باستانی – iTourismA

Persian Tile Work

2019/11/07/206 Comments/in Architrcture , Art and Handicraft, Isfahan, Isfahan /by Iran Tourism

The history of tile manufacturing and decorating goes back to the prehistoric period and has an important position among the various decorative arts in Iranian architecture. Iran has the most beautiful tile work in the world. Over the centuries, glazed bricks and tiles have been used to decorate palaces, mosques, monuments, mausoleums, official buildings, schools, and shops.

The importance of tile work in Persian architecture arises from two important factors; first the need to weatherproof the simple clay bricks used in construction, and second, the need to ornament the buildings. Tiles were used to decorate monuments from early ages in Iran.

Evidence of brick work, stucco carving and tile panels from the last 14 centuries have provided much evidence of creative and imaginative nature of Persian Artisans. They placed their art in the service of religious architecture. This religious inspiration found its highest expression in ornate inscriptions, which decorated so many works during these centuries. Mosaic patterns were the first step in the evolution of tile decoration. Imaginative and creative artisans put together mosaic patterns using bits of colored stone and brick and created patterns of triangles, semi-circles and circles in harmony with the structures they were placed on. These patterns later evolved into design of natural subjects, such as plants, trees, animals and human beings.

The art of tile working blossomed in the Islamic period of Iran. It became the most important decorative feature of religious buildings. In Safavid era, artists used Naskh and Thulth scripts. Works of famous calligraphers, such as Alireza Abbasi, Mohammad Saleh Isfahani, Mohammad Reza Imami and Hossein Banna have been found. One of the famous mosques in Isfahan enjoying a rich variety of tile work is Khayyatha Mosque which researches has done lots of examination on it.

Persian Pottery

2019/10/04/1 Comment/in Architrcture , Art and Handicraft, Gilan, Lorestan, Mazandaran /by Iran Tourism

Persian Pottery

Iranian pottery production presents a continuous history from the beginning of Iranian history until the present day. In Iran pottery manufacture has a long and brilliant history. Due to the special geographical position of the country, being at the crossroads of ancient civilizations and on important caravan routes, almost every part of Iran was, at times, involved in pottery making. Yet, recent excavations and archaeological research revealed that there were four major pottery-manufacturing areas in the Iranian plateau. These included the western part of the country, namely the area west of the Zagros Mountains (Lorestan), and the area south of the Caspian Sea (Gilan and Mazandaran provinces).

One of the earliest known and excavated prehistoric sites that produced pottery is Ganj Darreh Tappeh in the Kermanshah region. Another great discovery was made south of the Caspian Sea in a cave, in the so-called Kamarband, (Belt cave) near present day Behshahr.

With the invention and the introduction of the potter’s wheel, it became possible to produce better quality and symmetrically-shaped vessels; the number of pottery types made was greatly increased as well. The decoration of these objects was made with much greater care and artistic skill, and the designs used were greatly enriched and carefully selected.

In general the history of Iranian-Islamic pottery can be divided into three main periods Post-Sassanian or Early Islamic Period; Middle Islamic Period; Later Islamic Period.

In these three periods, which lasted for more than a thousand years, numerous pottery centers were established, which produced innumerable types of wares.

Currently, pottery art is popular in traditional and industrial ways in Iran, and its main centers are: Laljin, Hamedan, Meybod, Yazd, Kalporgan, Minab, Gilan, Gonabad, Shahreza and etc.

Laljin

Laljin is known as the Middle East pottery and ceramic works. 80 percent of the population of the city of Laljin is engaged in pottery and ceramic works.

Local Costume and Food of Khorasan People

2019/10/02/1 Comment/in North Khorasan, Other, Razavi Khorasan, South Khorasan /by Iran Tourism

Local Costume of Khorasaan People

In Great Khorasaan province which is divided into 3 parts, different people are living such as Turkoman, Kurd, Balouch and etc.

Balouch people are settled in southern and eastern parts of Khorasaan Razavi and wear their own costume which is decorated with needlework.

