Iran

Nov 2010

“Why go there? Isn’t it dangerous?” was pretty much all I heard in response to telling people I was off to Iran. Whilst the west today has a bit of a confrontational relationship with Iran, it is in fact quite safe and the people are some of the friendliest and most hospitable I’ve ever met!

In addition, the history of the region (it is ancient Persia after all) is quite amazing and with 2,500 year old cities such as Persepolis, and the beautiful garden city of Esfahan to see, its definitely worth visiting and I can highly recommend it.

Old City Gate — Old City Gate
Modern day Tehran is like any other city, but here and there you can find remenants of its past such as this old city gate.

The Pool Room — The Pool Room
Golestan Palace Tehran This room within the Golestan Palace compound is so named because of the small pool and fountain in the centre of the room (just visible at the bottom of the shot).

Patterned Walls — Patterned Walls
Oljeitu Mausoleum Soltaniyeh The walls within the UNESCO Heritage site are slowly being restored after being covered over for many years.

Blue Dome — Blue Dome
Oljeitu Mausoleum Soltaniyeh View of the worlds tallest brick dome! Built in the early 1300's much of the town was destroyed by invaders and earthquakes. The majority of the mausoleum survived and is currently undergoing extensive restoration.

Eat Everything or No Dessert! — Eat Everything or No Dessert!
Bazaar Zanjan The stalls in the ZanJan bazaar sell an interesting selection of meat products if you need to grab something "on the hoof"! Also available are lung and tripe. Yum!

Meat Sellers — Meat Sellers
Bazaar Zanjan These three guys were very funny and ran the associated meat and offal stall in the bazaar. Nice to see pipe smoking is back in fashion!

Nuts o Hazlenuts — Nuts o Hazlenuts
Bazaar Zanjan Nuts are big in Iran. This stall sold a selection of Walnuts, Hazlenuts and Pistachios.

The Village Kids — The Village Kids
Near Takab We wandered to a rural village and were greeted by these kids who were very happy to see and chat with us.

The Girls — The Girls
Near Takab These two young girls spent most of the time with us in hysterics, laughing their heads off.

The Boys — The Boys
Near Takab The cheeky boys in the village. The lad in the middle was asking is we had any sweets. It turns out he already had some midget gems and tried to show off but throwing one into the air and trying to catch it in his mouth. He completely missed but this didn't dampen his mischievousness one bit!

In the moutains — In the moutains
A view across the mountains as we drove back to Tehran from Takab.

Giant Haystacks — Giant Haystacks
Many of the houses inthe rural villages have huge haystacks piled on the roof. Although it gets quite warm in the summer, it gets very cold (and snowy) in the winter so this is probably a simple form of insulation.

Shiraz Shine — Shiraz Shine
Imamzadeh-Ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze Shiraz The tomb of Emir Ali, a nephew of one of the Shahs. The original was destoryed by earthquakes but rebuilt in the 1800's.

Hall of Mirrors — Hall of Mirrors
Imamzadeh-Ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze Shiraz Inside, every square inch of wall and roof is decorated with mirrors. The effect is quite dazzling, although it proved a challenge to photograph! The square chamber towards thebottom of the shot is the actual shine itself and contains the tomb of Emir Ali.

Roof Tower — Roof Tower
Shiraz A decorated colourful turret on the corner of a rooftop in Shiraz.

Fruit and Nut — Fruit and Nut
Bazaar Shiraz A selection of seeds, nuts and dried fruit on sale at one of the stalls inthe bazaar.

Arch Decoration — Arch Decoration
The unsual decoration that is part of many of the mosque arches. It vague reminds me of either mosaic stalactites or a colourful wasp nest! Either way the intricacies of the designs are impressive.

Mosque Courtyard — Mosque Courtyard
Nasir-Ol-Molk Mosque Shiraz One of the most beautiful and elegant mosques in southern Iran. Every so often in the walls you can find a wooden brick. These are placed there as protection against earthquakes as the wood is more flexible and helps absorb some of the stresses.

Tiled Arches — Tiled Arches
Nasir-Ol-Molk Mosque Shiraz A view of the decorated arches down one of the side colonades within the mosque.

Winter Prayer Hall — Winter Prayer Hall
Nasir-Ol-Molk Mosque Shiraz The winter prayer hall in the mosque contains some stunning stained glass windows and carved columns. When we arrived, midday prayers were just ending and afterwards we managed to slip into the room and see the amazing colours the light coming through the windows produced.

Pomegranates — Pomegranates
Near the Bazaar Shiraz Just outside the bazaar I got chatting to the street seller with a cart full of ripe pomegranates to sell.

