TOURIST SITES IN IRAN

Ardabil - Bam and Mahan - Hamadan - Isfahan - Kashan - Kerman - Kermanshah - Kish Island - Mashhad - Persepolis - Qazvin - Shiraz - Tabriz - Tehran - Yazd

Ardabil (1,359 m)
Ardabil is the administrative centre of Ardabil Province. The city was inhabited in Sassanid and Achaemenid eras. After the Arab's conquest of Iran (654-661) Ardabil became the capital of Azarbaijan, but it was once again destroyed by the Mongols. The city is best known as the birthplace of Sheikh Safi ad-Din (1251-1334) from whom the Safavid dynasty was descended. Sheikh Safi was the founder of a Sufi order and monastery in Ardabil, the centre of their theocratic community. Ismail, a descendent of him and a member of this order was later crowned as the Shah of Persia in Tabriz (1501), and during his reign the majority of Persia were converted to Shiite branch of Islam.
In 1803 Russian forces captured Ardabil and this domination lasted for 27 years. During these years a large number of cultural and historic treasures had been transferred from the city to Russian museums.
Sheikh Safi's Mausoleum (14th century) houses the mortal remains of Shah Ismail as well as his saintly ancestor, who is reputed to have foretold the future. The complex of structures consists of a portal, a porch, Sheikh Safi's tomb-chamber, the China Hall, Martyrdom Site, the dervish monastery, Lantern Hall, Jannat Sara Mosque, and the others, and ranks high among the finest historical achievements of Iranian art.
Kalkhoran, situated 3 km from Ardabil is the 16th century Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi's father, Sheikh Jabrail. It is a four-sided structure and is of particular importance due to its plaster stalactite decorations, plentiful ornamental elements, exceptional tile work, carvings and excellent inscriptions.

Bam and Mahan
Built on a large rock mass, the historical Citadel of Bam has been a strategic stronghold in the desert from period BC till the middle of the 19th century. Now it is a city moulded in the red clay of the Great Iranian Desert, Dashty-e Kavir. It is the world's largest mud citadel similar to a large European castle, except the fact that the material is not stone but mud brick.
The ancient Bam, which had been inhabited till the mid 19th century, was overlooking that route of trade and invasion, which the Sassanian Kings wished to control. Later, the Arabs spread their influence over it, only to be superseded by the Seljuk Turks in the 11th century. Finally the citadel was devastated by Afghan invaders in 1722.
Mahan is famous for the Shrine of a saintly person Shah Nematollah Vali who is said to have lived for a hundred years, from 1331 to 1431 and was the founder of Nematollahi order of Dervishes and Sufies. Mahan has also an attractive historical garden from the Qajar period, the Bagh-e Tarikhi.

Hamadan
Hamadan is one of the oldest cities of not only Iran but in the world. Hamadan is one of the cradles of Oriental civilisation with legendary background. The city was founded by king of the Medes in 700 BC. In Ekbatana, the ancient name of Hamadan, there was a majestic palace containing seven castles, which had thousand rooms and equalled that of the Babylon Tower in its grandeur. The city was the residence of Achaemenian Kings, and the summer resort of the Parthian and Sassanian dynasties due to its strategic vicinity to Ctesiphon.
Because of its prominent natural position Hamadan from the times immemorial until recent centuries had been invaded several times. First, the Assyrians destroyed Hamadan. It was ruined again and again during the invasion of the Mongols and Tamerlane. Finally, in the recent centuries the Ottomans attacked the city several times; but Hamadan heroically fought against the enemies and courageously withstood all the losses it had sustained. Hamadan has preserved its importance in the post-Islamic period.

Sightseeing and excursions

The Stone Lion. It is said that this tremendous stone statue of a lion is the handiwork of Alexander's craftsmen, built probably in commemoration of one of the Macedonia's fallen generals, Haephestion.
Mausoleum of Avicenna. The world-famous scientist Avicenna lived in Hamadan for several years and died here in 1307. A large mausoleum, built over his tomb in 1952, together with a library and a small museum devoted to his works are visited by many local and foreign tourists.
Mausoleum of Baba Taher is the 20th century rocket-like monument. Baba Taher was a mystic poet, who died in 1019.
The Shrine of Esther and Mordecai. Mausoleum of Esther and Mordecai is traditionally believed to be the place where Esther, the Jewish Queen of Susa and Xerxes' wife, and Mordecai, her uncle, were buried. It is considered as the most important Jewish pilgrimage site in Iran.
The Holy Shrines. The people of Hamadan have always paid respectful attention to holy shrines. There are several mosques, mausoleums and shrines in Hamadan including Imamzadeh Farzandi-All, Imamzadeh Esmaell, lmamzadeh Abdullah, the Jami' Mosque and Khaneghah.
Ganj Nameh (A Historical Relief). Hamadan's oldest Achaemenian rock carvings consist of two huge inscribed panels set in the rock face. The site is known as Ganj Nameh (Treasure Book), because for a long time it was believed that the inscriptions contained a clue to the whereabouts of fabulous treasures accumulated by the Medes and Achaemenians.
Gonbad-e Alavian. This is the most important Islamic monument in Hamadan. It is a square building of late SeIjuk period with a masterly stucco interior. This building has a crypt containing the tombs of two members of the Alavid family. The monument's facade is one of the most elaborately decorated facades of the country.
Borj-e Qorban (Qorban Dome) is a 12-sided plain brick building with a pyramid shaped dome. The tombstone inside the dome is from the Safavid period, but the building itself cannot be attributed to periods later than the 13th century.

