Central-Iran v1 m56577569830512248

Lonely Planet Publications
221
Central Iran

Ever since Cyrus the Greats dramatic rise from provincial overlord to ruler of the largest
empire on earth, central Iran has been something of a showcase for the regions greatest civilisations. The unrelenting splendour and majesty of Esfahan, the refined elegance
of Shiraz and the mud-brick antiquity of Yazd, Abyaneh and Kharanaq are a fascinating
contrast, representing the fusion over 2500 years of myriad cultures and starkly different terrains. Then, of course, theres that monumental expression of artistic harmony
commissioned by Darius I Persepolis.
Central Irans people are as diverse as the places they live. In Qom theyre conservative
and religious, Shirazis are laid-back and fun-loving, and the Qashqai and Bakhtiari nomads
live a lifestyle dictated by nature. Often you will experience the regions cultural richness
and physical beauty in combination: sitting in the garden of Hafezs tomb discussing the
ways of the world with a Shirazi medical student, perhaps; watching a nomad woman make
yogurt by hand; or drinking tea with a carpet salesman in Esfahans Imam Sq. Whatever it
is you happen upon, central Iran is a place youll remember for a long time.
HIGHLIGHTS
Watch the sun set over Esfahans manysplendoured Imam Square (p238) from the
rooftop Qeysarieh Tea Shop (p249)
Sit on the hill behind the sublime Persepolis
(p279), just soaking it all up
Haggle over a carpet or kilim in the vaulted
arcades of Esfahans Bazar-e Bozorg (p238)
or Imam Square (p238)
Lose yourself in the historic laneways of
Yazd (p255), and find yourself in a traditional
hotel
Treat yourself to a dose of Safavid-era luxury
in the wonderfully restored Caravanserai
Zein-o-din (p267)
Experience a real desert oasis at simple,
silent Garmeh (p254)
Garmeh
Esfahan
Yazd
Caravanserai Zein-o-din
Persepolis
CENTRAL IRAN
With so much on offer, its no surprise that the towns of Irans central provinces are where
youll probably spend the most time. But its not just about ticking off the popular sights,
because central Iran has many an unsung gem. Kashan, with its splendid mosques, gardens
and magnificently restored traditional houses, is one. If you want to get off the beaten track
theres the desert oasis of Garmeh, the cave village of of Garmeh, caravanserai stops such as
Zein-o-din and Toudeshk, or the chance to camp with nomads in the Zagros Mountains.
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CENTRAL IRAN
Markazi
Saruq
Qom
Mashhad-e
Ardehal
Mahallat
Niasar
Shazand
Arak
Dasht-e Kavir
Golpayegan
Khonsar
Shahr-e Kord
Farsan
Chahar Mahal va
Bakhteyari Ardal
Khuzestan
Dehdasht
Behbahan
Deyhuk
Bayaziye
Na'in
Toudeshk
Khorasgan
Chak
Chak
Ardakan
Meybod
Shahreza
Kharanaq
Eqlid
Suryan u n
(Bavanat) t Marvast
Pasargadae
a
Naqsh-e Rajab
Bazm
Naqsh-e Rostam
Sa'adatshahr
Harat
Marvdasht
Karim Khan
Persepolis (Takht-e Jamshid)
Bridge
Poolad Kaf
Khark
Island
Bishapur
Borazjan
Lu
Anar
Zarand
Rafsanjan
Kerman
Shiraz
Lake
Tashk
Kherameh
Lake
Bakhtegan
Bagein
Shahr-e Babak
Kerman
Sirjan
Baft
To Zahedan
(311km)
Neyriz
Bushehr
QOM
Kazerun
Bushehr
Bandar-e
Gonave
t-
in
CENTRAL IRAN
Sepidan
Dogombadan (Ardakan)
Persian
Gulf
sh
Fars
Yasuj
Nur
Abad
Da
Yazd
Behabad
Taft
Mt Sir
Saryazd
Bafgh
(4074m)
Mehriz
Mehdi Abad
Zein-o-din
Kermanshah
Abarqu
Abadeh
Semirom Z
a g
r o
Pataveh
Ahram
Estehban
Firuz Abad
x0251 / pop 1,070,000 / elev 931m
Irans second-holiest city after Mashhad,

Qom (Ghom) is home to both the magnificent Hazrat-e Masumeh shrine and
the hardline clerics who have ruled the
country since 1980. The genesis of the
1979 revolution can be credited to Qom,
from where clerics had railed against the
shahs regime since well before Ayatollah
Khomeini was exiled in 1964. Today it
remains one of Irans most religious and
conservative cities, where Shiite scholars
and students come from across the world
to study in the madrasehs.
The peoplescape of Qom is absorbing
in its contrasts. Mullahs and religious students mix with a steady flow of pilgrims,
and everywhere you look women wear the
head-to-toe chador. But even Qom is seeing
some change, and the odd figure-hugging
manteau and made-up face. Still, travellers
should be discreet and dress conservatively,
particularly around the Hazrat-e Masumeh.
The best place to sit and watch all this is at
Astane Square, behind the shrine.
Sights
Pilgrims come to Qom to see the shrine,
and thats pretty much it. Southeast of the
shrine the unremarkable Khan-e Khomeini
(Ruhollah Sq), where Ayatollah Khomeini lived
before being forced into exile, is of interest if
youre staying in the midrange hotels nearby,
though its not open to visitors. Its the
single-storey place with rendered mud walls.
HAZRAT-E MASUMEH
Yazd
Fahraj
Lordegan
Boyerahmad
va Kohgiluyeh
Tabas
Garmeh
Ardestan
Zarrin
Shahr
Borujen
Ferdows
Khur
Mt Karkas
(3899m)
Esfahan
Najaf Abad
Chelgerd
Razavi
Khorasan
Natanz
Daran
Fereidun
Shahr
Baghestan-e Olia
Aran Namak Lake

Kashan
Esfahan
Abyaneh
Khomein
100 km
60 miles
Book yourlstayeat. lonelyplanet.com/hotels

lonelyp an t com
To Bandar
Abbas (207km)
Despite the ever-present scaffolding the

shrine is magnificent. And if you are not
going to Mashhad and have an interest in
the kind of devotion that is a hallmark of
Shiism, then Qom is worth a quick visit.
Note that little English is spoken in Qom.
Orientation
Hotels, restaurants and countless souvenir
shops coalesce around the Hazrat-e Masumeh shrine and neighbouring Qom River.
The river, however, is so dry that it has
been concreted over and is usually used as
a car park, market and late-night raceway.
Buses stop at Haftdad Sq, 4.5km from the
shrine, en route to and from Tehran.
Information
Bank Melli (Marashi Najafi St) Slow as a wet week.
Coffeenet (Moallem St; per hr IR6000; h10am-10pm)
International Telephone Centre (Marashi Najafi St;
h7am-11pm)
Money Exchange (Marashi Najafi St; h9am-8pm)

SabaCenter Internet (x774 7711; A Khoshraftar
Alley, off Marashi Najafi St; per hr IR6000; h10am10pm) Good place to meet young people.
At the physical and spiritual centre of Qom

is the Hazrat-e Masumeh (h24hr), the burial
place of Imam Rezas sister Fatemeh, who
died and was interred here in the 9th century AD. Its an impressive sight, with one
enormous tiled dome and another golden
dome flanked by exquisite minarets. Much
of what you see today was built under Shah
Abbas I and the other Safavid kings who
were anxious to establish their Shiite credentials and provide a counterweight to
the sects shrines at Karbala and Najaf (in
modern-day Iraq), then under Ottoman
occupation. The magnificent golden cupola
was an embellishment built by Qajar ruler
Fath Ali Shah, and todays shahs, the Ayatollahs of Qom, have embarked on a massive
project to expand the complex.
Nonmuslims are allowed into the grounds
(women must wear a chador, available at
entrance No 3 on Eram St), but not to see
the shrine itself. However, several readers
report wandering around either with an escort or alone. Cameras are banned unless
you can convince the stewards otherwise.
Sleeping
Qoms sleeping options are conveniently
gathered by budget range. Most budget
places are in or near Haramnema Lane, a
small alleyway just north of the Ahanchi
Bridge, opposite the shrine. There are also
some lower midrange places in the lane, but
their foreign prices are so high that they
arent worth it without a big discount.
Shop around. Three new midrange places
have opened about 2km southwest of the
shrine. During religious festivals Qom is
packed, and its busier most Fridays.
The next two places are about a 2km walk
from the shrine. A third, the larger Olympic
Hotel, should open in 2008.
Mosaferkhaneh-ye Haram (Haramnema Lane;
r per person IR50,000) Theres no English spoken,
C E N T R A L I R A N Q o m 223
no English sign, and the rooms and shared

bathrooms are uberbasic. But its the cheapest in town and the welcome is warm. Popular with families, its a reasonable choice for
lone women travellers. Guests can use the
utilitarian kitchen.
Etminan Hotel (x660 9640; cnr Haramnema Lane &
Imam Musa Sadr Blvd; s/d IR150,000/190,000) Some of
the small but functional rooms with brightpink squat bathrooms offer fine views of
the holy shrine, and double-glazing keeps
most of the noise out. Theres a kitchen,
and hefty discounts are possible.
Negin Hotel (x663 0246; neginhotel2006@yahoo
.com; Haramnema Lane; s/d/tr IR120,000/150,000/200,000;
a) The Negin is a step up from its neigh-
bours and fair value.

