Tourist_attraction – iTourismA

Mesr Desert

2020/01/15/1 Comment/in Isfahan, Natural Attractions /by Iran Tourism

One of the most beautiful natural manifestations in Iran tourism is its deserts. Mesr Village is located in the Isfahan province near the Khur and Biabanak County. Less than 50 kilometers from the city of Jandaq and about 30 kilometers from Khur, lies an amazing desert the beauty of which attracts many tourists from both inside and outside Iran. It is a vast, enormous area in the middle of Dasht-e Kavir. In Mesr Village, people earn money by animal husbandry, farming and renting houses to the tourists. Water of the village is prepared from the wells. We have explained about Mesr Village before and you can read the article of it by clicking on the link below. A severe drought occurred, so Joseph was forced to dig some wells. For several years, people used the water of the wells until it was finished. Again, Joseph dug some wells and since the Prophet Joseph was in Egypt, people of this village named here Mesr which is the equivalent of Egypt in Persian. Only a few percent of the Mesr Desert is covered with plants. The Vegetation coverage encompasses halophyte plants such as Tamaris trees, Haloxylon trees and bushes. The animal coverage area consists of animals such as wolf, jackal, hyena, sand fox, sand cat, lizard, chameleon, a variety of lizards, snakes, scorpions, dull-yellow partridge, eagle, hawk and others cause of lots of food and water. Mesr Village which is accessible via public transport is in a close distance from Khur. Shenzar Guesthouse, a beautiful guesthouse in the village belonging to a hospitable family, provides an opportunity for travelers to experience traditional desert houses and Iranian toothy foods. Barandaz Tabatabai Caravanserai is one of the best accommodation in traditional style in the Mesr Desert.

The camel herds and camel riding between the Mesr Village’s sand hills add to the interesting aspects of the desert. ATV motors and off-road SUVs are provided there with experienced drivers. Just say a word and then Experience a sweet and ebullient ride in your entire life. Both vehicles, reach the summit of sand hill fast and then move down the hill with extraordinary thrill. Another widely known attraction of the area is called Khur salt lake, a salty land covered with hives-like shapes formed by salt. All in all, the experience is definitely great for anyone interested in adventure travel.

Tehran National Garden

2020/01/12/0 Comments/in Architrcture , Art and Handicraft, Tehran, Tehran /by Iran Tourism

The National Garden is one of the buildings on Imam Khomeini street, which was known as the icon of the Tehran before the they create of Azadi Tower and is today one of the spectacular Iran attractions. The National Garden was built during the Qajar era and saw many changes in subsequent years. The National Garden was originally the gateway to the Mashgh Square, which was very important at that time. Shortly after building the gate, the first public garden entitled “National Garden” was founded in the lands of Mashgh square and so it has been renamed to “The Gate of National Garden”. It was then turned into a public park for a short while, and eventually important governmental offices and museums were constructed around it. In the upper part of the building, monitoring station, timpanist and the armed forces passage have been designed. The Gate of National Garden has a gateway for car pass and two for pedestrians.

Mashgh Square and this beautiful courtyard are built in Qajar dynasty. The square area was a military area and the Imperial military force practiced there, and this site was built at the time of Fath Ali Shah for this purpose. This area also had a central barrack, which the military forces were organizing there at that time, and therefore became known as the Mashgh Square. This Square was constructed during the period of Fath Ali Shah Qajar and was launched during Nasir al-Din Shah Period. At that time, a beautiful gate was constructed for the Mashgh square, which comprised with a two-arched door in south- eastern side of the field, and was known as the Naseri door, where in some days Nasir al-Din Shah, from above, Watched the military.

The National Garden is one of the architectural monuments of Iran which is a combination of Iranian and European architectural style and is more visible in paving and tile work. The National garden base, its eight columns and the legs of the pillars are made of brick. The exterior inscriptions are decorated with poems and in its tiling design they used two lions, leopards, lions and sun and machine guns. The building, which was originally intended as the gateway to the Mashgh Square, after a long time after its construction, the plan to create the first park or public garden in the city of Tehran was landed on this Square, and after that the name of the gate changed to the National Garden.