Isfahan
Isfahan was founded in the old times as a garrison town. The city was captured by the Arabs in the 7th century. It was chosen as the capital of the Deylaman and Seljuk dynasties in the 10th and 11th centuries. In the 13th century Isfahan was occupied by the Mongols and in the 14th century by Tamerlane. It flourished at Safavid era (16th century) and was a famous trade centre of that time. It was noted for its gorgeous gardens and palaces and people called it "half the world".
Isfahan, a chosen and designed capital under Shah Abbas I, was reconstituted with so many new mosques, palaces, bridges, avenues and parks that even European travellers wrote rapturously of its beauties.
Apart from being one of the finest art cities of the world, Isfahan is also one of Iran's largest industrial centres.

Sightseeing and excursions

The old bridges of Sio Se Pol and Khajou. Each bridge coincides with a straight avenue running through the city from north to south. Shah Abbas II built Khajou Bridge in 1650 with two purposes in mind: to be used as a dam as well. But its most fascinating features are the pavilions set into the 12-meter width called "Princes' Parlors" and once decorated with faience and inscriptions. Sio Se Pol (Bridge of Thirty-Three Arches) is an extraordinary structure, serving both as a bridge and dam. Traditionally a number of Christian and Islamic ceremonies used to be held on both sides of this bridge.
Chehel Sutoon Palace. Shah Abbas I built the Chehel Sutoon Palace in 1657 as a reception hall. The name means The Forty Columns, although there are actually 20. A reflecting pool is provided to see the other 20. The paintings of the Chehel Sutoon Palace have been created in Iranian and European styles.
Armenian Vank Cathedral and museum. The Cathedral of St. Saviour, built between 1606 and 1654, is a plain square brick building surmounted by a dome showing a mixture of styles - Islamic, Persian, Christian and European.
Jame (Friday) Mosque. The Friday Mosque is the most ancient and in some ways the most interesting building in the city. It was built in the late 11th and early 12th century as a focus for the town. It is a landmark in the evolution of Iranian sacred architecture.
The shaking minarets, Minar-e Jonban, probably date from Safavid period, although the mausoleum underneath was built in the 14th century. If you climb up the very narrow stairway to the top of one of these minarets and lean hard against the wall it will start to sway back and forth, and so will its twin.
Another mosque in Isfahan, the Oshtorjan Mosque, has also shaking minarets like the twin shaking minarets which were certainly built by the same architect at the beginning of the 14th century.
Imam Square, called also Maidan-e Naqsh-e Jahan (Image of the World Square), was the heart of Safavid capital. One of the largest squares in the world, it was intended as a polo ground. From its terrace, the King could watch the life of his country. Caravans from all over Asia camped there. Four jewels of the 17th century architecture adorn each side of the square, symbolising the political, economic and religious spheres of Safavid Iran. The entrance to Qaysariyyeh Bazaar is on the northern end; on the east side stands the Lotfallah Mosque opposite the Ali-Qapu Palace, and the towering portal of the Imam Mosque caps the southern arcade.
Sheikh Lutfollah Mosque is the most beautiful religious building, datable to the first years of the 17th century. It was built by Shah Abbas in honour of the great Lebanese Sheikh.
Imam Mosque, also called Royal Mosque before the victory of Islamic Revolution, is one of the greatest and the most dazzling buildings in the world. Almost the entire surface of the building is covered with enamel tile. A vast display of floral wealth, abstract and imaginative, emphasises the Persian poetic passion for flowers.
Ali-Qapu Palace, translated as "sublime gate", was made into the first skyscraper of Iran with a spectacular view over the public square and city to the front and the Shah's pleasure gardens at the back.

Kashan
Kashan is one of the ancient cities of Iran, founded around 559 BC. Kashan is famous for its ceramic tiles, pottery, textiles, carpets and silk. The city is one of the most important archaeological sites in central Iran. Kashan was the favourite town of Shah Abbas I and he beautified it and asked to be buried here in the mausoleum of a 13th century ancestor.

Sightseeing and excursions

Masjid-e Jam'e. The mosque (also known as the Friday Mosque) is one of Kashan's oldest buildings. One of its minarets is from the 11th or 12th century, and the rest of the building is of later construction. It is said that the original building was a fire-temple before the conversion of people to Islam. The older minaret of the mosque is the third oldest minaret in Iran according to its inscription.
The Fin Garden. Designed for Shah Abbas I, this classical Persian vision of paradise has always been prized for its natural springs and still contains the remains of his two-story palace set around a pool. The garden has other Safavid royal buildings.
Agha Bozorgh Mosque, considered as one of the most beautiful Islamic monuments of Iran, was constructed for prayers, preaching and teaching sessions held by Molla Mahdi Naraghi II known as Agha Bozorgh.
The old houses of Tabatabaeiha and Wind towers of Borujerdiha. A more ornate, but still intensely practical example of the cooling shaft. The numerous vents ensure that any breeze whatsoever is put to use. Some fine examples of elaborately carved stucco have survived almost ten centuries.

Kerman
The land of mountains and deserts in a beautiful natural setting, Kerman has a long history. Having driven its name from the tribe of Germanioi, it is believed to have been founded in the early 3rd century AD by Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanian dynasty. Beginning from the 7th century it was ruled in turn by the Arabs, the Seljuks, the Turkomans and the Mongols. Marco Polo mentioned the skill of local leather-workers, silk-embroideries in 1271. The town expanded rapidly under the Safavids in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Kerman is a blend of modern and old life and architecture. It is famous for its carpets and pistachios.
Kerman is the entry point to the more visited sites of Bam and Mahan.