Aria Hotel (x774 8450; Astane Sq; s/tw/apt IR150,000/
200,000/500,000; ai) With its front-row spot
overlooking Astane Sq, the Arias rooms,
some with six beds, are good value, especially
in low season. Popular with Arab pilgrims.
Safa Apartment Hotel (x773 2499; Moallem St; r
US$49-80; pa) Its busy, but the rooms are
tired and when we visited, staff seemed
tired of seeing so many guests. Head here
only if Ghasr is full. Dont confuse this with
the budget Safa on Imam Musa Sadr Blvd.
Ghasr Apartment Hotel (x783 1151; fax 783
1154; Moallem St; ste/apt with breakfast US$50/94; a)
This new, modern-styled hotel has goodsized rooms and facilities at fair prices.
Double beds are available; apartments have
two bedrooms.
Eating
The dining in Qom is about as diverse as
the range of faiths: standard Iranian cuisine with felafel to meet the Arab-pilgrim
demand. Not surprisingly, most of the independent eateries are lined up along busy
Marashi Najafi St, opposite the shrine and
square, and include kababis (kabab shops),
pizza and barbecued chicken joints, drink
shops and a couple of restaurants.
Qom is famous for sohun, a sinfully delicious pistachio-and-ginger brittle, which is
often sold in attractive tin boxes and makes
a good gift.
Restaurant Bihan (x774 3433; Marashi Najafi St;
meals IR35,000; h11am-3pm & 6.30-11pm) Of the
options along this strip the Bihan is consistently good, with tasty kababs and large
serves of zereshk polo ba morgh (chicken
and rice with barberries).
CENTRAL IRAN
222 C E N T R A L I R A N Q o m
224 C E N T R A L I R A N Q o m
QOM
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0
1 km
0.5 miles
To Haftdad Sq
Bus Terminal (500m)
A
Imam
Hasan
Blvd
hi
a
Sh
To Kashan (100km);
Tehran (125km);
Esfahan by
expressway (245km)
vd
Bl
ht
es
eh
Qazi T
abatab
a'i St
Azadegan
Sq
B
Dr
Ima
INFORMATION
Bank Melli..........................................1 B4
Coffeenet...........................................2 A5
International Telephone Centre..........3 B4
Money Exchange.............................(see 3)
SabaCenter Internet...........................4 A5
mK
Blv
eini
hom
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

Hazrat-e Masumeh (Holy Shrine)........5 B4
Khan-e Khomeini................................6 B5
here as they wait for the dozens of buses passing through en route to or from Tehran.
Buses to Tehran (IR10,000, 1 to two hours)
stop several times an hour. Southbound
services to major destinations are frequent,
including Esfahan (IR20,000/30,000, five to
six hours), Kermanshah (IR22,500/50,000,
seven to eight hours), Yazd (IR22,500/35,000,
eight hours) and Shiraz (IR35,000/65,000,
11 to 14 hours). Competition for seats can
be positively unholy.
For Kashan, minibuses (IR7000, two
hours) leave the Terminal-e Kashan at the
eastern end of Enqelab St roughly every
hour, or pick up a big bus (IR10,000, 1
hours), at Haftdad Sq.
Savaris to Tehran and Kashan leave from
Haftdad Sq and, more conveniently, from
the end of the Ahanchi Bridge opposite the
holy shrine.
TRANSPORT
Savaris to Tehran & Kashan..............13 A4
Blv
St
Sa
dr
-Tir
Ha
ram
ne
ma
Mu
am
La
De
yS
he-
llah
Ta
Masumeh leqani S
t
Bridge
10
En
qe
all
ash
llem
St
To Esfahan by
secondary roads
(265km)
lab
St
To Kashan Minibus
Terminal (2.6km);
Kashan (103km)
Ruhollah
Sq
Shohada
Sq
Mo
'a
2
To Arak
(133km)
The centre of town is Kamal-ol-Molk Sq,

from where most sites can be reached on
foot. For sites along the northeastsouthwest main road to Fin Gardens (variously
known as Fin Rd and Amir Kabir Rd), you
will need a take a taxi or take a bus. The bus
terminal is located about 2.5km northeast
of the centre but most buses stop instead
at Valiasr Sq.
x0361 / pop 320,000 / elev 935m
12
Orientation
Most sights are easily reached on foot. To

get to or from Haftdad Sq or Terminale Kashan, ask for a shuttle taxi (approximately IR1500) near the Ahanchi Bridge or
go to the corner of Imam Khomeini Blvd
and Hadaf St.
TRAIN
KASHAN
Enqelab
Sq
ye
M
ar'
Hojatyyeh
Bridge
Trains run from Qom train station (x441 7151)

to Tehran (2nd class IR4250, 2 hours) a
couple of times a day, but most people opt
for a bus.
several meticulously restored mansions that

have become synonymous with the city. The
bazaar is deceptively large and has an enchantingly lethargic atmosphere that serves
as the perfect counterfoil to the frantic
bustle of Tehran and the sightseeing intensity of Esfahan.
Accommodation options might be limited and the populace very conservative,
but youll still need a very good excuse for
skipping Kashan it just might be one of
the unexpected highlights of your trip.
Astane
Sq
os
li Sin
a St
B A
Ali Khani
Bridge
Ayato
Bazaar
Bridge
13
Ahanchi
Bridge
Cemetery
Im
da
fS
Im
am
Q M
M om usa
od R Sa
iN
ar ive dr
aja
re
fi S
s ( r (d Blv
Ba ry d
t(
Era
ha )
m
rS
St)
t)
da
lvd
Sepah St
Ha
Nu
z
Train
Station
While there is no written history of Kashan before the Seljuk period, there is an entertaining oral
history. One story has the Bibles Three Wise Men setting out from Kashan to pay their respects
to the newborn Christ, an event that is distinctly possible given the Wise Men were magis (Zoroastrian priests), hence the Adoration of the Magi. Nearby Saveh also claims the three.
Another legend tells of Abu Musa al-Asharis novel method of taking the city during the Arab
invasion of the 7th century AD. When the Arab general found the citys walls impregnable, he
ordered his men to gather (somehow?) thousands of scorpions from the surrounding deserts.
Armed with these stingers, he attacked the city by having them thrown over the walls. According to the tale the poor Kashanis, who could never have expected an attack of such diabolical
genius, soon capitulated.
sa
ft-e
Ha
Sa'id
Sq
B
eini
hom
mK
Ima
CENTRAL IRAN
EATING
Restaurant Bihan..............................12 B4
A STING IN THE TAIL
Getting Around
SLEEPING
Aria Hotel...........................................7 B4
Etminan Hotel....................................8 A4
Ghasr Apartment Hotel......................9 B5
Mosaferkhaneh-ye Haram...............10 A4
Negin Hotel....................................(see 10)
Safa Apartment Hotel.......................11 B5
11
9
Mo'allem
Sq
Getting There & Away
Transport to Qom is packed on Fridays and

on any religious holiday.
BUS, MINIBUS & SAVARI
Qoms main bus terminal is actually a huge

roundabout in the north of town called
Haftdad Sq. Touts pester potential passengers
Kashan and its surrounds have been home

to human settlements since at least the
4th millennium BC. However, much of
what is known of Kashans history is interwoven with legend (see A Sting in the Tail,
opposite). What is certain is that Kashan
was twice destroyed by invading armies.
The city walls were rebuilt, and during the
Seljuk period (AD 10511220) it became
famous for its textiles, pottery and tiles.
Shah Abbas I was so enamoured with
this delightful oasis city on the edge of the
Dasht-e Kavir that he insisted on being buried here rather than in Esfahan. Much of
Kashan was destroyed by an earthquake in
1779 but the subsequent Qajar period saw
building on a lavish scale. The most notable
survivors are the fine covered bazaar and
C E N T R A L I R A N K a s h a n 225
Information
Amir Kabir Exchange (x444 0616; Mir Ahmad St;
h8am-2pm Sat-Thu) Short hours but no paperwork.
Bank Tejarat (Ayatollah Kashani St) Changes money
slowly.
Central City Cafenet (Shahid Mohammad Ali-ye-Rajai
St; per hr IR10,000; h8am-10pm)
Milad Hospital (Dr Beheshti St) Try here first.
Police (x110)
Safar Doostan Travel Agency (x445 7040; Ayatollah
Kashani St; h8.30am-8pm Sat-Thu)
Sepanta Coffeenet (Ayatollah Kashani St; per hr
IR10,000; h2-9pm Sat-Thu) Run by helpful women;
popular with young Kashanis. Its unsigned, downstairs in
a green-tiled building.
Telephone office (Abazar St; h8am-2pm & 4-9pm SatThu, 10am-1pm Fri) International calls at the usual rates.
TOURS
Kashan is full of driver-guides looking to take

you to Abyaneh (usually about IR150,000),
Abyaneh and Natanz (IR200,000), or those
two and on to Esfahan (IR250,000).
Ahmad Pourseyedi (x533 0321, 0913 264 3012;
[email protected]) Charming old rogue
Ahmads septuagenarian legs have seen better days and
his history is sometimes awry, but hes delightful company
as he recalls anecdotes while driving sedately around the
Kashani hinterlands.
Cheap Taxi Reza (x444 9581, 0913 361 1136) Reza
Shoghi is a nice guy, a safe driver and has enough English.
Mahdi Galekhah (x0913 261 3530; mgalekhah@
yahoo.com) Works in historical houses, generous and
engaging.
Mohammad Fatehi (x0913 363 1796; mr_
[email protected]) Easygoing, very knowledgeable
and reliable. Also works in historical houses.
Sights
BAZAAR
Kashans bazaar (hSat-Thu) is one of the most

enjoyable in Iran. Busy but not hectic, traditional but with a wide variety of goods,
large enough to surprise but not to get
lost in, it is a great place to wander for a
couple of hours, especially before lunch and
in the late afternoon. The multidomed roof
of the bazaar dates from the 19th century, but
the site has been the centre of trade in Kashan
for much longer. If you step off the main
thoroughfare, youll find yourself in ancient
caravanserais, mosques or the refreshingly
unrenovated Hammam-e Khan (p230).
The best way to appreciate the extent of
the bazaar is to climb to its roof. There are
tiny staircases throughout and its fun to ask
a bazari (bazaar shopkeeper) to lead you up.
If that doesnt work, head to the magnificent
Timche-ye Amin al Dowleh, a high dome with
CENTRAL IRAN
lonelyplanet.com
226 C E N T R A L I R A N K a s h a n
lonelyplanet.com
lavish interior mouldings completed in 1868.

