PASARGADAE Pasargadae was the first dynastic capital of the Achaemenid Empire, founded by Cyrus II the Great, in Pars, homeland of the Persians, in the 6th century BC. Among scholars of the ancient Persian world, it’s regarded as a masterpiece of Achaemenid architecture, urban planning, construction and art. It was …
After breakfast we start our tour at the still-active Zoroastrian Fire Temple, you’ll see a flame that is said to have been burning for the past 1,500 years. It’s an important pilgrimage site for the faithful and here our expert guide will offer additional insight into one of the world’s …
Amir Chakhmaq Square,we see a very impressive Hussainiya – a congregation hall for Shia commemoration ceremonies. With three tiers of recessed alcoves, all perfectly proportioned, its façade is one of the city’s most photographed landmarks. This complex is consists of bazaar, mosque, cistern and etc. which date back to the …
Then visit the Friday Mosque, built in 1324, where you can gaze upon the tallest minarets in the country. Among the many other historic sites to be seen in Yazd are beautiful old homes and the 15-Dowlat Abad Garden. Standing by the garden’s long reflecting pool, you’ll be shaded by …
Until 40 years ago, corpses could still be found on top of the Towers of Silence in Yazd, Iran, slowly disintegrating or being picked apart by desert vultures. In the Zoroastrian tradition, once someone has died, their body can immediately be contaminated by demons and made impure. To prevent this …
Leaving Yazd behind, your first stop this morning will be in Meybod, where your first impression might be its striking monochromatic architecture of desert brick. But set along an ancient trade route, Meybod also offers a number of fascinating sites to visit including its caravanserai. Built in typical Safavid style, …
21 FEB 2019 As the 17th-century capital of the Safavid Empire, Isfahan was one of the world’s greatest cities – architecturally striking, wealthy beyond imagine, and politically powerful with Europeans, Ottomans, Indians and Chinese coming to its court – the heart of a vast Persian Empire that stretched from the …
Isfahan is the capital of Esfahan Province and Iran’s third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad. Esfahan was once one of the largest cities in the world. It flourished from 1050 to 1722, particularly in the 16th century under the Safavid dynasty, when it became the capital of Persia for …
This 17th-century site is one of the largest public spaces in the world. Here in the square, we visited the 17th-century Shah Mosque, revered as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture and easily recognized by its magnificent tile-work and soaring cupola and minarets. In the Ali Qapu Palace, marvellous at its …
22 FEB 2019 Abyaneh Village is known as the Red Village because of its red soil and houses. The houses of Abyaneh bear an ancient architectural style, featured by the use of clay as the construction material and latticed windows and wooden doors. Our overland journey continues to Kashan, a …