Sightseeing and excursions

The Friday Mosque dates back to the 14th century. It is designed on the classical Iranian model of four ivans, with wonderful blue faience. Several shades from turquoise to ultramarine create the vertical sea of smooth, shimmering glittering tiles. The wall of the mihrab and the central dome are also decorated with admirable geometric compositions.
Gonbad-e-Jabalieh is an enormous tower. It may have been a Zoroastrian building, and is remarkable because of being constructed of stone rather than the more usual brick.
Gonbad-e-Moshtaghieh of the early 19th century (Qajar period) has very fine tile decorations.
Ganj Ali Khan Bath and Ethnological Museum houses an interesting exhibition of good wax works of men in various poses and costumes set in a traditional but not longer operational bath-house. The Ganj Ali Khan Bath is one of the several ancient monuments and a group of utilitarian buildings dating from the Safavid period (the 17th century).
The old covered bazaar. The extensive Regent's Bazaar, constructed of beautiful and well-preserved brick (much of it from the Safavid period) is mainly of interest for its architecture rather than for the range of goods.

Kermanshah and surroundings
Kermanshah is the administrative centre of Kermanshah Province. The town is one of the liveliest market-centres of the province, where a large number of Kurds and mountain peasants once famous as warriors can be met. These Kurds still speak their own language and remain faithful to their testamentary traditions: the men wear large turbans on their heads and black dungarees tight at the waist and at ankles. The women wear trousers and bright-coloured scarves and sometimes brocade bodices.

Buildings and places of interest around Kermanshah are as follows:
The Taq-e Girra (believed to be Sassanian) near the top of the Pay-e Taq pass (90 km west of the town);
The Ruins of Dinavar, dating from Seleucid period (45 km from the town);
The Mound of Kambadene (from Achaemenian to Sassanian times);
Dokkan-e Davoud (David's Shop), a Median tomb of 7th century BC, which shows a praying man on a rock piece.
The Rock carvings and Inscriptions of Darius I at Bisotun or Behistun (32 km from Kermanshah). On the roadside there are Achaemenian inscriptions and relief engraved high up (100 and 40-50 m above the ground) on the Bisotun cliff. Twelve hundred lines of inscriptions tell the story of the battles of Darius had to wage in 521-520 BC against the governors who were trying to break the Empire founded by Cyrus. The decisive battle took place on this site. Three languages used in the inscriptions are Babylonian, Elamite and the Old Persian.
A bas-relief depicts the scenes of King's victory.
There are plenty of remains at this site, which probably has been settled continuously since Neolithic times. Within an easy reach off the cliff there are a Median citadel, the walls of a Parthian settlement, a stone block carved with three Parthian figures, the foundations of a Sassanian bridge, and a grotto with traces of existence in Neanderthal times.
The Relief and Inscriptions at Taq-e Bostan (6 km from Kermanshah) are the only Sassanian rock carvings outside Fars Province. The bas-reliefs decorate two grottoes, large and small, which had been cut out of a rock cliff rising high above a pool of clear water.
Temple of Anahita at Kangavar is one of the architectural monuments of ancient Iran, with its history going back to the Parthian period (200 BC).
The worship of Anahita - goddess of abundance and guardian of water in ancient Iran and goddess of beauty and fecundity in some other countries - was broadly practiced during the Parthian period.
The temple is a rectangular building with its facade to the south. The platform is higher than the ground by several steps, which have completely disappeared. A small mosque had been built to the west, and on the north-west of the temple is a lane along which the best preserved and the most important part of the building is to be seen. This part of the temple is placed on a beautiful foundation of white marble.
Walls, wide steps and marble columns represent a combination of Iranian-Greek architectural styles.

Kish Island
Located on the north-east of the Persian Gulf and with an area of 90 square km, Kish is one of the most marvellous islands in the Persian Gulf, attracting the attention of many tribes and nations since time immemorial.
Kish has a long history of about 3,000 years, being called under different names such as Kamtina, Arakia, Arakata and Ghiss in the course of time. Before the Revolution it was developed as a private retreat for the Shah and his privileged guests, with its own international airport, palaces, luxury hotels and restaurants and even a grand casino.
The beautiful coast is covered with white silvery sand washed by azure blue waves of the sea. It is the first free economic zone and a major shopping spot in the region after Dubai. The island is famous for its quality of pearls. Swimming, boating, scuba diving and snorkelling are all available on the Kish Island.

Mashhad
Mashhad is the holiest city in Iran. The city grew around the legendary martyrdom of Imam Reza - the 8th Imam of the Shiite Muslims, who died in 817. It is interesting to know that the word Mashhad literally means place of martyrdom. In time this burial place began to attract Shiite pilgrims. What had been a small village grew around the Shrine into a small town, later known as Mashhad, but for many centuries its development was slow.
Since the 9th century the tomb has been ravaged and almost destroyed many times - but reconstruction and additions have occurred even more frequently. The Shrine was severely damaged by Mongols.
Mashhad became capital of Khorasan in the 15th century, in succession to the nearby town of Tus. In the 15th century the city was troubled by Uzbek invasions, and the population fell dramatically.
Although it had always attracted pilgrims, Mashhad did not become a pilgrimage centre until the coming of the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century, when Shiism was established as the state religion.
Despite its new-acquired importance, Mashhad was attacked in the 16th and 17th centuries by the Uzbeks and by the Afghans in 1722.
Several uprisings here in the 19th century were severely put down by the ruling Qajars, but Mashhad returned to peace under the reign of Naser ad-Din Shah, and under the present regime its continuing importance, at least in religious matters, remains secure.