Beneath the dome, in a square dominated by
carpet shops, ask the guys at the Chaykhaneh
Caravan Sara (p230) to show you to the roof
(they might ask for a payment, but not if you
eat there). You can climb all the way to the
top of the dome, from where the views over
the brown town and bulbous roofscape of
the bazaar are inspired. Look for the justdyed wool drying in the sun.
TRADITIONAL HOUSES
Hiding behind the high mud-brick walls

of Kashan are hundreds of once-grand traditional houses. Built during the 19th century, most have long-since been carved up
0
0
KASHAN
A
B
C3
B4
B4
B3
A4
B4
C4
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

Agha Bozorg Mosque & Madraseh.....8
Bazaar................................................9
Hammam-e Sultan Mir Ahmad.........10
Imamzadeh-e Habib Ibn-e Musa......11
Imamzadeh-ye Sultan Mir Ahmad....12
Khan-e Abbasian..............................13
Khan-e Ameriha...............................14
Khan-e Borujerdi..............................15
Khan-e Tabatabei.............................16
Old City Walls..................................17
Soltaniyeh Mosque...........................18
Staircase to Bazaar Roof...................19
Timche-ye Amin al Dowleh..............20
1 km
B5
B4
A5
D4
A5
A5
A5
A5
A5
A5
B4
B4
B4
TEAHOUSES & CAFS

Chaykhaneh Caravan Sara.............(see 20)
Hammam-e Khan.............................25 C4
TRANSPORT
Bus Terminal....................................26 D3
Buses & Savaris to Tehran................. B2
27
EATING
Sayyah Restaurant.........................(see 24)
To Valiasr Sq (500m); Minibuses & Savaris

to Niasar & Mashhad-e Ardehal (600m);
Mashhad-e Ardehal (50km);
Qom (103km); Tehran (228km)
Shahd
Mohammed-eMontazeri Sq
Mo
lla
Sad
ra B
lvd
(Ka
ma
rba
ndi
St)
ahm
22 B
26
t
an S
CENTRAL IRAN
Khan-e Ameriha
SLEEPING
Golestan Inn....................................21 C4
Khan-e Ameriha.............................(see 14)
Khan-e Ehsan...................................22 B4
Mosaferkhaneh-ye Gochariyan........23 C4
Sayyah Hotel....................................24 C4
27
Do
kto
rS
ha
ti S
ri'a
shti St
Mir
S
3
dS
ma
Ah
Mohta
Kamalol-Molk
Sq
St
eini St
Khom
To Train Station
(500m)
-e Sh
arif St
'i St
khara
id Bo
Alavi St
Shah
ol-Lah
Janbazan Sq
(Darvazeh Ata)
17
To Abyaneh (82km);
Esfahan by freeway (180km)
To Natanz (77km);
Esfahan by old
road (192km;
Yazd (414km)
rebi
-Yas
li-ye
ed A
eyy
ah S
The oldest of Kashans restored houses,

Khan-e Ameriha (Alavi St; admission IR3000; h8amsunset) is also the most impressive. It was
built at the end of the 18th century when
Agha Ameri decided his fathers house
wasnt nearly big enough for one of the
countrys wealthiest men and needed a little extension. Ameri was Kashans governor
and made his money supplying the shah
with war material and providing security
along the trade route between Tehran and
Kerman. By the time work finished, his
was the largest home in Persia, encompassing a staggering seven courtyards over
9000 sq metres.
All this, however, was fast returning to
dust by the time restoration work began
in 1999. So far more than 2 million has
been spent, and one by one the courtyards
and surrounding buildings are returning to
their extravagant best. Highlights include
the two hammams (bathhouses), one of
which was built specifically for local pregnant women, and the naghib (mask room),
which leads to a secret escape tunnel. To see
it, get chummy with the attendantsand
ask to be let onto the roof.
Parts of the home should have been open
as a top-end traditional hotel in the next
few years.
Khan-e Tabatabei
Imam
Khomeini
Sq
ll
Ayato
Habib
14
15
Imam
Molla
12
11
aqi St
e-Nar
13
10
Ak
r St
St
sham
16
id
ah
Sh
19
18
Fazel
Sa
21
23
25
-e
ar
Abaza
Afzal
22
al
Afz
24
20
qi
de
Motahhari
Sq
(Darvaze Dolat
Sq)
Baba
Imam
Hossein
Sq
15 Khordad
Sq
t
aja'i S
1
ye-R
ad Ali-
hamm
Mo
hahd
Jameh
Mosque
Qazi
Asad ol-Lah
Sq
ni St
aleqa
To Natanz (77km);
Esfahan by old
road (192km);
Yazd (414km)
llah T
Ayato
6 2
Molla Mohsen St
r Behe
Dokto
To Imamzadeh-ye Abu Lolou (1.5km);

Tappeh-ye Seyalk (3km);
Shahzadeh-ye Ibrahim (4.5km);
Javed Traditional Restaurant (5.5km);
Amir Kabir Hotel (5km);
Fin & Bagh-e Tarikhi-ye Fin (Fin
i St
Gardens; 6km);
ashan
llah K
Restaurant (6km)
Ayato
5
or are literally turning to dust, but several

have been restored and, mercifully for the
city, the idea is catching. Those that can
be visited are monuments to the importance of Kashan as a Qajar-era commercial
hub, embellished with fine stucco panels,
ostentatious stained glass and lofty badgirs (windtowers), all set around a series of
interlinked courtyards.
0.5 miles
Built around 1880 by wealthy carpet merchant Seyyed Jafar Tabatabei, the Khan-e
Tabatabei (x422 0032; off Alavi St; admission IR3000;
h8am-sunset) is renowned for its intricate
stone reliefs, fine stucco and wonderful
mirror and stained-glass work; photographers will love it. Larger than the Borujerdi house, it covers 4730 sq metres, has
40 rooms and more than 200 doors. It consists of three sections: the andaruni (internal area), where family members lived; the
biruni (external area), used for entertaining
guests; and the khadameh (servants quarters). They are set around four courtyards,
the largest of which boasts a fountain pool.
From mid-afternoon (depending on the
month), sunlight and stained glass combine
to bathe some rooms in brilliant colour.
To get here, walk south past the Khan-e
Borujerdi towards the blue conical tower of
the Imamzadeh-ye Sultan Mir Ahmad, turn
right and the entrance is on the left. There is
a handicraft shop selling locally made silks,
but the more alluring courtyard teahouse
has been closed down.
Khan-e Borujerdi
Legend has it that when Sayyed Jafar Natanzi, a merchant known as Borujerdi, met
Sayyed Jafar Tabatabei to discuss taking his
daughters hand in marriage, Agha Tabatabei set one condition: his daughter must
be able to live in a home at least as lovely
as his own. The result finished some 18
years later was the Khan-e Borujerdi (off Alavi
St; admission IR3000; h8am-sunset).
The home originally consisted of two
sections, an andaruni and a biruni, but
today only the andaruni is open to the
public. What you see is an ornately decorated courtyard, laid out around a central
fountain pool. At its far end is a two-storey
reception hall sumptuously decorated with
splendid motifs above the iwan entrance,
intricate stalactite mouldings, fine glass and
mirror work and frescoes painted by Kamal
ol-Molk, the foremost Iranian artist of the
time. In one of the smaller adjoining rooms,
a carpet design is carved on the ceiling.
If you ask nicely you might be allowed to
climb to the roof for views over the courtyard and the distinctive six-sided, domed
badgirs, which have become the symbol of
Kashan.
Follow the signs from Alavi St up a small
incline opposite the Khan-e Ameriha.
Khan-e Abbasian
Famous for its ground-breaking design,

the Khan-e Abbasian (off Alavi St; admission IR3000;
h8am-sunset) is a bewildering complex of six
buildings spread over several levels. Unusually, the numerous courtyards are designed
to enhance the sense of space by becoming larger as they step up, culminating in
an open courtyard on top. The high porticos and reception halls are decorated as
CENTRAL IRAN
INFORMATION
Amir Kabir Exchange..........................1
Bank Tejarat.......................................2
Central City Cafenet...........................3
Milad Hospital....................................4
Safar Doostan Travel Agency.............5
Sepanta Coffeenet..............................6
Telephone Office............................... 7
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extravagantly as youd expect, with the usual

plaster reliefs, fine mirror work and exceptionally beautiful and detailed stained-glass
windows.
Its down a lane parallel to Alavi St, starting
opposite the Sultan Mir Ahmad Hammam.
HAMMAM-E SULTAN MIR AHMAD
OLD CITY WALLS
As one of the few remnants of the ancient

city of Kashan, this circular wall and an
attractive park to the southeast are worth
a quick look if youre visiting the nearby
traditional houses. Enter the interior of the
circular walls from the southeast and climb
the northeastern part of the wall for some
city views.
AGHA BOZORG MOSQUE & MADRASEH
Arguably the finest Islamic complex in