Pasargadae

2020/01/07/9 Comments/in Fars, Other, Shiraz /by Iran Tourism

Pasargadae is the first dynastic capital of the Persian Achaemenian dynasty, situated on a plain northeast of Persepolis in southwestern Iran. Pasargadae was built by the first great Persian king, Cyrus the Great, as his palace and showpiece. Cyrus deserves his special place in the history of modern Persia. He began as a ruler of a petty kingdom in the southwestern corner of the habitable part of modern Iran. It was a totally new concept of a garden city that established many of the principles of what became Persian architecture. Pasargadae has in fact one really superb piece of architecture: it is the tomb of Cyrus, situated right on the edge of the main palace complex. The tomb of Cyrus still stands almost intact, its simple lines and massive strength a perfect foil for its upland location. Constructed of huge white limestone blocks, its gabled tomb chamber rests on a rectangular stepped plinth, with six receding stages.

Pasargadae stands as an exceptional witness to the Achaemenid civilization. The vast Achaemenid Empire, which extended from the eastern Mediterranean and Egypt to the Hindus River in India, is considered the first empire to be characterized by a respect for the cultural diversity of its peoples. This respect was reflected in the royal Achaemenid architecture, which became a synthesized representation of the empire’s different cultures. Pasargadae represents the first phase of this development into a specifically Persian architecture which later found its full expression in the city of Persepolis. Within the boundaries of the archaeological site of Pasargadae are located the known elements and components necessary to express the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, including the tomb of Cyrus the Great, the remains of the Tall-e Takht fortified platform, and the remains of the royal ensemble within the Four Gardens. The ancient capital extended much beyond the inscribed property, but has not yet been excavated.

It is best to imagine Pasargadae as a group of garden pavilions in a park: essentially a camp of nomads, but made out of natural stone. Stylistically, the Audience Hall, Residential Palace, the garden pavilions A and B, and the Gate belonged to the architectural tradition of the Iranian nomads, who lived in large tents. However, Cyrus used elements from other cultures as well: sculptures from the Assyrian palaces were used as models, work may have been done by stonemasons from Greek Ionia, and a hybrid demon guarded the gate.

Hormuz Island

2019/12/25/20 Comments/in Hormozgan, Natural Attractions, Qeshm Island /by Iran Tourism

Hormuz Island is located in the Persian Gulf, in the southern part of the country. The Island has an area of 42 square kilometers. Its surface is covered by sedimentary rock and layers of volcanic material. Hormuz Island has a tropical climate due to its location and the humidity is about 95% almost all the year. Summers are extremely hot and humid, with sunny days, and an average high temperature more than 45 °C. The lowest temperature at night is approximately 30 °C. The life on Hormuz is still very much traditional; all people are centered in the main and only village of Hormuz. There is around 7,000 inhabitants living on the island who speak a language which is a mixture of Farsi, Hindi, Arabic, and English. The language is also influenced by the dialect of local Bandar Abbas.

Some best Places to visit in Hormuz Island are:

1- Portuguese Fort

The Portuguese Fort is a red stone fortress and one of the last surviving monuments of Portuguese colonial rule in the Persian Gulf.

2- Silence Valley

The Silence Valley is where you will be definitely amazed by its beauty and great silence. To reach the place you need to walk a few hundred yards to enjoy the wonderful mountains covered with crystalline salts. It is believed that the rock salt releases very positive energy, therefore, after spending some time in the area, you will surely have a great deal of energy.

3- Valley of the Statues

With a few hundred meters to the beach, there is tall status in the area. These are all likened to an animal with the imagination of viewers. If you use your imagination you can see a dragon, birds and some other mythical creatures.

4- Rainbow Mountains

True to its name, and the reasons why Hormuz Island is nicknamed the Rainbow Island, the Rainbow Mountains is a must-see while on the island. The site is easily accessible from the main road.