Sightseeing and excursions

Shrine of Imam Reza. All roads in Mashhad lead to the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza. According to popular belief, Imam Reza died after eating some grapes. The story spread that he had been poisoned on the orders of the Caliph Ma'mun after having in some way aroused his enmity. Whatever the truth, Ma'mun buried him next to the tomb of his own father, the famous Harun al-Rashid, and in time this burial place began to attract Shiite pilgrims. Visit to some chambers within the shrine are prohibited so as not to disturb the religious ceremonies.
The Shrine by night. The lovely illumination and peaceful atmosphere of the Shrine nourishes the mind and heightens the spirit of the beholders.
The Holy Koran and Astan Qods museums. The Holy Koran museum is unique in the world in that it contains some of the oldest versions of Holy Koran believed to be written by Shiite Imams and clergymen. The Korans of the 20th century being displayed also stand out for their fantastic calligraphy, miniature paintings as well as inlaid works. The Astan Qod museum displays the most precious presents dedicated to Imam Reza by kings, governors, rich people and artists over the course of time.
Gowharshad Mosque with its 50-meters high faience dome and cavernous golden portal is the greatest surviving Persian monument of the 15th century. The Queen of a mighty empire, the wife of Tamerlane's eldest son Shahrokh, the patron of the arts and powerful personality in her own right, Gowharshad was one of the remarkable women in Islamic history. Although most of her major architectural commissions were in her capital Heart, this mosque in Mashhad is the best preserved testament to her genius.
The Nader Shah Mausoleum. The crypt shelters the tomb of Nader Shah, who made Mashhad his capital and operational base for his campaign against India. Two small museums had been set up nearby: Nader Shah souvenirs, mainly the 18th and 19th century weapons, and bronze objects unearthed during excavations in the region.
Gonbad-e Sabz (the Green Dome) is a small mausoleum used by Naqshbandi dervishes, and originally built in the Safavid era.

Around Mashhad
Tus (23 km from Mashhad) was a powerful city and regional capital until the Mongolian conquest. A ridge of clay is all that is left of its ramparts, the size of which give an indication of how large a city was.
Tus is the hometown of Ferdowsi, poet of Shahnameh (Book of the Kings), which gives the history of Iran to the end of the Sassanian period. He died in 1020 and was buried in a small mausoleum.
Neishapur (112 km from Mashhad) is the earliest recorded capital of Khorasan and was at one time a flourishing literary, artistic and academic centre. Omar Khayyam (died in 1125), known outside Iran due to his Quatrains (Rubayat), was buried in the garden of the shrine of Mohammad Mahrugh, built about 1570. This is a dome on a high drum with light blue tiles, in a charming setting, and with dazzling white interior.
Founded in Sassanian times and named after Shapur, the city became the capital of Khorasan after the Arab invasion, and rose to great importance during the 10th century. Tughrol Beg, the first of the Seljuks, made it his capital in 1037.
Neishapur was damaged by an earthquake in 1145 and by invasion of Oghuz Turks in 1153. It was the first city in what is now Iran to feel the full force of the Mongol invasion in 1221, after which it fell into decline. At the beginning of the 14th century the city recovered its importance, but it was soon overtaken and surpassed by Mashhad. After its further destruction by the Afghans in 1722, Neishapur ceased to have even symbolic importance.

Naqsh-e-Rajab
The most important document on this site is the carving of the high priest, Kartier, Mobad-e-Mobadan (Priest of Priests) under three Sassanian emperors: Shapur, Bahram I and Bahram II.
Opposite Naqsh-e-Rajab there is the foundation for the tower similar to the Kaabe Zardusht at Naqsh-e-Rustam.

Naqsh-e-Rustam
Pre-Achaemenian, Achaemenian and Sassanian Persian archaeological site 10 km northwest of Persepolis, Naqsh-e-Rustam (means literally the carving of Rustam) is a sort of "Valley of Kings" dating back from the 5th and 4th centuries BC.
On the mountainside in Naqsh-e Rustam, the Achaemenian necropolis consists of four rock tombs cut into the cliff sides. The most famous is the tomb of Darius I the Great. In all the tombs there can be seen the Achaemenian king's figure, seated on the throne.
Stone Tower. In front of the tomb of Artaxerxes is a well-preserved and nicely proportioned building called Kaabe Zardusht (Zoroaster's Sanctuary or Cube), which is a square structure built of blocks of white hewn limestone. There are three main theories about what this structure was used for.
Theory 1: Fire Temple. Similar building have been shown on coins of a later period, which had fire altars with flames on the roof.
Theory 2: This building was used by the Zoroastrian high priest to store the holy books of the Zoroastrian faith and recite the text in front of the royal tombs.
Theory 3: This was a royal tomb of an Achaemenian king before Darius.
There are many other theories, none of which could give a satisfactory answer to explain the purpose of this unique building.
The Fire Altars. Twin fire altars were cut from the living rock round the corner of the cliff containing the tombs of four Achaemenian kings.
Sassanian Carvings Beneath the Tombs. Below the four royal tombs of the Achaemenian period are several bas-reliefs of the Sassanian Age (the 3rd and 4th centuries AD) and an Elamite relief of a priest datable to about 1,500 BC.