Turkoman people live in northern parts of Khorasaan Razavi. The most important part of Turkoman women’s wear is a red dress called “Chavak”. For men this long dress is called “doon” and it’s the major part of their clothing. There are two types of hats called “Boorik” with needlework and “Talpak” with long wool. In Ghouchan, Dargaz and Kalaat, Turkish and Kurdish people wear their own costume. Kurdish men’s wear are similar to the ones in Kurdistan.

In Kermanj, women wear “Shilvaar” which is a corrugated skirt with detailed fringe.

The main women’s wear in Khorasaan is “Shalite”. A layered and corrugated skirt with vest and scarf.

Finally, when we talk about Khorasaan Costume, we all remember the bust, white pants and turban which people wear during a dance called “Choub Baazi”.

Khorasaan Local Food

One of the most amazing parts of traveling to a new province is tasting its local food that can get us familiar with their taste. Great Khorasaan province has its own local food like Kome joush, Khorasaan lentils halim, saateri polo,reshteh suzmeh, ghorouto, Neyshabour oatmeal soup, tougi sardaaghi and etc.

IRAN Top 10 Historical Architecture Sites

2019/05/12/4 Comments/in Architrcture , Art and Handicraft, Fars, Isfahan, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tehran, Tehran, Yazd, Yazd /by Iran Tourism

Shah Mosque, Isfahan

The Shah Mosque, also known as New Abbasi Mosque, Royal Mosque, or Imam Mosque after the Iranian Revolution, is a mosque in Isfahan, Iran, standing in south side of Naghsh-e Jahan Square. It was built during the Safavid dynasty, ordered by Abbas I of Persia.

Ali Qapu Palace, Isfahan

At the west of Naghsh-e Jahan Square, just in front of the Sheikh Lotfollah mosque, one of the most magnificent palaces of 17th century is located. The Ali Qapu palace is well-known palace all over Iran. The first part of palace was built in 1597. It was used as a residential palace. It is forty-eight meters high and there are six floors, each accessible by a difficult spiral staircase.

Nasir-o-Molk Mosque, Shiraz

The Nasirolmolk Mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque, is a traditional mosque in Shiraz, Iran. It was built during Qajar dynasty rule of Iran. The mosque includes extensive coloured glass in its facade, and displays other traditional elements such as the Panj Kāse (“five concaved”) design. It is named in popular culture as the ‘Pink Mosque’, due to the usage of considerable pink colour tiles for its interior design.

Persepolis, Shiraz

Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550–330 BCE). It is situated 60 km northeast of the city of Shiraz in Fars Province, Iran. The earliest remains of Persepolis date back to 515 BCE. It exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture. UNESCO declared the ruins of Persepolis a World Heritage Site in 1979.

Golestan Palace, Tehran

The Golestan Palace is a masterpiece of the Qajar era, embodying the successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences. The walled Palace, one of the oldest groups of buildings in Teheran, became the seat of government of the Qajar family, which came into power in 1779 and made Teheran the capital of the country. Built around a garden featuring pools as well as planted areas, the Palace’s most characteristic features and rich ornaments date from the 19th century. It became a centre of Qajari arts and architecture of which it is an outstanding example and has remained a source of inspiration for Iranian artists and architects to this day. It represents a new style incorporating traditional Persian arts and crafts and elements of 18th century architecture and technology.

Khaju Bridge, Isfahan

Khaju Bridge is one of the historical bridges on the Zayanderud, the largest river of the Iranian Plateau, in Isfahan, Iran. Serving as both a bridge and a weir, it links the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zoroastrian quarter across the Zayanderud. It also served a primary function as a building and a place for public meetings. It has been described as the city’s finest bridge.