5- The Museum and Gallery of Dr. Nadalian

The Museum and Gallery of Dr. Ahmad Nadalian exhibit the artwork of this environmental artist who is internationally well-known. Many of his works are in other museums around the globe. His environmental art projects include the carving of rocks and paintings by natural colors.

Niavaran Palace Complex

2019/12/23/0 Comments/in Architrcture , Art and Handicraft /by Iran Tourism

Niavaran Palace Complex is situated in the northern part of Tehran with 9000 square meters area in Niavaran Neighborhood. This oasis complex is consists of several parts including palaces, museums, and garden. Niavaran Complex traces its origin to a garden in this region which was used as the summer residence of Fath Ali Shah of the Qajar dynasty. It consists of several buildings and a museum. A pavilion was built in the garden by the order of Naser al-Din Shah which was initially referred to as Niavaran and later it was renamed to Saheb Qaraniyeh. The pavilion of Ahmad Shah was also built in the late Qajar period.

During the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi all the peripheral buildings of The Saheb Qraniyeh Palace, with the exception of The Ahmad Shah Pavilion, were demolished and the buildings and the structures of the present day Niavaran Palace Complex were built to the north of The Saheb Qaraniyeh Palace. In this period, The Ahmad Shah Pavilion served as an exhibition area of the presents of the world leaders to Iran.

The quadrilateral design of the palace and its interior archeological designing is inspired by Iranian archeology while making use of modern technology. Its decorations have also been inspired by the pre and post Islamic art. The gypsum work has been carried out by Master Abdollahi, the mirror work by Master Ali Asghar, the tile work of the outer part by Master Ibrahim Kazempour and Ilia. The building floor is covered by black stone and has an aluminum sliding roof. The internal decoration and furniture of the palace have been designed and implemented by a French group. In the ground floor of this building there is a great hall in which all the rooms are situated, including a private cinema, dining room, guest room, waiting room and lateral halls as well as the Blue Hall.

The amazing library of the palace consists of around 23,000,000 books, mostly in Persian and French languages and especially many books related to philosophy. The building is designed by bronze and glass and the structure is lit well by 300 cylinders that supply the needed lighting of the reading room, audio visual room and the main library. In the basement of this private library, there is a special place for storing paintings and other artifacts.

Golestan Palace

2019/12/17/185 Comments/in Architrcture , Art and Handicraft, Tehran, Tehran /by Iran Tourism

Golestan Palace in Tehran is a fine example of Persian art, history, and architecture. It is the valuable gem sitting in the heart of Tehran carrying memories from Safavid era to Pahlavi kings. Palace complex consists of eight key palace structures mostly used as museums and the eponymous gardens, a green shared center of the complex, surrounded by an outer wall with gates. The complex exemplifies architectural and artistic achievements of the Qajar era including the introduction of European motifs and styles into Persian arts. It was not only used as the governing base of the Qajar Kings but also functioned as a recreational and residential compound and a center of artistic production.

Golestan Palace represents a unique and rich testimony of the architectural language and decorative art during the Qajar era represented mostly in the legacy of Naser al-Din Shah. It reflects artistic inspirations of European origin as the earliest representations of synthesized European and Persian style, which became so characteristic of Iranian art and architecture in the late 19th and 20th centuries. It represents an important example of the merging of Persian arts and architecture with European styles and motifs and the adaptation of European building technologies, such as the use of cast iron for load bearing, in Persia. As such Golestan Palace can be considered an exceptional example of an east-west synthesis in monumental arts, architectural layout and building technology, which has become a source of inspiration for modern Iranian artists and architects. Also, parts of the palace complex can be seen as the origins of the modern Iranian artistic movement.

Golestan Palace stands on the site of the historic Arg of Tehran which was originally built in the time of Shah Abbas of the Safavid dynasty. Buildings commissioned by Naser Al-din Shah such as the Shams ol-Emaneh and the Badgir Mansion show traces of a European architectural style and building technology that the modernizing king was influenced by on his travels.