Kashan and one of the best of the mid-19th
century, Agha Bozorg Mosque & Madraseh (admission IR3000; h8am-noon & 2-4pm, to 5pm summer) is
WHOS THAT KNOCKING AT MY
DOOR?
As you wander around the narrow streets
of Kashan look carefully at the doors. Most
have two knockers: one round and fat, the
other long and thin. These were designed to
give off different sounds so that those in the
house would be able to tell whether a man
or woman was knocking and so decide who
should go to the door vital in a society
where women lived in purdah (in seclusion
or behind a veil).
famous for its precise architecture, including four storeys beginning in a large sunken
courtyard, an austere dome and unusual
lofty badgirs above the entrance. It also has a
fine portal and mihrab (niche indicating the
direction of Mecca) at the back. The imposing dome is flanked by two minarets
adorned with coloured tiles in geometric
designs. Quranic inscriptions and mosaics
stand out against the mud-brick used for
much of the construction. The wooden
front door is said to have as many studs as
there are verses in the Quran.
IMAMZADEH-E HABIB IBN-E MUSA
The revered Shah Abbas I might well be

turning in his grave at the senseless destruction wrought on what was once a fine
Seljuk-era shrine (off Imam Khomeini St). Shah
Abbas chose to be buried here because he
revered the saint Habib Ibn-e Musa. The
kings low, black porphyry tombstone
is near the shrines entrance, but almost
everything else from the original tomb has
been cleared away and replaced by a bigger,
uglier concrete monstrosity.
Two of the highlights, a magnificent
lustre mihrab and a carpet woven for the
shahs tomb, are in the National Museum
of Iran (p104).
SOLTANIYEH MOSQUE
Lost in the midst of the labyrinthine bazaar

is the Seljuk-era Soltaniyeh Mosque. The current structure was built in 1808 by Fath Ali
Shah and now houses a madraseh, which is
not open to women.
ALONG THE FIN ROAD
There are several sights worth a quick look

on the road to Fin Garden. If you decide
to walk, its all downhill if you start at Fin.
Otherwise, jumping on and off buses is easy
enough, or hire a taxi.
Imamzadeh-ye Abu Lolou
Off the left of the road as you come from

Kashan, the Imamzadeh-ye Abu Lolou (Amir Kabir
Rd; h9am-4pm) is the shrine to the man believed to be the assassin of Omar, the second Muslim caliph. It dates to the Seljuk or
Mongol periods, though it has been heavily
renovated since. The shrine is notable for
its fine, slender dome.
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
Shahzadeh-ye Ibrahim
The delightful Shahzadeh-ye Ibrahim (Amir Kabir

Rd; h9am-4pm) shrine was built in 1894 and
boasts European-style painted ceilings, colourful tiles, tall minarets and a pretty courtyard. The conical, tiled roof is distinctive to
this area and chances are youll have seen
it on posters long before you arrive. Its
clearly visible from the main road to Fin.
Tappeh-ye Seyalk (Sialk)
One of the oldest and richest archaeological sites in central Iran, the Tappeh-ye Seyalk
(Sialk, Seyalk Mound; off Amir Kabir Rd; h7.30am-sunset) has given up a plethora of interesting
pottery pieces, metal tools and domestic

implements made from stone, clay and bone.
They date from as early as the 4th millennium BC. More significant, perhaps, is the
structure itself what is emerging from the
dust is clearly a ziggurat (stepped pyramidal
temple), and some Iranians are claiming this
predates those of the Mesopotamians.
It is still a (seasonal) working dig and,
while visitors are welcomed, there are few
facilities. Most finds have been moved to
museums, including the National Museum
of Iran in Tehran (p104) and the Louvre
in Paris. Theres no charge, but if you are
shown around, a tip is appreciated.
Seyalk is halfway between Kashan and
Fin thats 4.5km from either on the
north side of the road.
Bagh-e Tarikhi-ye Fin (Fin Garden)
Designed for Shah Abbas I, Bagh-e Tarikhi-ye

Fin (Fin Garden; Amir Kabir Rd; admission IR5000; h8amsunset) is a classical Persian vision of paradise
and is renowned as one of the finest gardens
in Iran. Its famous for its spring water, which
flows into the garden via the Lasegah, an octagonal pool behind the garden. From here
the water, which has unusually high levels of
mercury, is channelled through several pools
and fountains, watering the gardens orchards
and tall trees, before continuing on down the
road in jubs (canals, pronounced joobs).
At the centre of the garden is Shotorgaluye Safavi, Abbas two-storey pavilion. At the
rear is the Shotorgalu-ye Qajari, built by
the Qajars, with ornately painted ceilings
and walls. Nearby is a delightful teahouse
(h8am-4pm, to 6pm summer), which sells cheap
tea and kababs.
But it is the bathhouse that is most historically significant as the place where Iranian
nationalist hero Amir Kabir was murdered.
Mirza Taqi Khan, known as Amir Kabir,
served as prime minister under Nasir odDin Shah from 1848. He was a moderniser
who instituted significant change, especially
in the fields of education and administration. But his popularity proved unpopular in
the royal court and the shahs mother eventually persuaded her son that he had to go.
Amir Kabir was imprisoned in Fin Garden
and eventually murdered in the bathhouse,
though some say he slashed his own wrists.
The gardens are in the village of Fin, 9km
southwest of central Kashan at the end of
Amir Kabir St. You can get here by shuttle
taxi (IR2000), taxi dar baste (closed door;
IR10,000) or minibus (IR500) from central
Kashan.
Sleeping
Kashan has so few hotels and so little competition that the overall standard is shockingly low and value for money is poor.
There is, however, some cause for hope,
with the citys first traditional hotel having
opened in 2007. The cheapest places can
be found around Motahhari Sq (Darvaze
Dolat Sq) near the entrance to the bazaar.
Mosaferkhaneh-ye Gochariyan (x444 5495; Abazar
St; s/d IR40,000/80,000) This bare-bones mosaferkhaneh has small, Spartan rooms with
rock-hard beds. The share bathrooms could
be cleaner and no English is spoken, but
its cheap.
Golestan Inn (x 444 6793; Motahhari Sq; s/d
IR100,000/150,000) The friendly owners dont
speak much English, but the location and
small, primitive, but clean, rooms keep it
popular with backpackers, despite the typically hard beds and shared bathrooms. Some
rooms have vaulted ceilings and windows
looking down on the bazaar.
oKhan-e Ehsan (x /fax 444 6833, 0913 276
2561; www.kajweb.com; off Fazel-e Navaji St; i) At long
last Kashan has its first traditional hotel, and
it was worth the wait. The house is run by
friendly Mr Sater, who aims to use money
from the rooms to help fund his NGO, which
promotes the arts, and is based in the house.
There is a small performance space (poetry
the night we stayed) and a museum, and
staying here is a great way to meet young,
educated Iranians. Rooms come in a variety
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
A few metres from the entrance to the

Khan-e Borujerdi, Hammam-e Sultan Mir
Ahmad (x422 0038; off Alavi St; admission IR3000;
h8am-5pm, to 7pm summer) is a superb example
of an Iranian bathhouse, built around 450
years ago. A recent restoration has stripped
away 17 layers of plaster (look just inside
the second room to see them) to reveal the
original sarough, a type of plaster made of
milk, egg white, soy flour and lime, which
is said to be stronger than cement. There
is usually an English-speaking guide at the
door who can show you around. The hammam no longer operates as a teahouse.
lonelyplanet.com
of shapes and sizes, some with raw, arched

earthen ceilings, others more modern. We
were the very first guests and prices had yet
to be set, but expect to pay about 7 to 10
for a dorm bed and 20 to 35 for a room.
Its easy to miss, down a small lane opposite
the street leading to Agha Bozorg Mosque.
All up, kheyli khub (very good)!
Sayyah Hotel (x444 4535; www.sayyahhotel.com;
small, green, uninspiring rooms, some of
which have fine views of the old city. Service
varies from friendly and engaging to disinterested, depending on who is working.
Prices include breakfast.
Amir Kabir Hotel (x530 4091-95; fax 530 4090; Amir
Kabir Rd; s/tw US$35/53; pa) Way out near Fin
Gardens, the overly large Amir Kabir claims
to have had a makeover but if thats true
then they should be asking for a refund. The
rooms are still tired and overpriced, though
discounts are usually possible. Minibuses to
town run past the front door, or a taxi will
cost IR10,000.
Khan-e Ameriha (Alavi St; a) When completed,
parts of this wondrous traditional house will
be open as a lavishly furnished and decorated
traditional hotel. Expect to pay more than
US$100 a night. Also see p227.
Eating
RESTAURANTS
With the much-loved Delpazir recently

closed, finding a memorable (for the right
reasons) meal in Kashan can be a trial. If
something good opens, do let us know.
Sayyah Restaurant (x444 4535; Abazar St; meals
IR40,000; h7am-9pm) Under the hotel of the
same name, the standard Iranian fare here
gets mixed reviews but none of them has
criticised the size of the serves.
The garden restaurants lining the road
before Fin Garden are the best places to
eat and are hugely popular with Kashanis,
especially in the evenings. Most have water
running soothingly through the eating area
and the whole experience is quite social.
Jawed Traditional Restaurant (x 533 7123;
TEAHOUSES & CAFS
Hammam-e Khan (x445 2572; Bazaar; h8am-9pm)

Down a few stairs from the bazaar (look
for the sign), this old bathhouse is now a
genuinely local teahouse, complete with
tweeting birds, neon lights, disco ball, plastic-covered cushions andlocals (plus the
odd Iranian tourist). Be sure to specify if
you only want tea, not the accompanying
biscuits and dates, which cost extra.
Chaykhaneh Caravan Sara (Timche-ye Amin al
Dowleh, in the Bazaar; h8am-8pm) This tiny place
under the cavernous dome is rightly famous
for its richly flavoured dizi (soup-stew meal)
and tea, and you can go onto the roof (buy
something first).

