Author Nick: Rahman Mehraby
Site:
Gonbad e Alavian is a rectangular-plan structure which has the tombs of two people belonging to a family by the same name, who lived during Seljuk period. Though the structure has been ruined over the ages, yet you can notice that some of the original plaster-worked parts are still there. The tombs lie underneath the [...]
Tomb of Esther and Mordecai is a Jewish monument built in honor of Esther, the wife of Xerxes, the Achaemenian ruler and her uncle, Mordecai. Esther was a Jew herself and lived from 485 – 465 BC. She made Persia her home and established many Jewish colonies here. This allowed protection to the followers of [...]
Shir Sangi (Stone Lion) Statue is an ancient monument which can be seen in Hamedan close to a small hill, near an old cemetery belonging to the Parthian times. Initially, there were two such lions guarding the gate. In fact, after the Arab invasion, the victorious rulers proclaimed it as the lion’s gate or “bab [...]
Narenjestan e Qavam in Shiraz denotes the rich tradition in the history of Iran. Mirza Ibrahim Khan was in charge of building this house in 19th century. The family residing in the interior section of this house originally hailed from Qazvin and was merchants by profession. They became involved in the government under the Zand [...]
Borj e Ghorban is a burial monument built during 10th or 11th century and is located near Ibn-e Sina high school is Hamedan. The structure is considered a tomb tower located in an area, which is said to belong to the Zandi-ha district. It is known to be the burial site of Sheikh ol-Islam Hassan [...]
Tomb of Baba Taher can be seen in the north of Hamedan city. It is dedicated to this poet. He was known for his mystic poems composed around 11th century. There are marble slabs in the mausoleum which look like parchment. The poems by Baba Taher are inscribed in black calligraphy here. The slabs are [...]
Isfahan Old Friday Mosque is said to have been a fire temple before Arab’s conquest of Iran. Later, when Iranians converted to Islam, changed the function of the building to be used for the new religion. The reconstruction, redirection of the main domed chamber of ht emosque went on for a few centuries until a [...]
You can see Ganjnameh inscriptions on one side of Alvand mountain, about 5 km from Hamedan in Iran. In Persian, the word means “treasure epistle”. It is two pieces of inscription carved in granite on the face of the mountain. The carving on the left is attributed to Darius I who lived from 521 – [...]
Tomb of Avicenna is very similar to the Gunbad-i-Qabus tomb tower in Iran which was constructed in 1006. Avicenna or Ibn Sina was a Persian philosopher and physician, whose mausoleum was constructed by the Iranian Monuments Society in 1953. This was done on the millennial birth anniversary of the physician. This structure differed from the [...]
Before Persian empire was established by Cyrus the Great in 549 BC, Ecbatana was the capital city of Astyages and former Median kings. It came under Persian rule and was used as the summer resort of the Persian kings at the time of Darius the great. Its location at the foot of Mount Alvand made [...]
Arg of Karim Khan e Zand can be found in the city of Shiraz in Iran. It is a beautiful citadel built by the Zand rulers. Being a part of a larger complex, it was the residence of this Zand ruler and was also named after him. From a distance, it looks like a medieval [...]
History of Gorgan goes back to the ancient Greek period, when the region was known as Hyrcania in Greek and Varkana In local Persian. Many international tourists visit the region while taking a tour to Iran to see the historical structures and monuments in and around it. Zadracarta was the largest city and capital on [...]
Urmia Friday Mosque had been built in the later half of the 13th century and can be seen inside Urmia Bazaar. There is a huge courtyard in the structure along with a large covered area made of bricks called the Shabestan. The roof in the center of the monument has been structured into a high [...]
Visit Takht-e-Soleyman (Throne of Solomon) to explore one of the most ancient archeological sites located in North Western Iran. The monument located in a volcanic mountain region was declared as a World Heritage Site in the year 2003. When you take a trip to Iran, you can see it lying near the small town of [...]
Saheb ol Amr Mosque has a long history of destruction and repair. The name of this monument can be translated into English as the Mosque of the Master of Command. The monument was named with one of the titles held by the Twelfth Imam of Shiites. Many international tourists visit Tabriz and this mosque located [...]
Urmia Bazaar is known for its variety of ware and is located in the southeastern part of the city. Although many parts of the bazaar can no longer be seen as they have been ravaged by time, yet you can still see a major part still standing here. Structures like bazaars have been always in [...]
When you travel to Iran, visit Soltanieh Dome lying near Zanjan province. It is the biggest structure of its kind made with bricks. UNESCO has approved it to be registered as a World Heritage Site. The monument was world’s tallest building of its time and ranks third currently after Saint Mary church in Florence and [...]
A trip to Saint Stepanos Monastery is included in the schedule of many international tourists when they visit Tabriz. It was built during the 9th century and contains huge historical and artistic values for the visitors, who are not essentially religious. Christians and non-Christians alike visit the monument and enjoy it. The original structure was [...]
Many international tourists take a trip to Maragheh to observe the monumental brick structures built with a simplistic design and perfect proportion. Most parts of these monuments are almost plain, but the doorways are covered with bursts of elaborate decorations, made using the best ancient Persian skill and architecture. The Mongol invasions and earthquakes have [...]
A trip to Kara Kelisa is included in the visit schedule of most of the international tourists when they visit Tabriz. The term is used locally to convey the meaning the Black Church. But the monument is originally named as the Kelisa-ye Tatavus and the Armenian Church and Monastery of St Thaddeus. It is named [...]