The Golestan Palace complex is made up of 17 buildings with eight key structures. In its present form, it comprises several different buildings and halls, including the following: the Marble Throne Building, Karim Khani Palace, Diamond Hall, the Wind Tower Building, Hall of Ivory, Shams ol-Emareh, Reception Hall, Special Museum, Hall of Mirrors, Hall of Brilliant Diamonds, White Palace, and the Chador Khaneh or Tent House.

Naqshe Jahan Square

2019/12/13/1 Comment/in Architrcture , Art and Handicraft, Isfahan, Isfahan /by Iran Tourism

Naqshe Jahan is a public urban square in the center of Esfahan. It is one of the largest city squares in the world and an outstanding example of Iranian and Islamic architecture. Built by the Safavid shah Abbas I in the early 17th century, the square is bordered by two-story arcades and anchored on each side by four magnificent buildings: to the east, the Sheykh Lotfollah Mosque; to the west, the pavilion of Ali Qapu; to the north, the portico of Qeysariyeh; and to the south, the celebrated Royal Mosque. All of the architectural elements that delineate the square, including its arcades of shops, are aesthetically remarkable and adorned.

The Naqshe Jahan was at the heart of the Safavid capital’s culture, economy, religion, social power, government, and politics. Its vast sandy esplanade was used for celebrations, promenades, and public executions, for playing polo and for assembling troops. The arcades on all sides of the square housed hundreds of shops; above the portico to the large Qeysariyeh bazaar a balcony accommodated musicians giving public concerts; Ali Qapu was connected from behind to the throne room, where the shah occasionally received ambassadors. In short, the royal square of Esfahan was the preeminent monument of Persian socio-cultural life during the Safavid dynasty.

Throughout the history, the square has been used for performing all kinds of festivals, parades, and ceremonies such as; national, governmental and popular ceremonies. Also this is a square just about perfect for a game of polo. The stone goal posts still exist in north and south ends of Naqshe Jahan Square. Polo and horse riding are two of the ancient Persian sports mixed together, played not only for leisure, but also as a display of bravery of men in wars. The royal household would watch the games from the balcony of Ali Qapu Palace. Apart from this, some executions took place in Naqshe Jahan Square. For the present, Naqshe Jahan Square or Imam Square is still used for performing ceremonies and parades on special occasions. There are Traditional shops all around the square for you to explore. Also, Carriage rides are a wonderful way to experience the beauty of the Naqshe Jahan Square.

Shah Abbas II was enthusiastic about the embellishment and perfection of Ali Qapu. His chief contribution was given to the magnificent hall, constructed on the third floor. The 18 columns of the hall are covered with mirrors and its ceiling is decorated with great paintings. The Ali Qapu has multiple connotations, but generally connotes entrance or supreme gate to the complex of palaces and public buildings of the Safavid Government.

Top 10 tourist attractions of Shiraz

2019/12/02/0 Comments/in Fars, Other, Shiraz /by Iran Tourism

Shiraz is one of the most significant city at the center of Fars province at the height of 1486 m above sea level, located in the Zagros mountainous area. Shiraz is known as the city of Poets literature wine and flowers. It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens due to the many gardens and fruit trees. Here are the most popular attractions of Shiraz.

1- Perspolis

This magnificent court was the summer residence of the Achaemenid emperors and their official reception quarters. Although Alexander set on fire and destroyed it, in a gesture symbolizing the destruction of Persian imperial power, its impressive ruins permit a fairly complete reconstruction of its original appearance.

2- Pasargadae

Pasargadae was the first dynastic capital of the Achaemenid Empire, founded by Cyrus II the Great, in Pars, homeland of the Persians. Its palaces, gardens and the mausoleum of Cyrus are outstanding examples of the first phase of royal Achaemenid art and architecture and exceptional testimonies of Persian civilization.

3-Eram Garden

Eram Garden, located along the northern shore of the Khoshk River in Shiraz, is one of the most famous and beautiful Persian gardens in all of Iran.

4- Tomb of Hafez

The tombstone of Hafez lies in a beautiful garden which is another sample of Persian gardens. The architecture of this monument is amazing. The mausoleum has 8 pillars which signify the century when he lived.