Naqsh-e-Rustam
Located on the main road between Shiraz and Isfahan, Passargadae was the first capital of the Iranian tribes and the Achaemenian Empire. It was built in 546 BC.
Cyrus defeated his overlord and grandfather, King Astyages on this field in 550 BC and decided to build his headquarters here. There is a building here which is generally agreed to be the tomb of Cyrus, built in 546 BC during his lifetime.
The Tomb of Cyrus the Great. The inscription on his tomb, of which now there is no trace, is recorded as saying; "O Man, I am Cyrus, who founded the Empire of the Persians and was the King of Asia. Judge me not, therefore, by this little earth that covers my body".

Persepolis
The centre of the great Persian Empire, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenian and the showpiece of Achaemenian art, Persepolis (Capital of Persia, in Greek) is a historic treasure in Fars Province, 60 km to the north-east of Shiraz. The most important royal buildings were built by Darius the Great (521-468 BC) as the focus of the mighty Achaemenian Empire nearly 2500 years ago. The planning of the buildings, though executed during the reign of successive monarchs, was conceived as a whole.
Although put on fire and destroyed by Alexander the Great (331 BC) in a gesture symbolising the destruction of Persian imperial power, its still impressive ruins suggest its original magnificent appearance. The complex consists of several small and large palaces, a government treasury and some guard-houses. A large part of these palaces has been constructed in black and white stones, and the stone relieves depict different ceremonies of the Achaemenid courts.

Sightseeing and excursions
Staircase. Persepolis stood on a wide platform. Monumental ceremonial staircase, carved from massive blocks of stone (five steps are carved from a single block 7 meters long) led to the platform. Trumpeters standing at the top of the staircase in front of the Gate of All Nations announced the arrival of delegations. Portions of the bronze trumpets are preserved in the Persepolis Museum. The Persian and Median ushers received the delegations, led them through the Gate of All Nations to the Hundred Column Palace to the presence of the King.
The Gate of All Nations impresses with its massiveness. Its four corners are oriented to the four cardinal directions. It is guarded at east and west by vast bull-like colossi.
Apadana Palace. The place where the famous gold and silver tablets have been unearthed, it is the palace where the kings (and particularly Darius) once held audience and received visitors. The roof was supported by 36 stone columns each 20 meters high, of which only 13 remain upright today. This is the outstanding building of Persepolis and, on account of its staircase, one to which the visitor will return again and again.
The Apadana Staircase. The staircase is divided into three portions. The northern panel shows the reception of the Persians and Medes, the more interesting southern panel - the reception of the subject nations, 23 scenes in three rows depict representatives of various countries in the Achaemenian Empire. Each section is separated from the next by a symbolic Tree of Life, the whole forming a virtual film strip showing exactly how peoples of the vast empire dressed, their ornaments, weapons, hairstyles, and the treasures of their homelands.
Hall of 100 Columns is the largest edifice on the platform, measuring 70x70 meters in area. It was used for the reception of the delegations of the subject peoples and collection of their tribute. They entered the 100 Column Palace from the north between two large bull figures carrying the portico.
Museum contains not only objects found in Persepolis but, in the right-hand galleries, prehistoric pottery and artefacts from nearby mounds, and on the left early Islamic exhibits from Istakhr.
Treasury. According to Plutarch, Alexander the Great required 10,000 mules and 5,000 camels to carry the treasures of Persepolis to Ekbatana. The original golden dedication tablet was found here, carelessly dropped in one of the yards and is displayed in the National Museum of Iran, Tehran.

Qazvin
Qazvin was the capital of Iran in the 16th century under the Safavid Tahmasb I. The city has been devastated by earthquakes more than once, and what remains is only a shadow of its former splendour, although there are some fine Safavid and Seljuk structures intact.

Sightseeing and excursions

Friday Mosque was built in 1106-1153, but several times enlarged and improved, notably under Shah Abbas the Great. The Kuffic inscription on a frieze has recently been expertly restored.
The Prophet's Mosque of 19th century will remind you the mosques of Shiraz because of its ceramic floral decorations and tile mosaics.
Heidariyeh Mosque was built on the plan of a Sassanian fire temple. Its stucco frieze is decorated with remarkable Kuffic inscription. Carved stucco mihrab is lavishly decorated and one of the loveliest pieces of Seljuk art.
The Shrine of Imamzadeh Hossein, son of the 8th Imam, was erected in the 16th century when Qazvin was the Safavid capital. It has a magnificent blue cupola preceded by a portal with six small minarets, in the best baroque style.
The Castles of the Assassin. The historic fortresses, known as the Castles of the Assassins, were the heavily fortified lairs of the adherents of a weird religious cult, based mainly on the precepts of the Ismaili Sect. The cult was founded in the 11th century by Hasan Sabah. This heretical and widely feared sect sent out killers throughout the region to murder the leading political and religious figures.



Shiraz (1,540 m)
"The visitor forgets his homeland when in May he comes to Shiraz" - Saadi
Shiraz is the administrative centre of Fars Province.
Known as the city of Roses and nightingales, Shiraz is the cradle of Ancient Persian Civilisation. Kourosh I established the Achaemenid dynasty in this region in 553 BC, which after two centuries was overthrown by Alexander the Great. Today, the remains of the palaces, tombs and castles of the Achaemenid era in the Marvdasht region (north-eastern part of Shiraz) are considered as the most outstanding historic monuments of the world.
The clay tablets at Persepolis refer to wages paid to workers from Shi-Razi-Ish, or what is known today as Shiraz. The prosperity and magnificence of Shiraz, however, are products of the Islamic era.