BUS, MINIBUS & SAVARI
As with Qom, most buses that pass through

Kashan are going to or from Tehran. They
are supposed to stop at the bus terminal (Molla
Sadra Blvd) north of the city but often will leave
from Montazeri Sq, where an office on the
south corner sells tickets. There are regular
Volvo services to Esfahan (IR21,000, four
hours) and Tehran (IR25,000, 3 hours) via
Qom (IR10,000, one hour), and mahmooly
(normal, usually old Mercedes) buses leave
less frequently for about half the price.
Minibuses to Qom (IR7000, two hours)
leave from the southwestern corner of Valiasr Sq (Madkhal Sq; its the one with the
New Age ziggurat in the middle) about
every hour. You might also find savaris to
Tehran here.
lBook yourl stayeat. c o m

o n e l y p a n t lonelyplanet.com/hotels
C E N T R A L I R A N A r o u n d K a s h a n 231
AROUND KASHAN
Several villages can be visited on day trips
from Kashan. The most interesting are
detailed in the following sections, though
if you want to get off the track, Niasar (at
1710m above sea level) is an easy 35km
savari or minibus trip away in a picturesque
mountain setting. The sights include a wellpreserved Sassanian-era fire temple, a
unique, Parthian-era cave built as a Mithraist
temple, the Niasar waterfall and famous rose
fields, which bloom during late spring.
About 50km west of Kashan, Mashhade Ardehal is home to a once-magnificent
Seljuk-era tomb that has suffered badly at
the hands of what one reader accurately
described as a megalomaniac religious
building program. Shame. The tomb is for
Sultan Ali ibn Mohammad, the son of the
Fifth Imam, who was murdered here. Its
only really worth the trip for the carpetwashing ceremony (see below).
Namak Lake (Salt Lake) is about 60km
east of Mashhad at the western edge of
the Dasht-e Kavir. Guides in Kashan offer
desert day trips to sand dunes near Maranjab
(where there is also a restored caravanserai)
and the cracked white surface of the lake.
Abyaneh
x0362 / pop a few old ladies most of the time /

elev 2235m
The ancient village of Abyaneh is the perfect

antidote to Irans bustling, traffic-clogged
cities. Serenely situated at the foot of Mt Karkas (3899m), Abyanehs steep, twisting lanes
of mud and stone wind through a maze of
red mud-brick houses with lattice windows

and fragile wooden balconies. Its testament
to both the age and isolation of Abyaneh that
the elderly residents speak Middle Persian,
an earlier incarnation of Farsi that largely
disappeared centuries ago.
The village is at least 1500 years old and
faces east across a picturesque valley. It was
built this way to maximise the sun it receives and minimise the effects of howling
gales in winter. And if you come here in
winter youll understand why its freezing! In summer, however, its refreshingly
cool and Abyaneh is most lively, filled with
residents returning from winter in Tehran
and tourists haggling with colourfully clad,
toothless old women over the price of dried
apples (they take no prisoners).
Abyaneh is best appreciated by just wandering, but do look for the 14th-century
Imamzadeh-ye Yahya with its conical, blue-tiled
roof, and the Zeyaratgah shrine with its tiny
pool and views. Probably the most beautiful
building is the 11th-century Jameh Mosque
(Masjed-e Jameh), with its walnut-wood mihrab
and ancient carvings. Abyanehs houses are
mainly two-storey; people live downstairs in
winter and upstairs in summer.
Its fun to cross the river and climb up
to the high walls of a castle, from where the
views (and photos) of the valley and the
village are spectacular.
SLEEPING & EATING
Abyaneh Hotel (x436 2223-25; fax 436 2226; s/tw/

tr with breakfast IR330,000/550,000/690,000; pa )
Located on a hill above Abyaneh, this
TRAIN
There are at least three trains a day between

Kashan and Tehran (IR16,500, 3 hours,
217km), but they generally pass in the middle of the night. There are also daily trains
to Esfahan (four hours, 270km), and a daily
nonluxury service to Kerman (10 hours,
711km), via Yazd (six hours, 475km), which
passes Kashan at about 9pm and arrives in
Kerman after 7am.
The train station (x446 0010; Molla Sodra Blvd)
is about 2km north of the city centre.
Amir Kabir Rd; meals IR35,000-60,000; h11.30am-3pm

& 6-11pm) Arguably the best of the garden
Getting Around
restaurants, Jawed serves several varieties

of delicious kababs and some less meaty
dishes, all washed down with chay (tea) and
qalyan (water pipe).
Taxis, shuttle taxis and buses run regularly

between Fin and 15 Khordad Sq, or a taxi
within town should cost about IR6000. For
longer-term drivers, see Tours (p225).
THE CARPET-WASHING CEREMONY OF ARDEHAL

On the second Friday of the Iranian month of Mehr (usually early October, unless there is a clashing religious festival), the qali shuran (carpet-washing ceremony) is held at Mashhad-e Ardehal.
The ceremony commemorates the assassination of Sultan Ali ibn Mohammad, the son of the
Fifth Imam, who had settled in Fin (near Kashan) to bring Shia Islam to the people. After living
in Fin and Ardahal (during summer) for several years, jealous officials plotted to assassinate
him because he had become too powerful. He was attacked, but with support arriving from Fin
was able to hold out for 10 days. Legend has it that it was only concluded after the desperate
plotters sent 40 naked women ahead of them. It was too much for the Sultan, who led his men
away to begin praying on carpets. They were murdered as they prayed. Later, followers from
Fin placed the Sultans body on a carpet, washed it in accordance with tradition and buried it.
They also washed the carpet.
On the anniversary of his murder, thousands of locals, joined by visitors from Kashan, Qom
and as far away as Yazd, carry a symbolic carpet from the crypt, beat it to symbolise their hatred
of the murderers, and then wash it in a local spring.
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
Abazar St; s/tw US$27/33, r without shower US$20/27;

pai) Sayyah is well located and has
lonelyplanet.com
Orientation
BOOKSHOPS
Bookshops in the complex opposite the Abbasi Hotel also sell a few English-language
books on Iran.
0
0
ESFAHAN
6 km
4 miles
INFORMATION
Al-Zahra Hospital...............................1 A4
Department of Aliens Affairs..............2 A4
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

Manar Jomban (Shaking Minarets).....3 A3
University of Isfahan..........................4 A4
SLEEPING
Hotel Kaveh.....................................(see 6)
Hotel Soffeh.....................................(see 7)
TRANSPORT
Jey Minibus Terminal..........................5
Kaveh Terminal..................................6
Soffeh Terminal..................................7
Sorush Bus Terminal (Buses to
Airport)..........................................8
Zayandeh Rud Terminal.....................9
B3
A3
B4
B3
A4
To Tehran
(390km)
Chamran
Qods
Sq
eh St
Marnan
Bridge
To Ateshkadeh-ye
Esfahan (2km);
Pigeon Towers
2
(2km)
rs
Rudaki St
va 9
ha
s
Daneshgah
Ke
ht
So
See Central
Esfahan Map (p234)
3
Hwy
To Airport
(8km)
St
vin
an
est
sh
as
Jomhuri-ye
Eslam Sq
Par
To Qom (265km);
Tehran (390km)
Saremiy
Ze
Laleh
Sq
To Yazd
(310km);
Kerman
(696km)
Ahmad
Abad
Sq
Za
Shahrestan
Bridge
ya
d
Golestan-e eh
Shohada
Azad
Sq
Basj
Sq
hS
ffe
The main street, tree-lined Chahar Bagh

(Four Gardens), was built in 1597 and was
once lined with many palaces and the four
gardens after which it is named. Although
its over 5km long, most travellers base
themselves along the middle section of the
street, called Chahar Bagh Abbasi St, between Si-o-Seh Bridge (Pol-e Si-o-Seh) and
Takhti Junction. Most of the sights, shops,
offices and hotels are within easy walking
distance from this part of Esfahan. The few
outlying attractions are easily visited by
shuttle or private taxi.
The Zayandeh River starts in the Zagros
Mountains, flows east through the heart of
Esfahan and eventually peters out in the
Dasht-e Kavir. It separates the older and
low-rise northern part of the city from
the Armenian quarter in Jolfa, southwest
of Si-o-Seh Bridge, and the fast-growing
southern part of town where there is no
restriction on building heights.
Information
So
The old, well-treed village of Natanz, on the

lower slopes of Mt Karkas, has two main
attractions neither of which is an underground uranium enrichment plant, which
is several kilometres away. The magnificent
Jameh Mosque (Masjed-e Jameh; h8am-noon & 2pmsunset) and Imamzadeh-ye Abd al-Samad stand
side by side in what was an important early
Islamic complex. The tomb belongs to a
renowned local Sufi mystic of the 11th century, while the mosque is one of the bestpreserved of all Ilkhanid-era buildings.
The highlight is a tall, exquisite portal with
turquoise, black-and-white tiled calligraphy that is satisfyingly symmetrical without
being over the top. The nearby entrance to
the mosque has an intricately carved wooden
door. Its a good 2km walk (mainly downhill) from where the buses usually stop; walk
north, turn east at the roundabout, then
north again at the tree-lined avenue; or just
ask koja imamzadeh?.
Gita Shenasis New Map of Esfahan

