Shiraz
On the 1st of May, we left Tehran on board Aseman Airlines flight for Shiraz. Taxi was there to collect and take us to our hotel. We checked in, freshened up and took off on a tour with our young guide by the name of Zahra, Our first stop was the beautiful Erum Gardens, next the Afifabad Gardens and Weapons Museum. Then the tombs of Rumi and Saadi and finally back to the hotel via the Quran Gate. The city of Shiraz, is more than 4000 years old and is the central area for Persian civilisation.
2nd of May was a free day to look around and discover Shiraz on our own. We took a taxi to the center of the city and with the Lonely Planet guide under our arm, we set about seeing as many historical places as we could. Starting with the Citidal of Arg of Karim Khan, Pars museum, Vakil Bazzar, Sarai-e-musheer, said our Zohur prayers in the mosque Vakil, after which we walked to the Vakil hamam now a carpet museum. At this point it was lunch time and the shops had begun to close. Asking people for directions, we were able to find a restaurant where we had lunch and rested for a while before going on to The Shah Chirag Shrine. By now it was 5.30 and we were exhausted. Took a taxi to the hotel, freshened up and as we stepped outside the gate of the hotel, we saw a sign “Jehan numa gardens” and decided to see it….possibly the best decision….it was the most beautiful and peaceful enclosed garden we had visited so far.
Shiraz is known not only as the city of poets, wine, flowers and gardens but also as the home of Knowledge because important Iranian poets, mystics and philosophers like Sa’di and Hafez the mystic Roozbehan and the philosopher Mulla Sadra, were all born in Shiraz.
Persepolis
On the morning of 3rd May, we left with our guide and taxi for Persepolis, massive ruins of the Persian Empire’s grand palace thought to be about 2500 years old. On route we stopped at Naqsh-e Rustam a place which has the graves of Xersus and Darayus the Great and Ka’ba-ye Zartosht, which is thought to be the earliest Zoroastrian fire temple. We then made a brief stop at Naksh-e-Rajab and finally reached Persepolis. This huge complex of 6 palaces and a museum took the better part of the day. We got back by the late afternoon just in time to catch our flight from Shiraz to Mashad
Mashhad
We landed in Mashad and could immediately feel the difference. The city was buzzing with people of all nationalities, big hotels, banks, Iranian fast food places and souvenior shops. This was a city which never sleeps.
Mashad literally the place of martyrdom) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia world. Mashhad is the resting place of the Imam Reza and is also known as the city of Ferdowsi the great Persian poet.
Our only reason for visiting Mashad was to visit the tomb of Imam Reza and offer fateh and to see the huge complex surrounding the tomb, housing the largest library in Iran, a madrassa, and 6 different museum, we only had time to see the Quran museum, the Khomani museum and the Carpet museum. It took us the better part of the day at the Imam Reza complex, after which we went to see the gardens surrounding the tomb of Nadir Shah and the bazzar-e-bozzugh. Back to the hotel to collect baggage and off to the airport to catch our flight to Tehran.
Esfahan
It is Iran’s third largest city (after Tehran and Mashhad) and was once one of the largest cities in the world. In the 16th century it became the capital of Persia for the second time in its history. It is famous for its Islamic architecture, with many beautiful boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, mosques, and minarets. This led to the Persian proverb Esfahān nesf-e jahān ast: "Esfahan is half of the world”
Naghsh-e Jahan Square officially known as Imam Square situated at the center of Isfahan. It is an important historical site and one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. The square is surrounded by buildings from the Safavid era. The Shah Mosque is situated on the south side of this square, its splendor is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-color mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions . On the west side you can find Ali Qapu Palace. It was here that the great monarch used to entertain noble visitors, and foreign ambassadors. Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque is situated on the eastern side of this square is one of the architectural masterpieces of Safavid Iranian architecture, standing on the eastern side of Imam Square and the northern side opens into the Isfahan Grand Bazaar, which is one of the oldest and largest bazaars of the Middle East, dating back to the 17th century A.D. The bazaar is a vaulted two kilometer street linking the old city with the new. Today, Namaaz-e Jom’eh (the Muslim Friday prayer) is held in this square in front of the Shah Mosque.
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