Shiraz was captured by the Arabs in 649 AD and its population was converted to Islam. In the 10th century the city became the capital of Persia. During period from 12th to 14th century Shiraz was one of the largest and most populous Islamic cities.
Karim Khan Zand (18th century) contributed greatly to its prosperity by building mosques, bazaars, roads, citadels and other structures in the town.
With the termination of the Zand era, Shiraz too, began to decline.
Shiraz is the centre of some of the greatest Persian poets such as Hafiz and Saadi who have been sources of inspiration for many nations all over the world.
Sightseeing and excursions

Bagh-e Eram Garden (the Garden of Paradise). It dates from the time of Qajars, when Mohammad Gholi Khan Ilkhani ordered its construction. The most beautiful of all the trees in this garden - and the most famous tree of Shiraz - is a lofty cypress named Sarv-e Naaz (the sweet cypress), which indeed, seems a work of art. This slender tree is a source of inspiration appearing in most of the Persian Lyrics and Songs. The immediate connotation of Sarv in Persian mind is that of a beautiful, healthy and most beloved.
Mausoleum of Saadi. Saadi (1209-1291), one of the greatest poets of the world, was born in educated family and died in Shiraz. Even from the very early days after the poet's death, the mausoleum of Saadi became a place of pilgrimage to lovers of poetry and literature. Mausoleum stands on the spot that was once the poet's convent.
Mausoleum of Hafez. Hafez (1324-1391) is the greatest master of Persian lyric poetry and the literary giant of the 14th century. He was buried in a garden known after him as the Hafezieh. The extraordinary popularity and the wide appeal of this great lyric poet among all Persian-speaking people make his tomb a venerated place, visited by all.
Attiq Friday Mosque. The most interesting and oldest of the buildings in the old town of Shiraz, is the Friday Mosque, also called the Masjid-e Attiq. Construction was begun in 894. It was built in imitation of Kaaba at Mecca, round which pilgrims were bound as a religious act to circumambulate seven times.
Pars Museum. Inside the building you will find many beautiful oil paintings which depict Moses wooing and Abraham sacrificing; tile-works show Solomon's enthronement, and curious objects from Iran's 6000 years of civilisation - from the prehistoric to modern times - are on display. Islamic ceramics of the 11th to 13th centuries are the main pride of this museum.
Narenjistan Museum. Narenjistan means the Orange Garden, built in the 1870s by Mirza Ebrahim Khan. Narenjistan preserves a sense of the privilege and refinement enjoyed by upper-class Iranian families in the 19th century. Its most outstanding feature is a large crescent-shaped tile-work on the brow of the structure, depicting a lion and the sun in the centre, and two leopards devouring deer on either side. The stone panel bordering the floor of the rooms is carved with pictures of riflemen of the day and, imitating Persepolis, with the immortal guardsmen and the king in the process of killing a bull.
Nassirolmolk Mosque. This beautiful mosque has completely different depiction on its tiles. The old fashioned European people with their special costumes are inlaid on tiles. The other strange thing about the mosque is the use of red and pink colours on its ever-glazing tiles, something that one can never see in other historic mosques.
The old bazaar of Vakil is unique in Iran for its size, solidity and beauty of its brickwork.
The Holy Shrine of Shah Cheragh (the King of the Light). An infinity of reflections is recreated in the dazzling mirror work inside the tomb of Seyyed Amir Ahmad, known as Shah Cheragh or the King of Light. Shah Cheragh was the brother of the 8th Imam, Reza. This shrine is the principal pilgrimage centre in Fars province, drawing thousands of pilgrims annually.

Around Shiraz

Bishapur (Ancient Ruins) is the ancient town of Sassanian origin. Shapur was the second Sassanian emperor, whose unique achievement was the capture of the Roman Emperor Valerian. This feat consolidated Sassanian government for the next 400 years. The city of Bishapur, his capital, was founded in the middle of the 2nd century AD on the site of an older city abandoned in the time of Alexander the Great. Roman prisoners took part in its construction. The city rapidly became one of the most important cities in Fars Province. Bishapur was devastated by the Arabs in the 7th century and soon after it declined.
Sassanian Kings perpetuated the memory of their victories in several bas-reliefs carved in the rock. Relieves show traces of Roman art similar to Trojan's Column with different tiers of soldiers, prisoners, etc.
To the north there are remains of a fire-temple, which has been almost completely excavated.

Susa (archaeological site)
The site is situated on four small mounds. Susa or Shush was one of the oldest cities in the world. In fact a prehistoric settlement from at least the 4th millennium BC, and an important Elamite city from about the middle of the 3rd millennium, Susa reached its first peak in the 13th century BC under the reign of Untash Gal, who built Shush as his administrative capital. Shush was burnt around 640 BC by the Assyrians, but it came back to glory and its Golden Age began in time of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenian Empire. Cyrus the Great hastened the revival of the city, which became the winter capital of the Achaemenians, while Darius I and Artaxerxes Mnemon built great palaces there.
It was from Susa that Xerxes embarked on his great expedition against Greece. Plundered Delphi and Athens, he deposited their wealth in his treasury at Susa.
Alexander the Great captured the town in 331 BC. Susa became an important centre of Christianity in the 4th century AD. In the 7th century it was conquered by the Arabs and in 1218 completely destroyed by the Mongols.
Two very well preserved foundation tablets found beneath the site of Darius' Palace, one in Elamite and the other in Babylonian, record the noble ancestry of its founder and the far-flung origins of its materials and workers, as a piece of propaganda to show the might of the Achaemenian Empire at the time. The tablets are now in the Tehran's National Museum of Iran. Other artefacts, clay inscriptions and pottery found at Susa are on display at a very good local museum. The remains of 72 columns and bulls'-head capitals show that the palace was built on the same style as that at Persepolis constructed soon afterwards.

