Iran Landmarks

Best time to travel to Iran

Generally, the best time to visit Iran is from mid-April to early June and late September to early November – during these times, avoid the long, cold winter in the north and summer, which can get uncomfortably hot in most of the country. In addition, prices on the Caspian Sea rise very sharply in summer. Many travelers don’t visit Iran during Ramadan, the month of Muslim fasting, but apart from the fact that most restaurants close between dawn and dusk, Ramadan doesn’t limit visits.

Iran Sightseeing Places

Money

Currency: 1 Iranian rial equals 100 dinars

Currency abbreviation: IRR (ISO code), RI. – ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG

Banknotes worth 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 rials are in circulation. Coins are used in amounts of 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1,000 rials.

Exchange rate:
October 2009
1 US dollar = 10082 IRR
1 euro = 14820 IRR
1 Swiss franc = 9788 IRR

Sightseeing

Iran is an interesting country with an impressive culture. Iran has a large number of different sights and attractions to offer its visitors. So you should not miss the city of Isfahan. The city is the largest in the country. Isfahan is the most popular destination among Iranian tourists. Since the city has a significant history, there are some historical buildings to see. The landscape around the city is just impressive.

Mashhad is also worth a visit. Mashhad used to be one of the most important trading posts on the Silk Road and is now one of the most important holy places in Islam. Since Mashhad is the second largest city in the country, there are many attractions to see, such as the Imam Rea.

You should also have seen Raqsh Rostam. The city is an unforgettable necropolis near Shiraz. From here you can take an excellent tour of the city of the dead.

Persepolis, also called Naqsh Jamshid by the locals, is something special. This architectural masterpiece dates from around 518 BC. The cornerstone of the building was started under King Darius the Great. The then ruler chose Egyptian craftsmen, whom he had come to Persia for his extravagant building. Darius the Great’s successors also wanted to immortalize themselves in this building and made a few more structural changes and extensions to Persepolis. The system grew regularly over 150 years. It was only when Alexander the Great approached Persepolis in 330 BC that the constant building work was ended and the city was left to its own devices after which Alexander had the city burned down. Although only the ruins of the then magnificent city are still standing today, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Qom is also worth a visit. The Qom is one of the holy cities of the Shia and is worshiped not only because of the many tombs of the Persian kings, but also because of the many tombs of Shiite saints. Therefore, Qom is one of the most important election destinations in Iran. The highlight of the city’s sights is the tomb mosque, which was built in 1600. The mosque contains the shrine of Fateme-ye Masume, sister of the eighth Imam Ali ar-Rida.

Garden lovers should not miss Shiraz. The city is one of the fifth largest cities in the country and is best known for its special garden architecture. This is why the city is often called the Garden of Iran.

The city of Shush is one of the most important Elamite cities in the country. It originated in the third millennium BC. One of Susa’s most important sights is the tomb of the prophet Danien, which is worshiped by different faith groups, such as Jews, Christians and Muslims.

There is something unusual to see in Tehran. Here one might think that it would be possible for the different faith groups to live side by side. Various mosques, churches and even synagogues are peacefully united here as neighbors. Likewise, completely different peoples live in the city from Armenians, Kurds to Jews. This is why Tehran is often called the city of the seventy-two nations.

You can also learn about past religions in the country in Iran. For example, you can see the Zoroastrian temple here. The temple is a remnant of Zoroastrianism, one of the then predominant religion in Persia. It is interesting to take a closer look at this religion, but unfortunately there is not much evidence available about this religion.

Iran also has a number of other religious buildings to offer, such as the Shahid Motahari Mosque in Tehran, the Blue Mosque from 1465 in Tabriz, the Seleucid Temple Artemis in Kangavar, etc.

Isfahan has yet another special feature to offer the thirty-three arch bridge. The bridge is also a symbol of the city. Also worth seeing is the Shiraz Citadel, which was the seat of government of Karim Khan Zand a long time ago. Also worth seeing are the Korantor in Shiraz, the Kaiserbrücke in Shuster, the gardens in Yazd and the Khomenei-Platz.

Iran still has many interesting museums to offer, such as the National Museum, the Rea-Abbasi-Msuem or the National Museum of Jewels.

Isfahan in Iran

General information about the Iranian city of
Isfahan is the capital of the province of the same name. The city lies at an altitude of 1,574 meters and has about 1.6 million inhabitants. Isfahan is located in the center of Iran and is four hundred kilometers from the capital of Iran, Tehran. The Iranian city has a very convenient location, namely in a river oasis in the fertile valley of the Zayandeh Rud River, right on the edge of the Zagros Mountains.

During ancient Greece, Isfahan was started under the name Gabai. The Iranian city bore the name Gai among the Arabs, which is also the place of minting on the old coins. During the Middle Ages, Isfahan was called the Jewish City because a Jewish settlement was found in what is now the city. Isfahan received its current name during the Sassanid period, which later changed to Spahan during the reign of the Medes.

Due to the old and above all exciting history, the city has to offer its visitors a wide range of sights.

Attractions Isfahan

Meidan-e Emam: The Meidan-e Emam, also known as Imam Square or Königsplatz, is five hundred meters long and is lined with two-story arcades. On every corner of the Meidan-e Emam is crowned with a magnificent building. These include the two magnificent Islamic mosques (Mashdsched-e Emam and Lotfollah), the Qapu Palace and at the northern end of the bazaar, which is one of the greatest sights in the whole of the Orient. The Meidan-e Emam is the largest of its kind in the world.