Pavillion Gardens — Pavillion Gardens
Bagh-e Naranjestan Shiraz Whilst only a small garden it is beautifully laid out and is the setting for the opulently decorated Naranjestan-e Ghavam pavillion which you can see at the end.

Pavillion Decoration I — Pavillion Decoration I
Bagh-e Naranjestan Shiraz The Naranjestan-e Ghavam pavillion is decorated with intricate tiling and stained glass windows, but upstairs the roof beams show perculiarly European style images such as this.

Pavillion Decoration II — Pavillion Decoration II
Bagh-e Naranjestan Shiraz The Naranjestan-e Ghavam pavillion is decorated with intricate tiling and stained glass windows, but upstairs the roof beams show perculiarly European style images such as this.

Dead Poets Society I — Dead Poets Society I
The Tomb of Sa'di Shiraz Within Iran there are many famous poets and two are held in particularly high esteem. This is the tomb of one of the Sa'di. Otherwise known as Sheikh Mohammed Shams-ed-Din he lived from 1207 to 1291. Many of his verses are still used like proverbs in modern conversations and his most famous works - Rose Garden and Garden of Trees - have been translated in many other languages.

Citadel — Citadel
Arg-e Karim Khan Shiraz This huge citadel is pretty much the centre of Shiraz and a popular place to hang out. It was originally built during the late 1700's by Karim Khan. Although you can't tell from this shot, the tower in the foreground now has a noticeable lean after it subsided into the unground system that formed the citadel's bathhouse.

Shopping Spree — Shopping Spree
Bazaar Shiraz A view down one of the main alleys in the bazaar.

Xerxes Gateway — Xerxes Gateway
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Double Eagle Column Head — Double Eagle Column Head
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Bull Decoration — Bull Decoration
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Column Reliefs — Column Reliefs
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Shading the King — Shading the King
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Wall Relief I — Wall Relief I
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Wall Relief II — Wall Relief II
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

King and Griffin — King and Griffin
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Carved Doorway — Carved Doorway
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Doorways and Tomb — Doorways and Tomb
Persepolis Persepolis was built during the Achamenis Empire (550-330 BC) and even though its now in ruins you can still get a feel for how grand the city must have been. The city was lost for centuries, covered by dust and sand and only following extensive excavations in the 1930s did skill and vision of its creators come to light once again.

Tomb of Darius I — Tomb of Darius I
Naqsh-e Rostam These rock cut tombs (reminiscent of Petra) are belived to be those of Darius II, Artaxerxes I, Darius I and Xerxes I (left to right) and date from the Achaemenid period (500-330 BC) and feature Zoroastrian designs and motifs.

Sassanian Reliefs — Sassanian Reliefs
Naqsh-e Rostam Below the rock cut tombs are eight stone cut reliefs depicting scenes of imperial conquests and royal ceremonies. The relief shows Shapur I on horseback, holding a Roman emperor by the wrist whilst another Roman emperor submits kneeling before his horse.

Rock Tombs — Rock Tombs
Naqsh-e Rostam These four rock cut tombs (reminiscent of Petra) are belived to be those of Darius II, Artaxerxes I, Darius I and Xerxes I (left to right) and date from the Achaemenid period (500-330 BC) and feature Zoroastrian designs and motifs. The function of the square building on the right is unknown. It was originally thought to be a Zoroastrian fire temple but now experts are unsure.

Reflections — Reflections
Vakil Mosque Shiraz Reflections in the pool within the Vakil Mosque courtyard.

Dead Poets Society II — Dead Poets Society II
Tomb of Hafez Shiraz Another one of the popular poets in Iran is Hafez. He was born in Shiraz in 1324 and many of his peoms are untranslatable due to their strong mystical quality.

Seeking Answers — Seeking Answers
Tomb of Hafez Shiraz Iranians use the poems of Hafez as guides for what to do in life when other avenues have provided no answers. Here two ladies pray by the tomb and consult books of the poems of Hafez seeking answers.

Cyrus's Final Resting Place — Cyrus's Final Resting Place
The Tomb of Cyrus the Great Pasargadae The city of Pasargadae was begun by Cyrus the Great in 546 BC but was overtaken by Persepolis. The tomb of Cyrus remains but along with most of the city, the gardens that surrounded the tomb have now disappeared.

Floral Offerings — Floral Offerings
Tomb of Cyrus the Great Pasargadae People still leave flowers on the teirs that lead up to the tomb.

Ice Ice Baby — Ice Ice Baby
Near Yazd The conical structure in the shot is an ancient ice house. Inside it descends almost as far into the ground as you can see above ground. Behind the wall on the right is a pool which would be filled with water. Overnight this would freeze and in the morning the ice would be cut up and stored in the ice house.