(IR15,000; 2006) is available in bookstores.
There is also a free tourist map available at
the tourist information office (see p236) in
several languages.
eh
x0362 / pop 12,000 / elev 1655m
Esfahan is Irans masterpiece, the jewel of

ancient Persia and one of the finest cities in
the Islamic world. The exquisite blue mosaic tiles of Esfahans Islamic buildings, its
expansive bazaar and its gorgeous bridges
demand as much of your time as you can
spare. It is a city for walking, getting lost
in the bazaar, dozing in beautiful gardens,
and drinking tea and chatting to locals in
the marvellous teahouses. More than anything else, though, Esfahan is a place for
savouring the high refinements of Persian
culture most evident in and around Imam
Sq the Imam Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Ali Qapu Palace and Chehel
Sotun Palace.
Such is Esfahans grandeur that it is easy
to agree with the famous 16th-century halfrhyme Esfahan nesf-e jahan (Esfahan is
half the world). Robert Byron was slightly
more geographically specific when he
ranked Isfahan among those rarer places,
like Athens or Rome, which are the common refreshment of humanity. Today it is
a Unesco World Heritage site.
There are, however, some less-thanrefreshing elements to the city of Esfahan.
This is the countrys third-largest city and
capital of Esfahan province, and the outskirts are home to plenty of heavy industry, including a much-discussed nuclear
facility. So Esfahan has traffic jams and air
pollution; the long-awaited underground
railway should help if indeed it is ever
finished.
MAPS
bi y
x0311 / pop 1,630,000 / elev 1574m
The main Kaveh bus terminal is a few

kilometres north of town along Chahar Bagh
St; the smaller Soffeh terminal in the south
caters to more southerly destinations.
na
Natanz
ESFAHAN
Little is known of Esfahans ancient history, but the Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan (Esfahan Fire Temple; p244) and pillars of
the Shahrestan Bridge (p243), both from
the Sassanid period, attest to its longevity. The Buyid period saw an explosion of
construction and by the late 10th century
the walled city of Esfahan was home to dozens of mosques and hundreds of wealthy
homes. In 1047 the Seljuks made Esfahan
their capital and during the next 180 years
it was adorned with the magnificently geometric Seljuk style of architecture, several
prominent parts of which remain.
The Mongols put an end to that, and it
wasnt until the glorious reign of the Safavid
Shah Abbas I (also revered as Shah Abbas the
Great), which began in 1587, that Esfahan
was again Irans premier city. After moving
the capital from Qazvin to Esfahan, Abbas
set about transforming it into a city worthy
of an empire at its peak. His legacy is the
incomparable Imam Sq (p238) and artistic
advances particularly in carpet weaving
that were celebrated and envied as far
away as Europe. Subsequent Safavid rulers
also contributed to Esfahans skyline, but
little more than a century after Abbas death
the dynasty was finished and the capital
transferred first to Shiraz and later Tehran.
Bozo Sajjad
rgme
hr
Abyaneh is 82km from Kashan and not

easy to reach. Minibuses (IR6500) run directly between Abyaneh and Kashan once
or twice a day, depending on demand. The
bus usually returns to Kashan in the early
afternoon, or you could try hitching back.
Alternatively, take a minibus from Kashan
towards Natanz and tell the driver to let
you off at the turn-off. Then wait for a lift
from whatever is passing for the remaining 22km. The Natanz nuclear facility is
near here; do not get caught taking photos
of it.
Most people just hire a taxi. See p225 for
recommended driver-guides; they charge
about IR150,000 for the trip plus two or
three hours in Abyaneh.
History
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Natanzs two hotels are usually quieter

than a small-town mortuary.
Hotel Shahin (x424 2402; s/tw US$15/30; a), in
a small square about 300m from the Jameh
Mosque, is a modest little place with clean,
bright rooms and a welcoming owner.
Hotel Saraban (x/fax 424 2603; r US$30; pa),
on the main road near where the buses stop,
has unexciting but functional rooms, most
with a balcony. Youll want to bargain, but
it will almost certainly be a futile endeavour.
Theres a similarly unexciting restaurant in
the hotel and kababis nearby.
Regular slow buses between Esfahan
(IR11,000, two hours) and Kashan (IR6000,
one hour) pass through Natanz wait outside the Saraban.
C E N T R A L I R A N E s f a h a n 233
Chahar Bag
h
St
multi-storey place is the only hotel and restaurant in town. Its taken years to complete
and the finished product is very comfortable. Rooms are modern, well-equipped and
some have panoramic views, and the family
who runs it are friendly. Rates are high,
but given how the place is often empty,
negotiation is eminently possible. The huge
restaurant (open noon to 4pm and 8pm
to 10pm) serves a long menu of generous
Persian dishes (IR35,000 to IR70,000).
lonelyplanet.com
d Khaayam
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Vah
232 C E N T R A L I R A N E s f a h a n
To Train
Station (4.5km);
Shraz (473km)
7
River
lonelyplanet.com
Abbasi Hotel Bookshop (Map p234; x223 2967;
Tourist police (Map p234; x221 5953; Chahar Bagh
Shahid Medani St; h7.30am-10.30pm) Expensive, but

has big range, including many out-of-print works on Iran.
Kowsar International Hotel (Map p234; x624
0230; Mellat Blvd) On the ground floor.
Abbasi St; h24hr) Very helpful English-speaking officers

can be found at this booth in the middle of the street
outside the Madraseh-ye Chahar Bagh.
Esfahans coffeenets (internet cafs) seem

to open and close faster than the door of a
Ambulance (x115)
0
0
30
Takhti
Junction
10
lraza
Minaret
do
in Ab
l-od-D
Jama
35
24
12
Solid St
Stadium
61
37
Hakim
Mosque
z St
Imam
Hossein
Sq
Fathiyeh St
2
t St
Behesh
Hasht
20
32
63
28
23
Shahid Medani St (Ama
degah Ave)
66
64
3
47
11
59
44
See Imam Square

Map p238
St
Abuzar St
8
49
Abbas Abad St
St
Goldasteh
Ave
Chahar Bagh Abbasi St
Beh
erkhan St
Cheshmesh-ye Baq
madreza
Shams Abadi St
18
St
65
Baha'i St
Shahid Ah
36
Imam
Sq
1 6
eshti
67
55
St
ndari
Osta
14
St
45
Hafe
h
Sepa
25
Ahm
13
r St
54
39
bad
ad A
Moshir St
Golbaha
56
58
Taleqani St
To Jey Minibus
Terminal (4km)
Golzar St
To Manar
Jomban (7km);
Ateshkadeh-ye
Esfahan (9km)
31
42
29
Valiasr St
t
gh S
34 41
St
Tayab St
Behesht-e Gharbi St
sht
Ha
46
Felestin St
Sayyed Ali Khan St
50
51
Sajjad
68Enqelab-e
Eslami Sq
48
33
26
Es
60
53
62
27
38
16
17
Nazar St
To Shiraz
(473km)
Chahar Bagh-e Baia St
Tohid St
To Zayandeh Rud
Minibus Terminal
(2km)
a'i
lS
Ferdosi
Bridge
A'in
To Marnan
Bridge (1.5km)
43
eh
Kh
un
eh
t
dr S
40
Mellat Blvd
Sa'di Blvd
57
a
-e S
agh
B
har
Abuzar
Bridge
Jolfa
52
Cha
t
ri S
ha
h
ota
Ferdosi St
i St
Kelisa St
CENTRAL IRAN
21
Qeyam
Sq
Hakim St
Masjed-e Sayyed
Sayyed
Mosque
To Train Station (10km);

Airport (12km)
Hatef St
19
Ebn-e Sina St
To Kaveh Bus Terminal,

Kaveh Hotel (5km);
Tehran (390km)
Chahar Bagh-e Pa'in St
i Agha St
Ali Ghol
Shohada
Sq
Forughi St
500 m
0.3 mile
Neshat St
Allameh
Majlesi St
CENTRAL ESFAHAN
Blv
Khaju
Sq
St
tagh
Mosh
a
Zay
iver
hR
nde
15
To Shahrestan
Bridge (3km)
22
Nazar
Crossroads
Feiz
Sq
Mir Fendereski St
Qoddusi St
filthy squat toilet, but you should always be

able to find something along Chahar Bagh
Abbasi St. More-established coffeenets:
Central Library of Esfahan (Map p234; x222 3698;
Goldasteh Ave; per hr IR5000; h8am-8pm Sat-Thu) Friendly,
English-speaking staff and loads of terminals. Could be faster.
Negareh Internet Caf (Map p234; x220 8645;
Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; per hr IR6000; h7am-11pm)
Cheap, very fast, with an associated travel agency for tours
and tickets. Its inside an arcade, upstairs on the left. Arctic
air-con. Some machines have Skype.
Rose Internet (Map p234; Imam Hossein Sq; per hr
IR8000; h8am-9pm Sat-Thu, 9.30am-7pm Fri) New, fast
machines, and ports for laptops.
Sky Net Internet (Map p234; Jamal-od Din Abdolrazagh
St, near Takhti Junction; per hr IR8000; h10.30am10pm) Near the budget accommodation.
Several carpet shops around Imam Sq let

you check email for free in exchange for the
opportunity to bend your ear about carpets,
including Nomad Carpet Shop (p250) and
Aladdin Carpets (p250).
Dr Hosseini Pharmacy (Map p234; x222 3511;

Shahid Medani St; h24hr) Central and well stocked.
Esfahan Hospital (Map p234; x223 0015; Shams

Abadi St) Convenient and recommended.
MONEY
To change, head straight to Sepah St, where

the Bank Melli and exchange shops compete
for your forex.
Bank Melli Central Branch (Bank Melli Markazi; Map
p234; Sepah St) Upstairs. English is spoken.
Jahan-e Arz Money Changer (Map p234; Sepah St;
h9am-4pm Sat-Thu)
POST
DHL (Map p234; x221 3520; Shahid Medani Ave;

h8am-5pm Sat-Wed, 8am-noon Thu) Upstairs in the
complex opposite Abbasi Hotel.
Main post office (Map p234; Neshat St) East of Imam
Sq; come here to post anything big like a carpet. Also
has EMS.
Post office (Map p238; Imam Sq) Postcards and letters.
TELEPHONE
MEDICAL SERVICES
International telephone office (Map p234;
Al-Zahra Hospital (Map p233; x668 4444; Soffeh St)
Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; h8am-2.15pm & 3.30-7pm

Sat-Thu)
Best hospital in Esfahan. English-speaking doctors.