Tschahar-Bagh:The Tschahar-Bagh is a place that was designed with trees to form an impressive green area. The square is crossed by canals that are the connection between the old town and the Zanayde Rud river.

Vank Cathedral: The Vank Cathedral is located in the heart of the Armenian district in Isfahan. The cathedral was built between 1606 and 1655. The sacred building unites the architecture of two countries, namely Christian architecture and Persian-Islamic ornamentation, as well as design.

Caravanserai:There is an earlier caravanserai in Isfahan, which was converted into today’s Hotel Abbasi in the time of Shahs Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Thanks to the magnificent interior and the architectural masterpiece on the facade, the building is one of the most impressive in all of Isfahan.

The bridges of the city: Isfahan’s bridges are particularly elaborate and are a popular tourist destination. The city’s most famous bridges include the 33-arch bridge and the Khaju bridge.

Another impressive sight of the city is the former mosque and today’s mausoleum Monar Dschonban by Amu Abdollah Soqla. The so-called swaying minaret should not be missed when staying in Isfahan.

If you want to recover from long tours of exploring the Iranian city, a visit to the restaurants on the river is recommended. Don’t miss out on a trip on the river with one of the numerous swan-shaped pedal boats.

Iran Landmarks

Tehran in Iran

What you should know about

Tehran Tehran is the capital of Iran, as is the province of the same name. The city lies at an altitude of 1,191 meters and has an area of ​​716.9 square kilometers. A total of around 7.2 million people live in the Iranian capital.
There are two international airports and a subway in Tehran. The city was first mentioned in 942 AD. Tehran at that time was a settlement with associated orchards near the residence city of the Seljuks “Ray”. The first inhabitants of Tehran lived in underground caves and passages. Due to the eventful history, Tehran has to offer its visitors a wide range of sights.

The sights of the Iranian city

Abgineh Museum: In the Abgineh Museum you can learn more about the Iranian pottery.

Ethnological
Museum: If you want to learn more about everyday life in Persia, the Ethnological Museum is the right place for you. Here, scenes from the life of the Persians are shown with the help of wax figures. The figures wear original clothing, tools or instruments.

Glass and Ceramics Museum: The Tehran Glass and Ceramics Museum exhibits enamel, crystal, mother-of-pearl, gold and lapis lazuli.

Golestan Palace / Peacock Throne:The palace building is the former government palace of Kajars. The building was built at the end of the eighteenth century or early nineteenth century. Antique weapons, jewelry and ceramics are exhibited in the museum located in the museum. The highlight of the museum is the Takht-e Tawous (peacock throne). This is a throne chair decorated with gold leaf and more than 26,500 precious stones. The magnificent throne chair in India is said to have been built in 1739 by Nadir Shah. Every Shah of the country was made here on the throne.

Iranian Folk Museum: In the museum you can admire an impressive collection of the history of Persia and Iran. There is also an Islamic or pre-Islamic exhibition here.

Other interesting museums include the Crown Jewel Museum, the Mint Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Carpets, the Museum of Fine Arts, etc.

There are many impressive religious buildings in Tehran that you should see.

Imam Khomeini Mosque: The interesting mosque is close to the Tehran Bazaar and the Golestan Palace. The Islamic church was built in the early nineteenth century under the Qajar ruler Fath Ali.

Masdjed-e Shahid Motthari: The mosque was built in 1830 under Nasir-ud-Din Shah. It has an area of ​​3,200 square meters and is the largest mosque in the city. There are two rows of arcades around the mosque. The stucco-decorated prayer halls are really fantastic.

Tehran also has special places like Azadi Square and Meidan-e Baharestan.

The capital of Iran has other special buildings to offer. Among them are really fantastic buildings to explore.

Behesht-e Zahra (blood well): The Behesht-e Zahra. it is a huge cemetery of martyrs. The rows of graves are numerous and almost never end. They were built to remember the dead of the war against Iraq (1980-1988) for a long time. In Behesht-e Zahra there is the so-called blood well. The water of the fountain is colored red and is supposed to symbolize the blood of the dead people.

Other interesting buildings Tehran’s are the Borje-e Milad, the tomb of Imam Chomeini, the Iranian Parliament and the Shahyad Tower.

You don’t have to miss the fine arts on a holiday in Tehran. The Iranian city has a number of opera houses and theaters to offer its visitors. Among them would be the Nasr, the oldest theater in the city. The Rudaki Hall is also worth a visit. The famous Rudaki Orchestra is located here. Tehran’s largest theater is the Vahdat Concert Hall. Up to a thousand people can find a place here.

There are also historical palaces to explore in Tehran.

Golestan Palace:The palace is the former government palace of the Kajars. It was built towards the end of the eighteenth century. There is an interesting museum in the museum.

Niavaran
Palace Complex: Niavaran consists of several buildings and a museum. Nearby is the Sahebqraniyeh Palace.

But that was not all the palaces that can be discovered in Tehran. There is, for example, the Saadabad Palace complex.

In Tehran, there is an abundant supply of green areas, a total of 125. Among the Chitgar Park, which Jamshidieh Park, the Laleh Park, the Mellat Park would be so. Even shopping are plentiful. An absolute must is the Tehran Bazaar. It is ten kilometers long and contains more than 10,000 shops. The Tehran Bazaar is the largest covered bazaar in the world. Here you can buy everything you want, from precious carpets, food to spices or silver or copper work.