thousands of years ago to create meandering agriculture fields, orchards and meadows. The houses and the retaining walls of the cultivated terraces have been constructed with the use of local materials (mainly stone), which helps in creating a perfectly harmonious balance with its natural surroundings. Dated to the 16th century, Altit has a highly organized and hierarchical layout that is typical of all Hunza valley settlements. The Fort is located at the highest point, with the four fortified tightly knit group of settlements placed at the base. The water reservoir is located outside the fortified villages and the early 20th century Jamaat-Khaana and Shahbaran (polo ground) is located at a distance. Access to the Fort is from outside the settlement, through a curving lane located between the village's external wall and the water reservoir. The entrance of the fort is through a small gate opening into a splendid orchard located at the end of the lane. The ceremonial entrance of the Altit settlement, the Himalter (entrance door), is embellished with Shikaris (watch tower) and placed in almost the middle of the lane. The entry to the historic Altit settlement is celebrated with the Jataq (common public spaces).Diverging from which is a network of narrow movement channels leading into different directions. These channels are delineated by tightly packed walled clustered dwellings creating Altit's highly intricate physical tissue. The major streets terminate at the edge of the Hunza gorge to reveal a view of the Hunza Valley and the Hunza-Haldeikish. Altit's historic housing clusters consist of, Burum Khun, Rahimabad Khun; Harchi Khun Rahim Yar abad Khun, Sultanabad Khun, Duikar Khun, each of these clusters has its own mosques. Altit's fort, its historic Khuns, Himaltar, Shikaris, Jataq, Mosques, Jamat Khana, and its Shahbaran testify to its historic development. The old magnificent weeping willows located around the Shahbaran add to Altit's timelessness. Altit's cultural, historical and aesthetic values lie in its built-form, the flanking mountain ranges, the glaciers, streams and man-made cultivated terraces. These elements also signify ongoing living cultural traditions. The traditions embody the time-honored architectural style and building techniques, as well as cultural activities including; festivals, folklores and the life style of its four clans, the Uchkutz, Shushoroting, Khunukutz and Hakalukutz. The first capital of the Hunza State and the earliest surviving model of the Hunzakut settlements, Altit later became the capital of the Ayasho rulers. Founded in the 11th century, Altit owed its late development to its strategic location on the flourishing silk trade route. Altit's architecture, the outstanding physical layout of the early fortified city and other colonial period developments are evidence of its historic socio-political/ cultural history. The settlement and its cultivated terraces are an eloquent proof of the creativity and human effort that has been put in to build a habitat amidst an unfavorable geography. The view of the historic fabric dominated by the fort, located at the upper part of the valley on a white stone 600-700 meters above Hunza River, and surrounded by man-made cultivated terraces and mountains ranges. The settlement lost its important when the capital shifted to Karimabad. It was exposed to further changes since the building of KKH, the socioeconomic development of its residents, the increasing pressure of population growth and the influx of tourism. 30% of the families have constructed houses in their orchards or agriculture fields, while many have sold or abandoned their older houses. Furthermore, haphazardly planned shops, as well as public buildings, have started to pop up at the settlements only entrance. AKCSP in close collaboration with the Altit Town Management society has embarked on up gradation of the historic settlement by providing sanitation, pavement, underground electricity, drinking water and rehabilitation of its water reservoir and Jataq. The settlement has been declared a conservation area where concrete blocks construction is not allowed." Local community celebration at the completion of the restoration works in the village square Local community celebration at the completion of the restoration works in the village square Local community celebration at the completion of the restoration works in the village square Local community celebration at the completion of the restoration works in the village square Local community celebration at the completion of the restoration works in the village square  Local community celebration at the completion of the restoration works in the village square  The roofs and narrow alleyways of the old village as seen from the fort above, before rehabilitation

 View of the elevated plateau of the village, with the fort in the centre, the Hunza Valley below it and the Nager Valley in the background  Drying apricots on the rooftops The cliffs descending from Altit Fort into the Hunza river Looking from Altit fort toward the Ultar range and the cliffs above the village plateau The landscape above the village, with the fort cliff standing above the Hunza River and the KKH Altit fort on the high cliff commanding the Hunza river and the old village on the high plateau beneath the fort Local community celebration at the completion of the restoration works in the village square Plan showing the rehabilitated village, with the himalter (entry space) close to the water pond Community participation in the rehabilitation programme; repairing of an individual house Community participation in the rehabilitation programme; carrying of bricks Community participation in the rehabilitation programme; carrying sewerage pipes through the narrow alleyways  Village square before rehabilitation  Village elders during an informal Town Management Society meeting on the rock below Altit Fort