Baby on the Bike — Baby on the Bike
Near Yazd Many families use motorbikes to get around, often fitting several family members on the bike at the same time. We saw quite a lot of riders with very young kids sat with them or squashed between mother and father!

The Tower of Silence — The Tower of Silence
Zoroastrian Cemetary Yazd Zoroastrians revere the air, earth, fire and water. Burying someone in the earth pollutes it. Cremating someone pollutes the air. So to avoid this when someone died they used to prepare the body (in the buildings in the foreground) and then leave it exposed in the tower on top of the hill. Vultures would strip the flesh and then after a few days the bones would be collected and buried.

Zoroastrian Graves — Zoroastrian Graves
Zoroastrian Cemetary Yazd The Towers of Silence are not used by Zoroastrians anymore. Now if someone dies they are buried in a concrete lined tomb to avoid pollution of the earth.

Eternal Flame — Eternal Flame
Ateshkadeh Yazd Zoroastrians from around the world come here to view this sacred flame which has supposedly been burning non-stop since about 470 AD. Its kept burning within a special room and you can view the flame through a window in the entrance hall.

Ateshkadeh — Ateshkadeh
Ateshkadeh Yazd Zoroastrians from around the world come here to view this sacred flame which has supposedly been burning non-stop inside this building since about 470 AD. Above the temple you can see the Fravahar symbol which represents the Good Thoughts, Good Mind, Good Deeds which forms one of the central principles of Zoroastrianism.

Wind Towers — Wind Towers
Yazd Wind Towers are still used and looking acros the room tops in Yazd you can see the newer less ornate ones along with older original towers.

Wind Tower & Woman — Wind Tower & Woman
Old Town Yazd Across the roofs of old parts of towns and villages you can often see many of the above structures which are an early form of air conditioning. The wind towers caught the breeze with the fins cooling the air before directing it down into the rooms below.

Covered Alley II — Covered Alley II
Old Town Yazd The older parts of town contain many narrow alleys with high walls, or covered alleys as shown. This is to avoid the summer sun which on the edge of the desert can be very hot!

Takieh — Takieh
Yazd The structure above looks like the entrance to a mosque but is in fact a Takieh. It is only used a during specific rituals during the year (usually to commemoraqte the death of Imam Hossein).

Mud Brick Castle — Mud Brick Castle
Narein Castle Meybod The crumbling remains of Narein Castle which dates back to around 224-642 AD.

Melting — Melting
Narein Castle Meybod The crumbling remains of Narein Castle which dates back to around 224-642 AD.

Weaver — Weaver
Restored Caravanserai Yazd An old woman uses a loom to weave fabric and carpets - the skills and methods the same for thousands of years.

Inside an Ice House — Inside an Ice House
Icehouse Yazd Another ice house, this time viewed from inside.

Coloured Glazes — Coloured Glazes
Pottery Yazd A lot of pottery and glazeware is produced near Yazd.

Sponging on the Glaze — Sponging on the Glaze
Pottery Yazd A lot of pottery and glazeware is produced near Yazd.

Emptying the Kiln — Emptying the Kiln
Pottery Yazd A lot of pottery and glazeware is produced near Yazd.

Ruined Caravanserai — Ruined Caravanserai
An old ruined caravanserai on the edge of the desert between Yazd and Esfahan.

Bridge on the River Zayandeh — Bridge on the River Zayandeh
Khaju Bridge Esfahan There are several beautiful bridges across the Zayandeh Bridge in Esfahan. They are popular places to meet, chat, socialise or just watch the world go by.

Meeting under the bridge — Meeting under the bridge
Khaju Bridge Esfahan There are several beautiful bridges across the Zayandeh Bridge in Esfahan. They are popular places to meet, chat, socialise or just watch the world go by.

Riverside Park — Riverside Park
Esfahan Beautiful parks run along both sides of the river for several miles. During the weekend (Thursday/Friday in Iran) many people come down to sit on the grass and have a picnic.

Murals — Murals
Vank Cathedral Esfahan There is a large Armenian community in Esfahan based around Vank Cathedral. Inside the cathedral is richly decorated with stunning murals and paintings. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos inside.

Wrestling — Wrestling
Zurkhaneh Esfahan A strange sport, almost unique to Iran is Zurkhaneh (which means House of Strength) and which dates back thousands of years. Its a strange mix of Sufism, the rituals of Mithraism combined with Heroism. Many of the exercises are developed from ways to strengthen soliders. The exercises take place within a lowered put while the leader (sat at the back) pounds out a drumbeat or plays a flute-like instrument and quotes poetry by Hafez!