Tabriz (1,366 m)
Tabriz has a long history, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960's and one of its former capitals. The old stone tablet of Sargon II, the Assyrian King with a reference to Tabriz referrers to a place called Tauri Castle and Tarmkis. The historians believe that this castle was situated on the site of the present Tabriz.
It was the capital of Azarbaijan in the 3rd century AD. Tabriz was conquered by the Arabs in the 7th century. During the early Islamic period it was prosperous city. Tabriz is one of the few Iranian cities that was not ruined by the Mongol army. Indeed following the Mongol invasion it became the official capital of Iran and even more prosperous. In 1392 the town was conquered by Tamerlane. Under the Safavids it rose from regional to national capital for a short period. But the second of the Safavid kings moved the capital to Qazvin because of the liability of Tabriz to Ottoman attacks. The town then went into a period of decline.
Tabriz was the residence of the crown prince under the Qajar kings. The town returned to prosperity in the second half of the 19th century.
The city was occupied by Russians several times in the first half of the 20th century. The Constitutional Uprising of 1906, the oil nationalisation movement of 1950 and the Islamic Revolution of 1978 are among the development in which Tabriz played significant historic role.
With a very rich history, Tabriz used to house many historical monuments. Unfortunately, many of them were destroyed in repeated invasions and attacks of foreign forces, as well natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.

Sightseeing and excursions

Blue Mosque is a 15th-century structure damaged by one of Tabriz's recurrent earthquakes. It has been recently restored with the utmost skill. Because of the blue tiles used in the decoration of both interior and exterior of the mosque, it has become to be known as the Turquoise of Islam.
Bazaar. The present structure of bazaar dates back to the last years of the Zand dynasty (1750-1779). It is a great place for getting hopelessly lost amid its dusty architectural splendours. Bazaar includes several small bazaars, each for a specific guild and craft.
Citadel of Tabriz is the impressive remainder of a great and monumental building. A huge and crumbling brick citadel was built in the early 14th century on the site of a massive mosque which collapsed over 500 years ago, and which, probably, have been one of the largest ever constructed.
Azarbaijan Museum, opened in 1962, consists of three main halls in which historical articles, costumes of various tribes of Iran, works of renowned calligraphers, as well as a collection of pictures, tracts, declarations, documents, and personal articles of the leaders of the Constitutional Revolution are on display.
Churches. Nowadays Tabriz has six churches. The most important of which are Church of St. Mary, probably the most interesting and the oldest but substantially rebuilt; Saint Serkis Armenian Church; Baron Avak, renovated in 1845.

Tehran
Compared to Iran's other capitals Tehran is not an old city. Tehran was originally a village on the suburb of Rey, Iranian capital until Mongol invasion of the country in 1220 AD. Actually, very little is known of the origin and early history of Tehran. Presumably it may date back to the 9th century AD, but for the first few hundred years of its existence it was an insignificant town. Its development was retarded by its proximity to the large and flourishing Rey.
Karim Khan Zand, Shah of Iran (1750-1779) came to Tehran in 1759. He was impressed with the town and its situation that he gave orders to erect buildings would be rival the great Sassanian palace at Ctesiphon, as well as a number of other buildings.
Tehran's development as an independent city, however, began in the 18th century, when it was finally made Iran's capital by Agha Mohammad Khan, the first of the Qajars. That is why most of the historical buildings of Tehran are of the Qajar period. With the decline of the Qajar dynasty, Tehran soon took the shape of a modern city. The 200th anniversary of Tehran's nomination as the nation's capital was celebrated in 1991.

