Travel to Isfahan- Iran Main Tourist Attractions-Tours Isfahan

ISFAHAN

Locatingin the central part of Iran plateau Isfahan province is very well known among the tourists for its rich history and handicrafts. This city was probably constructed under the Achaemenian era. Under the Sassanian Isfahan was conquered by the Moslems on 19 AH. On 1000 the capital of the Safavids was transferred from Qazvin to Isfahan.

The tourism potentials of the province are religious sites and buildings with their own antiquity scattered throughout the province annually attracting so many tourists who are interested on the rich history of Iran.

Moreover some of these sites, as invaluable and important memorials of the past, reflect great national, cultural, and religious heritage of residents of this region in different historical periods. Among them Chehel Sotun Palace,

Jameh'Mosque , Chaharbagh School , Imam Square , which includes its self three magnificent buildings :Imam Mosque , Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, , and Place of Ali Qapu ,Khaju Bridge,Sio-Seh Pol and tens of Imamzadeh, Shrines and tombs, can be pointed.

Dating back to circa 2500 year ago, Isfahan has been the capital of Iran in three historical periods. After Islam, the city of Isfahan was under domination of Arabs, like other cities of Iran, till the early 4^th century AH. After the invasion of Mongols on 630 AH. Isfahan flourished again especially in Safavid time under the Shah Abbas who ordered the construction of most of the important sites in the city Isfahan.

Chehel Sotun

The Chehel Sotun Palace (Forty Columns), built amidst a vast garden, is a triumph architecturally. The wall paintings by the famous painter of the Safavid period are superlative in their kind. The building has a veranda with 18 pillars, being mirrored in the still water of a pool lying in front of it. The building and the pool create a beautiful view.

The frescoes and painting on the walls depict specific historical scenes such as a reception for an Uzbek King in 1646 when the palace had only just been completed; a banquet in honor of the King of Turkestan in1611; the battle of Chalderan against the King of Osmanlis in 1514 in which Persians fought without fire-arms and so many historical events.

The superb wooden roof of the porch was painted with a series of geometrical decorations interspersed with flowers. The waterproofing of this, and other palaces, was achieved by covering the roof with a fresh layer of beaten earth every year, the weight of which has caused many other collapses.

Jame’ Mosque

The Friday Mosque (Masjed Jame’) is the oldest mosque in Isfahan. The greater part of the building dates back to the 11^th century. Changes and additions were made is subsequent period. Comprehensive restoration and clearing work around the building have been carried out during the past few years. The central courtyard is one of the largest in Iran: 65 meters by 76.

The architecture of this mosque is a different from the Safavid mosques. The southern porch opens up on a very wide and elegant arch, the proportions of its architrave, which is wider than it is high, are perfect. This layout reflects a “Mongol” influence and was built under the Timurid dynasty (Tamerlane) in the 15^th century.

This fine example of an early four-Ivan mosque is situated in an oasis town on the edge of the central Iranian desert. The plain brick arcades of its courtyard are highlighted by a simple monumental inscription while the interior arcading of the dome chamber is ornamented with carved stucco panels and a superb stucco mihrab.

Chaharbagh School

The most frequently visited madresseh (school) in Isfahan is Chaharbagh or Sultani formerly Mada-e Shah (the Shah’s Mother) situated at the Chahar bagh Avenues. This Coranic School was founded upon the initiative of Shah Sultan Hossein’s mother. The Shah was the last of the Safavid sovereigns who, after taking refuge in this very enormous building, was put to death by the Afghan invaders (1622). In order to finance the school, Hossein’s mother got a large caravanserai built nearby, the income of which went to the foundation. Nowadays are very few students in the Madresseh, but the caravanserai has becom the most famous luxury hotel in Iran.

The blue and gold flower-decked cupola flanked by two magnificent minarets can be photographed from the balconies of the hotel rooms.

The madresseh was skillfully restored. The caravanserai has become the Abbasi Hotel

Imam Square

Imam Square (Nagsh-e-Jahan Sq.) is a magnificently impressive sight, known by UNESCO as a unique historical complex. It is surrounded by Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Imam Mosque, Palace of Ali Qapu and Qeysariyeh Bazaar. In Safavid period, the great square was used as a field of horse riding games.

Imam Mosque

This Mosque is situated to the south of Naqsh-e-Jahan square. Built in the reign of Shah Abbas, tile work and architecture of this mosque are amazingly superb. Its minarets are 48 meters high. This Mosque is one of the finest monuments in the world. The color of ceramic ornaments is the first cause of surprise and admiration. But the size of the buildings surrounding the courtyard is more enormous.

The Muslim architect of the building used space and stone for mystical purposes.

The first impression of this Mosque is its completely unusual surroundings, the second a breathtaking reaction to the immensity and vacuum of the courtyard, the third the monotonous rectangle of arcades and loggias where minarets mount their blind guard.

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque

The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque stands to the east of Naqsh-e-Jahan Sq. Built in the reign of Shah Abbas, it represents the best example of architecture and tile work of Iran in the 17^th century. The beauty of its buff dome fills visitors with enchantment. Shah Abbas and his family used to worship in this mosque.

This mosque differs from all others in several respects. While turquoise, blue and pink predominate in the motifs on the façade, elsewhere, especially on the dome, both inside and outside, the main color is yellow. The artist painted on the background delicate interlacing and black or blue flowers.

The cupola is recognized as the most perfect in Iran. Uncanny lightening seeps through the windows at the base of the vault. Widespread use is made of the decorative value of calligraphy in the “sols” lettering stile, but there are also realistic miniature-style motifs: flower-bowls, peacocks, cypresses, etc.

Another peculiarity of this mosque is that it has neither courtyard nor minaret, since it was not a place for public worship, but was exclusively intended for the King, his family and his close collaborators

Ali Qapu

The Ali Qapu Palace is situated to the west of Naqsh-e-Jahan Sq. In the Safavid period it was used for the reception of ambassadors and envoys from other countries. It is a six-storied building, the painting and plasterwork of which are extremely impressive. The entire upper floor of the palace gatehouse consists of numerous rooms whose walls are decorated with a fretwork of niches and bottle shapes cut into a wood and plaster membrane which lines the walls.

Khaju Bridge

Turning back toward the city, the first bridge encountered is the Khaju Bridge. It is a magnificent structure with two tires of arches. The lower arches are fitted with locks. When they are lowered, a small lake forms opposite the Royal Palaces built under Shah Abbas II (1650) on the right bank.

In the middle of the bridge, the King got a pavilion built which is still intact. On each of the bridge’s piers, he got stone seats built so that his subjects could sit there to watch the Zayande River

Sio-Seh Pol

Another extraordinary bridge in Isfahan is the Sio-Seh Pol (thirty three Arches), also called Allahverdikhan Pol (Allahverdi Bridge), after the architect who built it in 1600 and who was also Abbas the Great’s Army Chief. The bridge is about 300 meters in length. A row of delicate arcades (about 100 of them) lightens its silhouette and lengthens its lines.