INFORMATION
Abbasi Hotel Bookshop..........(see 28)
Bank Melli Central Branch...........1 B2
Central Library of Esfahan...........2 B3
DHL........................................(see 66)
Dr Hosseini Pharmacy.................3 B3
Esfahan Hospital..........................4 B3
International Phone Office..........5 B2
Iran Travel & Tourism Tour.....(see 66)
Jahan-e Arz Money Changer.......6 B2
Kowsar International Hotel
Bookshop............................(see 40)
Main Post Office........................ 7 C2
Negareh Internet Caf.................8 B3
Rose Internet...............................9 B3
Sky Net Internet........................10 B1
Tourist Police............................11 B3
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Bazar-e Bozorg..........................12
Bazar-e Bozorg......................... 13
Chehel Sotun Palace.................14
Chubi Bridge............................. 15
Church of Bethlehem (Kelisa-ye
Bethlehem)........................... 16
Church of St Mary (Kelisa-ye
Maryam).............................. 17
Decorative Arts Museum of
Iran.......................................18
Hammam-e Ali Gholi Agha.......19
Hasht Behesht Palace................20
Jameh Mosque.........................21
Khaju Bridge............................. 22
Madraseh-ye Chahar Bagh........23
C1
C2
B2
C5
A5
A5
B2
A1
B3
C1
D5
B3
Mountaineering Federation...... 24 A2
Museum of Contemporary
Art......................................(see 18)
Natural History Museum...........25 B2
Si-o-Seh Bridge.........................26 B4
Vank Cathedral (Kelisa-ye Vank) &
Museum............................... 27 A5
SLEEPING
Abbasi Hotel.............................28
Amir Kabir Hostel......................29
Bekhradi Historical
Residence..............................30
Dibai House..............................31
Hasht Behesht Apartment
Hotel.................................... 32
Hotel Melal...............................33
Hotel Meragi.............................34
Hotel Totia................................35
Iran Hotel..................................36
Isfahan Traditional Hotel...........37
Julfa Hotel................................ 38
Kakh Inn...................................39
Kowsar International Hotel........40
Pardis Apartment Hotel.............41
Persia Hotel...............................42
Pol & Park Hotel.......................43
Saadi Hotel............................... 44
Sadaf Hotel............................... 45
Safavi Hotel.............................. 46
Safir Hotel.................................47
Sahel Hotel...............................48
Shad Hotel................................49
Tourist Hotel.............................50
B3
B2
B1
C1
C3
B4
B2
A2
B3
B2
A5
B2
B4
B2
B2
B4
A4
C2
C3
B3
B4
B3
B4
Tous Hotel................................51 B4
Zohreh Hotel............................ 52 C4
EATING
Arabo....................................... 53 A5
Azam Beryani............................54 B2
Fereni Hafez............................. 55 C2
Kalleh Pache..............................56 B2
Khangostar Restaurant............(see 38)
Khorshid................................... 57 A5
Nobahar Restaurant..................58 B2
Restaurant Shahrzad.................59 B4
Restoran-e Khayyam................ 60 A5
Restoran-e Sadi........................61 B2
Sadaf Hotel Restaurant...........(see 45)
TEAHOUSES & CAFS
Abbasi Hotel Teahouse...........(see 28)
Bame Sahel Teahouse.............(see 48)
Teria Ani................................... 62 A5
SHOPPING
Bazar-e Bozorg.......................(see 12)
Bazar-e Bozorg.......................(see 13)
Bazar-e Honar...........................63 B3
Fallahi Miniatures......................64 B3
TRANSPORT
Buses to Manar Jomban &
Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan.........65
Iran Air Office...........................66
Local Bus Terminal....................67
Raja Trains Ticket
Office...................................68
B3
B3
B3
B4
CENTRAL IRAN
INTERNET ACCESS
EMERGENCY
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ESFAHAN IN
Two days
Start by taking the Half of the World Walking Tour (p245), which will take up most of your
first day. Dinner at the traditional Sofreh Khaneh Sonnati (p248) on the square is a good option.
On the second day, head back to Imam Square (p238) in the morning for a more leisurely look
around and to suss out the carpet shops (p250) for something that might look good on your
floor. After lunch, wander down to the Zayandeh River (p242) for a bridge-appreciation walk,
stopping for tea and poetry recitals along the way.
Four days
On the third day, take the bus out to Manar Jomban (Shaking Minarets; p244), then walk up
to the Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan (p244) for a (hopefully clear) view over Esfahan. Walk back into
town along the riverbank, watching the cloth-makers drying their wares on the river-bed and
stopping for tea with the locals. Get back to Jolfa (p243) in time to see the striking frescoes of
Vank Cathedral (p244), then spend the evening eating in the relaxed Armenian quarter.
On day four, just chill out in the square, on a bridge, in the garden around the Hasht Behesht
Palace (p242); or in your favourite teahouse with a book, or renew your visa.
CENTRAL IRAN
VISA EXTENSIONS
Tourist information office (Map p238; x221 3840,
Department of Aliens Affairs (Map p233; xEnglish-
221 6831; Imam Sq; h8.30am-5pm Sat-Thu & 2.30-6pm

Fri) Under the Ali Qapu Palace; helpful English-speaking
staff have maps and brochures on city and province. The
Esfahan Tourist Guides Association operates from here; see
Tours (below).
speaking officers at Tourist Police 221 5953; Rudaki St;

h7am-1.30pm Sat-Wed, 7am-noon Thu) Esfahan is
not the express extension it once was. The Department of
Aliens Affairs is in a large, drab-looking government building. Show your passport at the gate, pick up the paperwork
at the office in the courtyard and follow pointed fingers
from there. It normally takes three days, but several travellers have reported getting same-day service if they arrived
by 8am and showed a pre-booked plane/bus ticket. To
get here, walk or take a shuttle taxi 1.7km south from the
southern end of Si-o-Seh Bridge (IR700) to Shariati St, then
take another shuttle taxi (IR1500) 3km west. The building
is about 400m after the third major intersection and a
slight bend right and left, on the right (north) side of the
road. Alternatively, get the Tourist Police on Chahar Bagh
Abbasi St to help they can put you on a bus that stops
outside the office or give a taxi directions; very helpful! For
more on extending visas, see More Time, Please (p395).
TOURS
Several carpet shops offer trips into the

Zagros Mountains to visit nomads. In our
experience, however, none is worth recommending specifically. Be very specific about
what you want to see and what youre paying
for, and dont pay more than half upfront.
The following are probably better options:
Azade Kazemi (x0913 327 9626; azadekazemi@
50m
D
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Ablutions Fountain.....................1
Bazaar........................................2
Courtyard...................................3
East Iwan...................................4
Entrance Hall..............................5
6
Hypostyle Prayer Hall.................
Hypostyle Prayer Hall.................7
Main Entrance...........................8
Nezam al-Molk Dome................9
10
North Iwan...............................
11
Prayer Hall................................
Room of Sultan Uljeitu.............12
South Iwan...............................13
14
Taj al-Molk Dome.....................
Ticket Office............................15
West Iwan...............................16
Winter Hall..............................17
14
10
These sights are listed roughly north to

south.
3
16
17
15
5
St
The Jameh Mosque (Masjed-e Jameh; Map p234; Allameh Majlesi St; admission IR5000; h8-11am & 1-5pm)
is a veritable museum of Islamic architecture and still a working mosque. Within a
couple of hours you can see and compare
800 years of Islamic design, with each example near to the pinnacle of its age. The
range is quite stunning: from the geometric elegance of the Seljuks, through to the
jlesi
Ma
Iran Travel & Tourism Tour (Map p234; x222 3010;

[email protected]; Shahid Medani St) Opposite
Abbasi Hotel; efficient English-speaking staff book plane,
train and even ferry tickets. Car hire and local tours can be
arranged (per day with driver and guide IR280,000).
JAMEH MOSQUE
12
Sights
JAMEH MOSQUE
walls, and two minarets. The north iwan has

a wonderful monumental porch with the
Seljuks customary Kufic inscriptions and
austere brick pillars in the sanctuary.
The west iwan was originally built by the
Seljuks but later decorated by the Safavids.
It has mosaics that are more geometric than
those of the southern hall. The courtyard
is topped by a maazeneh, a small raised
platform with a conical roof from where the
faithful used to be called to prayer.
To fully appreciate this mosque you must
go into the fine interior rooms. The Room
of Sultan Uljeitu (a 14th-century Shiite convert) is home to one of the mosques greatest treasures an exquisite stucco mihrab
awash with dense Quranic inscriptions and
floral designs. Next door is the Timurid-era
Winter Hall (Beit al-Sheta), built in 1448 and
lit by alabaster skylights ask the caretaker
to turn off the neon (or do it yourself) to
see the full effect.
The room beneath the grand Nezam alMolk Dome and the Seljuk-era hypostyle
prayer halls either side just breathe history,
while at the other end of the complex the
meh
TRAVEL AGENCIES
Mongol period and on to the refinements

of the more baroque Safavid style. At more
than 20,000 sq metres, it is also the biggest
mosque in Iran.
Religious activity on this site is believed
to date back to the Sassanid Zoroastrians,
and the first sizable mosque was built by
the Seljuks in the 11th century. Of this, the
two large domes above the north and south
iwans (rectangular halls opening onto a
courtyard) have survived intact, with most
of the remainder destroyed by fire in the
12th century. The mosque was rebuilt in
1121, with later rulers making their own
enhancements.
In the centre of the main courtyard,
which is surrounded by four contrasting
iwans, is an attractive ablutions fountain
designed to imitate the Kaaba at Mecca;
would-be haji pilgrims would use it to practise the appropriate rituals. The two-storey
porches around the courtyards perimeter
were constructed in the late 15th century.
The south iwan is the most elaborate, with
Mongol-era stalactite mouldings, some
splendid 15th-century mosaics on the side
Alla
hotmail.com) Highly knowledgeable Spanish- and Englishspeaking guide.