Sightseeing and excursions

National (Archaeological) Museum has items dating back from the Sumerian Period (4,500 BC). Visitors who do not have time to go to Persepolis or Susa will find in the National Museum of Iran significant vestiges of Achaemenian decorations. The most striking section of the Museum, however, is the one showing the role of Islam in Iranian life and arts.
The Glassware & Ceramics Museum. The articles on display, dating back to the 2nd century BC, are divided into five categories: 1) Enamel Gallery; 2) Crystal Gallery; 3) Nacre Gallery; 4) Gold Gallery; 5) Lapis-lazuli Galleries.
Saad Abad Palace is the greatest cultural complex consisting of seven palace-museums.
Carpet Museum houses an excellent collection of Iranian hand woven carpets. Here you can see carpets from the 15th century to the present time. Something around 135 pieces of rugs and carpets are on display.
The Museum of Reza Abbasi houses a valuable collection of arts, paintings, calligraphy and the art of the book. The Museum consists of two divisions: Pre-Islamic and Islamic Galleries. Its collection covers Iranian Art from 6,000 BC to the 20th century.
The National Jewels Museum. The fabulous treasure of the museum is the richest and most dazzling single collection of jewels in the world. Even for those who have never been interested in precious stones, this collection is a breath-taking experience, bringing suddenly to mind all the legendary treasure of Ali Baba.
Coin Museum houses wealthy collections of coins from Pre-Islamic, Islamic and contemporary periods.
Ethnological Museum was built in 1937 on the order of Reza Shah. This museum has a colourful exhibition of traditional Iranian dress with wax dummies as models, as well as a folk art exhibition.
Motah'hari Mosque and College. Serving both as a mosque and a theological college, Motah'hari Mosque is the largest and most important mosque in Tehran.
Green Palace-Museum. Objects on display include Persian carpets, valuable foreign furniture, porcelain dish sets, chandeliers, etc., in an interior embellished with stucco carving, enamelled panels and inlay works. Facade of the palace is covered with marble slabs.
Museum of Fine Arts houses a number of unique and precious paintings dating back from the 16th century.
Imam Mosque, the construction of which began by Fath Ali Shah Qajar in about 1809 in line with his efforts to embellish the newly founded capital, was completed in 1849.
Golestan and other Palaces is the Qajars' royal residence, the oldest substantial building in the city. Naser ad-Din Shah, influenced by what he had seen during his first European tour in 1873, added a Museum in the form of a large hall decorated with mirror work, where some of the priceless Crown Jewels were put on show. The coronation ceremonies of the last two kings of the Pahlavi dynasty took place here.
The Caspian Coast
The coastal plains of the Caspian Sea, with more than 600 kilometres length, mountainous slopes and beautiful towns and villages, kind and hospitable people, are some of important recreational regions of Iran. Vast fields of rice, tobacco, tea, oleaginous seeds, cotton, and citrus orchards along with beautiful wooden houses, have created a very interesting social life and livelihood which is worth-seeing for every tourist. Bordering the Caspian Sea, the region has a singular beauty. It has moderate weather and receives adequate rainfall. Its diverse topography gives it a beautiful natural landscape.
Rasht is the administrative centre of Guilan province. A flat and fairly featureless city grew into a town around the 14th century, soon becoming the major settlement in Guilan. During the World War I the city was occupied by Russians, and in 1920 Bolsheviks destroyed much of the bazaar, driving many of the inhabitants into temporary exile. There is a number of places of interest to be visited in Rasht such as a silk factory, the rice paddies at the sea-level and the tea plantations on the stony, volcanic soil of the foothills.
If you are looking for caviar it is the best place to buy it.
Bandar-e Anzali. Out of Rasht, the air becomes purer with the tang of the Caspian. The lagoon, called Mordab-e Anzali (Anzali Lagoon), is an ornithologist's paradise for the variety of fowl to be seen here.
This town came into prominence in the early 19th century as a result of the increasing Russian influence over the trade in the Caspian Sea. Today, it is the only active in trade with the former Soviet states. There is a provincial Russian air about the town, from its shop displays its crumbling architecture and lonely promenade, and fair-skinned visitors were usually to be Russian.
Masuleh is the most beautiful village in the region to the south of the Caspian Sea. It is formed of several irregular levels of terraced, pale cream houses with gray slate roofs, interspersed with evergreen trees.
The construction of the village is in such a way that the roof of one house becomes the yard of another. The oldest building is 300 years old, but architecture is similar to that of the Sassanian period. Spending sometime with the warm people of the village in their colourful dresses inspired by nature is such an everlasting joy to remember.
Splendid natural beauty, a pleasant climate, luxuriant forests, lavish vegetation, the unique architecture of the buildings and hospitable people make Masuleh a point of great attraction, regarded and registered as a national asset.

Yazd
The city of Yazd is situated right in the centre of Iran and almost entirely surrounded by deserts.
It has been an important station on the old caravan routes to Central Asia and India. Its history dates back to the time of Alexander the Great who praised the city, which he visited on his way to India. Some historians on the other hand, are of the opinion that Yazd derived its name from the founder of the city Yazdgerd, the first of the Sassanian dynasty.
The city was conquered by the Arabs in the 7th century as well as by the Mongols under the leadership of Genghis Khan in 13th century and Timurlane in the 14th century. The city flourished in the 14th and 15th centuries, but its commercial success and stability were never transformed into political status. The town fell into decline after the end of the Safavid era, and remained little more than a provincial outpost until the extension of the railway line here under the last Shah.

Known as the "Pearl of the Desert", Yazd is a dazzling depiction of real Persian architecture. The geographical features of this region have made people develop special architectural styles. The existence of special ventilation structures, called badgirs, is a distinctive feature of the architecture of this city. A badgir is a high structure on the roof under which, in the interior of the building, there is a small pool.

Sightseeing and excursions

Towers of Silence. The Zoroastrian Two Towers of Silence are on the top of three hills less in the outskirts of the city. A flame was kept burning in the adjacent Ateshgah, or a fire altar, from sunset to dawn for three nights after the body of a deceased person was placed in a Tower of Silence.
Fire Temple, Atashkadeh is the most important Zoroastrian fire temple. The sacred flame behind a glass visible from the small museum inside has, according to the Zoroastrian elder in attendance here, been burning since about 470 AD and was transferred from its original site in 1940. There are also a couple of paintings here, including one of Zoroaster.
Jame (Friday) Mosque. There is no more impressive gateway in Iran than this great soaring 14th-century edifice. Crowned by a pair of minarets, the highest in Iran, the portal's facade is decorated from top to bottom in dazzling tile work, predominantly blue in colour. Its tall faience mihrab, dated 1365, is one of the finest of its kind in existence.
Amir Chakhmaq Mosque (15th century). The frieze on the portal has artistically very valuable calligraphy etched on it, according to which Bibi Fatemeh Khatun, the wife of Yazd commander Amir Chakhmaq, built the mosque.
Doulat Abad Garden. Watered by a qanat (underground stream) until the very recent past, Doulat Abad garden was used for the provincial governor. The most impressive part of the complex is a 33- meter high badgir (Wind Tower) on the roof and a water stream in the interior. The air was conducted into the interior and cooled through the action of the flowing water. Lattice doors and windows with stained glass patterns impart a pleasing sight to the complex.
The old bazaar is the best place to buy silk, gold, brocades and clothes, the products, which brought the town its prosperity.
Twelve Imams Shrine is a small mausoleum of the early 11th century. It has a fine Seljuk inscription inside with the names of each of the Shiite Imams, none of which is buried here.