Naqsh-e Rustam, Shiraz

Naqsh-e Rustam is an ancient necropolis located about 12 km northwest of Persepolis, in Fars Province, Iran, with a group of ancient Iranian rock reliefs cut into the cliff, from both the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods. Naqsh-e Rustam is the necropolis of the Achaemenid dynasty (c. 550–330 BC), with four large tombs cut high into the cliff face. These have mainly architectural decoration, but the facades include large panels over the doorways, each very similar in content, with figures of the king being invested by a god, above a zone with rows of smaller figures bearing tribute, with soldiers and officials in a sarcophagus.

Qavam House, Shiraz

Qavam House (also widely called “Narenjestan e Ghavam”) is a traditional and historical house in Shiraz, Iran. It was built between 1879 and 1886 by Mirza Ibrahim Khan. The Qavam family were merchants originally from Qazvin. But they soon became active in the government during the Zand dynasty, followed by the Qajar, and Pahlavi dynasty as well.

Tower of Silence, Yazd

Zoroastrians believed that the dead body would “pollute” the earth if buried in it; in order to combat this problem, they built the Towers of Silence close to the sky, where special caretakers would carry up the dead. In these large and exposed circular spaces, the sun and birds left behind nothing but bones that were later collected and finally disintegrated by lime and water.

Wind Catchers, Yazd

Yazd is filled with old single-storey mud-brick buildings that are hidden around narrow alleys, creating a maze-like city structure that was initially meant to confuse potential attackers. Most homes contain an inner courtyard, often with a small pond, in order to cool down the buildings and improve air circulation. Some more fortunate residents could afford to build “badgir” or “wind-catchers” that drag fresh air down into the rooms and courtyards, maximizing airflow. Climbing up to a rooftop will open up another world; the earthen landscape that is created by the organic domes and magnificent “badgir” will give you an entirely different perspective on the old architecture of Yazd.

Natural Attractions In Iran

2019/05/01/0 Comments/in Amol, Hamadan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Isfahan, Isfahan, Mazandaran, Natural Attractions, Qeshm Island, Sari /by Iran Tourism

For those who crave to visit Iran whose historical monuments are not satisfactory enough, the numerous awe-inspiring landscapes surrounding Iran ranging from mountains to deserts, to forests and caves offer travelers a fantastic and memorable experience. In the following, you will find a glimpse over the most wonderful ones.

Alisadr Cave:

Ali Sadr Cave originally called Ali Saadr (meaning cold) is the world’s largest water cave which attracts thousands of visitors every year. It is located in Ali Sadr Kabudarahang County about 100 kilometers north of Hamadan, western Iran.

Chahkooh Canyon:

In the Northwestern part of Qeshm Island, Chahkooh Canyon (Mountain of Wells) is located 15km away from Tabl Village. The Chahkooh Canyon is known as The Great Canyon of The Middle-East and is inscribed as a UNESCO Global Geopark site. This Geosite is an exceptional example of erosion through rainstorm water.

Mount Damavand:

Mount Damavand is known as the highest mountain in Iran and the highest volcano in the Middle East. It is located in the central part of the Alborz mountain range (central Alborz), and in the south of the Caspian Sea, in the Larijan district of Amol.

Varzaneh Desert:

Varzaneh Desert is one of the beauty deserts of the eastern part of Isfahan and the central part of Iran. At the heart of this desert, sandy hills make a wonderful view that wind beautifully crafted them in various shapes, including longitudinal hills, crests and sandy pyramids.

Hormuz Island:

Hormuz, mostly barren, hilly island of Iran on the Strait of Hormuz, between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, 8 km off the coast. The population may decline by half in summer through migration. Hormuz village is the only permanent settlement. Resources include red ochre for export.

Badab Soort Springs:

Badab Soort has become the world’s second largest Spring Saline water. Badab Soort’s springs are two distinct mineral springs with different natural characteristics, located at 1,840 metres above sea level. The first spring contains very salty water that gathers in a small natural pool. Its water is considered to have medicinal properties, especially as a cure for rheumatism and some types of skin diseases and skin conditions. The second spring has a sour taste and is predominately orange mainly due to the large iron oxide sediments at its outlet.