Weightlifting Shields — Weightlifting Shields
Zurkhaneh Esfahan A strange sport, almost unique to Iran is Zurkhaneh (which means House of Strength) and which dates back thousands of years. Its a strange mix of Sufism, the rituals of Mithraism combined with Heroism. Many of the exercises are developed from ways to strengthen soliders. The exercises take place within a lowered put while the leader (sat at the back) pounds out a drumbeat or plays a flute-like instrument and quotes poetry by Hafez!

Wooden Dumbell Shouler Rolls — Wooden Dumbell Shouler Rolls
Zurkhaneh Esfahan A strange sport, almost unique to Iran is Zurkhaneh (which means House of Strength) and which dates back thousands of years. Its a strange mix of Sufism, the rituals of Mithraism combined with Heroism. Many of the exercises are developed from ways to strengthen soliders. The exercises take place within a lowered put while the leader (sat at the back) pounds out a drumbeat or plays a flute-like instrument and quotes poetry by Hafez!

Pedalos — Pedalos
River Zayandeh Esfahan At the weekend couples and families enjoy themselves by the river!

Khaju Bridge — Khaju Bridge
Khaju Bridge Esfahan There are several beautiful bridges across the Zayandeh Bridge in Esfahan. They are popular places to meet, chat, socialise or just watch the world go by.

Palace Frescoes I — Palace Frescoes I
Chehel Sotun Palace Esfahan Originally built in the 1600s the palace was left in ruins for a long time and has only recently been renovated. Inside the main hall the walls are covered by beautifully coloured murals and the majority of the roof decoration has also survived.

Palace Frescoes II — Palace Frescoes II
Chehel Sotun Palace Esfahan Originally built in the 1600s the palace was left in ruins for a long time and has only recently been renovated. Inside the main hall the walls are covered by beautifully coloured murals and the majority of the roof decoration has also survived.

View from the Palace — View from the Palace
Chehel Sotun Palace Esfahan A view from the palace towards the entrance, over the reflecting pool.

Dome Design — Dome Design
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque Esfahan Inside the mosque the dome is covered with a rich repeating pattern.

Below the Dome — Below the Dome
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque Esfahan Below the dome the rich decoration continues across the walls and windows.

Supporting Curves — Supporting Curves
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque Esfahan During the very hot summer months worship takes place in the basement where its cooler. Huge columns support the orante mosque and dome above.

The Ladies Mosque — The Ladies Mosque
Imam Square Esfahan Built in the early 1600s this is one of the most fabulously decorated mosques in Iran and unique in not having a minaret or a courtyard. The dome is covered with an intricate design of cream coloured tiles that reflect the changing light during the day.

Water Pipe — Water Pipe
Imam Square Esfahan Despite the image presented in the west, Iranians are incredibly friendly and hospitable as proven by this friendly local in Imam Square who wanted me to sit down and join him for a smoke and a chat!

Family and Fountains — Family and Fountains
Imam Square Esfahan A family stand by the fountains in Imam Square looking across the the Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque.

Baffle'd — Baffle'd
Ali Qapu Palace Esfahan On the opposite side of Imam Square to the Ladies Mosque site Ali Qapu Palace. Built at the end of the 1500s it is narrow and tall (48m high with six storeys). Although this might look like a repository for bottles and objects, this is infact the music room on the top floor and the shapes cut into the plasterwork are to improve the acoustics.

Inquisitive Girls — Inquisitive Girls
Ali Qapu Palace Esfahan Half way up Ali Qapu Palace sites an elevated terrace with the roof above supported by 18 slender wooden columns (and a few metal girders now since damage from an earthquake). These two girls came over to ask where I was from and to see what I thought of Esfahan and Iran generally.

A View from the Terrace — A View from the Terrace
Ali Qapu Palace Esfahan Half way up Ali Qapu Palace sites an elevated terrace with the roof above supported by 18 slender wooden columns (and a few metal girders now since damage from an earthquake). It provides a good viewpoint to look over Imam Square.

Prayer Stones — Prayer Stones
Imam Mosque Esfahan There are two main branches of Islam - Sunni and Shiites. Iranians are Shiites. When they pray they put a small stone on the floor in-front of them, and this is what they touch their heads to.

A Ray of Light — A Ray of Light
Imam Mosque Esfahan Inside the Imam Mosque the walls and dome are covered with deep blue tiles and intricate designs in yellow and green.

Entrance — Entrance
Imam Mosque Esfahan Light spills into a corridor from the main courtyard of the mosque.