5- Tomb of Sa’di

The building was constructed by the Association for National Arts and the tomb of Sa’di was placed in an octagonal mausoleum with high dome and interesting tile works.

6- Vakil Bazaar

Vakil Bazaar in Shiraz is the main section of the Shiraz Bazaar which was built by Karim Khan as part of a plan to make Shiraz into a prominent trading center.

7- Mausoleum of Shah Cheragh

Shah-e Cheragh Shrine is a funerary monument and mosque in Shiraz, Iran, housing the tomb of the brothers Ahmad and Muhammad, sons of Musa al-Kadhim and brothers of Ali ar-Ridha.

8- Ghalat Village

The village is a mixture of gardens and some houses which are mostly built with roughly shaped stones plus mortar. The village enjoys in its vicinity an eye-catching waterfall.

9- Arjan Plain

Arjan magnificent plain is located 60 kilometers from Shiraz and 20 kilometers from Kazeroun city.

10- Margoon Waterfall

The height of this waterfall is 70 meters and its width is 100 meters. This waterfall is in fact the source of a river and there are no rivers at the top of the mountain but there are several thousand springs on the mountain body from which water come out.

Top 10 tourist attractions of Isfahan

2019/11/25/1 Comment/in Isfahan, Isfahan, Other /by Iran Tourism

Isfahan is a city in central Iran and is the capital of Esfahan Province. The Persians call it “Nesf-e-Jahan”, meaning “Half the World”. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world due to its beautiful hand-painted tiling and magnificent public square. There are top 10 popular attractions of Isfahan below.

1- Naqsh-e jahan square

Naqsh-e Jahan Square is the main tourist spot of Isfahan, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has a length of 512 meters and 160 meters width containing Sheykh Lotfollah and Shah Mosques, Ali Qapu Palace and Qeysariyeh Mall.

2- Siosepol Bridge

Siosepol or Allah Verdi Khan Bridge has 33 spans from which it gets its name with the longest span of 5.6 meters, crosses Zayandeh Rud River. The bridge has a length of 300 meters and 14 meters width.

3- Khaju Bridge

This bridge was built to work for different purposes. As a bridge connected the old Isfahan to villages located on the southern side and also connected Isfahan to Shiraz road. It was built as a wonderful recreational place. It is about 132 meters long and 12 meters wide.

4- Chehel Sotun

Chehel Sotoun (also Chehel Sotoon) is a pavilion in the middle of a park at the far end of a long pool, in Isfahan built by Shah Abbas II to be used for the Shah’s entertainment and receptions.

5- Monar Jonban

Monar Jonban is considered as one of the most popular monuments of Isfahan for its wonderful architecture. The main distinguished feature of this monument is that by shaking strongly one minaret, the other minaret starts shaking with the same frequency.

6- The Great Mosque of Isfahan

Great Mosque of Isfahan in Iran is unique in this regard and thus enjoys a special place in the history of Islamic architecture. Its present configuration is the sum of building and decorating activities carried out from the 8th through the 20th centuries.

7- Vank Cathedral

The Vank Cathedral is a masterpiece of architecture. Construction of this cathedral started at the time of Shah Abbas the second. Vank Cathedral architecture is a combination of Iranian and Armenian architecture.

8- Isfahan Music Museum

The Isfahan Music Museum is the first private one of its kind in Iran. The Museum was founded by two passionate Iranian musicians of the traditional music, Mehrdad Jeihooni and Shahriar Shokrani.

9- Nazhvan Park

Nazhvan Forest Park is the largest garden of Isfahan which has multiple recreational facilities like an aquarium, Birds garden, butterflies museum and so on. It has an area of 12000 hectares.

10- Mount Soffeh

Mount Soffeh is 2257 meters above the sea level in southern part of Isfahan. There were some castles on the mountain for defending purposes, some last vestiges of them have still remained. Mount Soffeh and its surrounding hills have been converted to Soffeh Mountain Park which covers at least 100 hectares.

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