40 Columns — 40 Columns
Chehel Sotun Palace Esfahan Originally built in the 1600s the palace was left in ruins for a long time and has only recently been renovated. The palace is also referred to as the 40 Column Palace. The main entrance is supported by 20 columns which when viewed from the front reflect in the pool showing 40 columns.

20 Columns — 20 Columns
Chehel Sotun Palace Esfahan Originally built in the 1600s the palace was left in ruins for a long time and has only recently been renovated. The palace is also referred to as the 40 Column Palace. The main entrance is supported by 20 columns which when viewed from the front reflect in the pool showing 40 columns.

More Bazaar — More Bazaar
Bazar-e Bozorg Esfahan The great bazaar at the north end of Imam Square contains kilometers of alleys and stalls and is something of a maze! I walked for almost an hour with no sight of the end. However I then had to find my way back which wasn't too easy. Much of the building dates from the early 1600s.

Palace Gardens — Palace Gardens
Hasht Behest Palace Esfahan Smaller and not as restored as Chehel Sotun Palace, Hasht Behest Palace is set in some pretty gardens with the front columns almost mirroring the trees outside.

Reflections I — Reflections I
Si-o-Seh Bridge Esfahan Another bridge over the river in Esfahan which consists of 33 arches. It was built between 1599 and 1602 and serves as both a bridge and a dam and is still used to hold back the river today.

Reflections II — Reflections II
Si-o-Seh Bridge Esfahan Another bridge over the river in Esfahan which consists of 33 arches. It was built between 1599 and 1602 and serves as both a bridge and a dam and is still used to hold back the river today.

Waiting with Friends — Waiting with Friends
Si-o-Seh Bridge Esfahan This bridge gets very busy at and after sunset as groups of girls and guys hang around and wander up and down checking each other out. With no nightclubs to speak of this is one of the few ways young people can meet. In fact the teahouses that used to be at the end of many of these bridges have been closed by the Govenment and many suspect it was to cut down on places people might meet socially!

Ancient Village — Ancient Village
Abyaneh Situated at the foot of Mount Karkus, this villages twisting narrow lanes and red brick houses show its age. Its over 1500 years old and due to its ago and isolation some elders still speak Middle Persian, an earlier dialect of Farsi that disappeared elsewhere centuries ago.

Apple Dealer — Apple Dealer
Abyaneh The Lonley Planet guide mentions the toothless old women who push a hard bargain on dried apples (and they weren't wrong!). Again because of the isolation and age of the village even the dress is slightly different and more colourful to that seen elsewhere.

Little Old Lady — Little Old Lady
Abyaneh The Lonley Planet guide mentions the toothless old women who push a hard bargain on dried apples (and they weren't wrong!). Again because of the isolation and age of the village even the dress is slightly different and more colourful to that seen elsewhere.

Water Feature — Water Feature
Fin Garden Kashan Scene of the murder of the Iranian nationalist hero Amir Kabir who served as prime minister in the mid-1800s, these gardens are known as one of the finest in Iran. Set in the gardens are a couple of pavilions with ornately painted ceilings and walls, and through the gardens small channels run with water. The mini-fountains within these water channels are only powered by water pressure and not pumps.

Merchants House — Merchants House
Khan-e Ameriha Kashan Within Kashan are several large merchants houses that have been restored at some cost. As we entered this one I think we all went "Wow!" when we entered the courtyard. However we hadn't really seen anything yet. There were about 5 of these courtyards around the house, extensive rooms and a couple of subterranean hammams (bathhouses).

Hammam I — Hammam I
Khan-e Ameriha Kashan Within Kashan are several large merchants houses that have been restored at some cost. As we entered this one I think we all went "Wow!" when we entered the courtyard. However we hadn't really seen anything yet. There were about 5 of these courtyards around the house, extensive rooms and a couple of subterranean hammams (bathhouses).

Hammam II — Hammam II
Khan-e Ameriha Kashan Within Kashan are several large merchants houses that have been restored at some cost. As we entered this one I think we all went "Wow!" when we entered the courtyard. However we hadn't really seen anything yet. There were about 5 of these courtyards around the house, extensive rooms and a couple of subterranean hammams (bathhouses).

Reaching to the Sky — Reaching to the Sky
Azadi Tower Tehran Built to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the Persian Empire (in 1971) this 50m tower stands in the middle of a very busy roundabout in the west of Tehran.

Through the Arch — Through the Arch
Azadi Tower Tehran Built to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the Persian Empire (in 1971) this 50m tower stands in the middle of a very busy roundabout in the west of Tehran.