Esfahan Tourist Guides Association (Map p238;
x221 3840, 221 6831; Imam Sq) Based at the tourist information office; has 150 guides speaking English, Spanish,
Arabic, French and German. Guides can lead a variety of
trips; contact them a day ahead if you want anything more
than a local day trip. Full days guiding costs IR210,000.
Maryam Shafiei (x0913 326 6127; marie13572002@
yahoo.fr) French- and English-speaking guide with a good
reputation; Esfahan and beyond from 20 a day.
13
11
9
To Qeyam
Sq (100m)
B2
C3
B2
C2
C3
B1
C3
C3
B3
B2
B3
B2
B3
B1
C3
B2
A2
CENTRAL IRAN
TOURIST INFORMATION
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IMAM SQUARE
100 m
0.1 miles
Bazar-e
Bozorg
11
Sepah St
15
10
BAZAR-E BOZORG
12
Hafez St
CENTRAL IRAN
Pool
Khorshid
St
Beheshti St
14
13
Imam
Mosque
See
Map Imam
(p?? Mosq
ue
?)
INFORMATION
Esfahan Tourist Guides Association...(see 2)
Post Office.........................................1 A2
Tourist Information Office..................2 A3
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Ali Qapu Palace.................................3 A3
Qeysarieh Portal.................................4 A2
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque....................5 B3
EATING
6
Aboozar Restaurant............................
Bastani Restaurant..............................7
Mikhak Restaurant.............................8
Sofreh Khaneh Sonnati.......................9
B1
B4
B2
B3
TEAHOUSES & CAFS

Azadegan Teahouse.........................10 B2
Qeysarieh Tea Shop.........................11 A2
Taj al-Molk Dome is widely considered to be

the finest brick dome ever built. While relatively small, it is said to be mathematically
perfect, and has survived dozens of earthquakes with nary a blemish for more than
900 years. To reach it you walk through a
forest of imposing pillars. These domes are
among the oldest parts of the mosque.
The ticket office is at the main entrance and
once youve paid admission the gatekeeper
will summon an English-speaking guide to
show you around.
SHOPPING
Aladdin Carpets................................12 B2
Fallahi Miniatures.............................13 A4
Nomad Carpet Shop.........................14 A3
TRANSPORT
Local Bus Stop..................................15 A2
Esfahans Bazar-e Bozorg (Great Bazaar; Map p234;

happroximately 9am-8pm Sat-Thu) links Imam Sq
with the Jameh Mosque, 1.7km northeast.
The bazaars arched passageways are topped
by a series of small domes, each with an
aperture at its apex spilling shafts of light
onto the commerce below. While the oldest parts of the bazaar, around the Jameh
Mosque, are more than a thousand years
old, most of what you see today was built
during Shah Abbas aggressive expansions
in the early 1600s.
The bazaar is a maze of lanes, madrasehs,
caravanserais and timcheh, arcaded centres
of a single trade (eg carpet). It can be entered at dozens of points, but the main entrance is via the Qeysarieh Portal (Map p238)
at the northern end of Imam Sq. The high
gateway is decorated with tiles and, higher
up, frescoes by the great Reza Abbasi depicting Shah Abbas war with the Uzbeks. These
paintings have deteriorated over the centuries and a slow restoration is continuing.
Industries tend to congregate in certain
areas of the bazaar. Among the more prominent are the carpet sellers, off to the west.
Trade is busiest in the mornings. Undoubtedly the best way to discover the bazaar is to
just wander; if you get lost, ask anyone for
Naqsh-e Jahan or the Masjed-e Jameh.
IMAM SQUARE (NAQSH-E JAHAN SQUARE)
) )
When French poet Renier described Esfahan as half of the world in the 16th
century, it was the myriad wonders of the
square called Naqsh-e Jahan that inspired
him. The description wouldnt be out of
place today, because while it is now officially called Imam Square (Map p238) few
people use that name and it remains home
to arguably the most majestic collection of

buildings in the Islamic world.
Naqsh-e Jahan means pattern of the
world, and its a world that owes much to
the vision of Shah Abbas the Great. Begun
in 1602 as the centrepiece of Abbas new
capital, the square was designed as home to
the finest jewels of the Safavid empire the
incomparable Imam Mosque, the supremely
elegant Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and the
indulgent and lavishly decorated Ali Qapu
Palace and Qeysarieh Portal. At 512m long
and 163m wide, this immense space is the
second-largest square on earth only Mao
Zedongs severe Tiananmen Sq in Beijing
is bigger.
The square has changed little since it was
built. The upper level of arched arcades surrounding the square is empty these days,
though long-talked-about plans to restore
it for use as a museum of Esfahans history
are still being discussed. The open space
has been reconstituted several times, most
recently by the Pahlavis, who added the
fountains. At either end of the square, you
can still see the goal posts used in regular
polo games 400 years ago. Youll see these
polo matches depicted on miniatures for
sale around the square.
The square is best visited in the late afternoon and early evening when local families
flood in to outnumber the Iranian and foreign tourists. This is also when the fountains are turned on, the light softens and
the splendid architecture is illuminated;
you cant beat the view from the Qeysarieh
Tea Shop (p249).
Imam Mosque
not until 1629, the last year of the reign of

Shah Abbas, that the high dome, and therefore the mosque, was completed. Little has
changed since.
Although each of the mosques parts is
a masterpiece, it is the unity of the overall
design that leaves a lasting impression. The
original purpose of the entrance portal had
more to do with its location on the square
than with the mosques spiritual aims. Its
function was primarily ornamental, providing a counterpoint to the Qeysarieh Portal at the entrance to the Bazar-e Bozorg.
The foundation stones are of white marble
from Ardestan and the portal itself, some
30m tall, is decorated with magnificent
moarraq kashi (mosaics) featuring geometric designs, floral motifs and calligraphy
by the most skilled artists of the age. The
splendid niches contain complex stalactite
mouldings in a honeycomb pattern, each
panel with its own intricate design.
Although the portal was built to face
the square, the mosque is oriented towards
Mecca and a short, angled corridor neatly
connects the square and the inner courtyard,
IMAM MOSQUE
0
A
are
qu
mS
Ima
12
3
13
9
15
14
The Imam Mosque (Masjed-e Imam; Map p239; admismost beautiful mosques in the world. The
richness of its blue-tiled mosaic designs
and its perfectly proportioned Safavid-era
architecture form a visually stunning monument to the imagination of Shah Abbas I
and the ability of his architect. The sumptuous decoration of the mosque perfectly
complements the architectural elegance.
Work started on the magnificent entrance portal in 1611, although it took four
years to finish look for mismatches in its
apparent symmetry, intended to reflect the
artists humility in the face of Allah. It was
sion IR4000; h8am-sunset, 8am-11.30am & 12.30pmsunset summer, closed 11am-1pm Friday) is one of the
100 m
4
10
1
2
11
7
8
1
East Iwan.......................
East Sanctuary...............2
3
Entrance Portal...............
Inner Courtyard.............4
Madraseh......................5
Madraseh......................6
Main Sanctuary.............7
Mihrab & Minbar..........8
B2
B2
B1
A2
A2
B2
A2
A2
North Iwan....................9
Ritual Ablutions Pool....10
South Iwan (Entrance to
11
Main Sanctuary).......
Ticket Office................12
Toilets..........................13
West Iwan...................14
West Sanctuary...........15
B2
B2
A2
B1
B2
A2
A2
CENTRAL IRAN
0
0
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with its pool for ritual ablutions and four

imposing iwans. The walls of the courtyard
contain the most exquisite sunken porches,
framed by painted tiles known as haft rangi
(see p66) of deep blue and yellow. Each
iwan leads into a vaulted sanctuary. The
east and west sanctuaries are covered with
particularly fine floral motifs on a blue
background.
The main sanctuary is entered via the south
iwan. Find yourself a quiet corner in which
to sit and contemplate the richness of the
domed ceiling, with its golden rose pattern
(the flower basket) surrounded by concentric circles of busy mosaics on a deep blue
background. The interior ceiling is 36.3m
high, but the exterior reaches up to 51m due
to the double-layering used in construction.
The hollow space in between is responsible
for the loud echoes heard when you stamp
your foot on the black paving stones under
the centre of the dome. Although scientists
have measured up to 49 echoes, only about
12 are audible to the human ear more
than enough for a speaker to be heard
throughout the mosque. The marble mihrab
and minbar are also beautifully crafted.
The main sanctuary provides wonderful
views back to the two turquoise minarets
above the entrance portal. Each is encircled
by projecting balconies and white geometric
calligraphy in which the names of Mohammed and Ali are picked out over and over
again. Each is topped by an elegant dome.
To the east and west of the main sanctuary
are the courtyards of two madrasehs. Both
provide good views of the main dome with
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its tiles every shade of turquoise. Cameras

are welcome.
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
A study in harmonious understatement, this

mosque is the perfect complement to the
overwhelming richness of the larger Imam
Mosque, and is arguably the most fabulous mosque in Iran. Built between 1602
and 1619, during the reign of Shah Abbas
I, the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque (Masjed-e Sheikh
Lotfollah; Map p238; admission IR4000; h8am-sunset,
8am-11.30am & 12.30pm-sunset summer) is dedicated
to the rulers father-in-law, Sheikh Lotfollah, a revered Lebanese scholar of Islam

who was invited to Esfahan to oversee the
kings mosque (now the Imam Mosque)
and theological school.
The pale dome makes extensive use of
delicate cream-coloured tiles that change
colour throughout the day from cream to
pink (sunset is usually best). The signature
blue-and-turquoise tiles of Esfahan are
evident only around the domes summit.
The pale tones of the cupola stand in contrast to those around the portal, where youll
find some of the best surviving Safavid-era
mosaics. The exterior panels contain wonderful arabesques and other intricate floral
designs; those displaying a vase framed by
the tails of two peacocks are superb. The
portal itself contains some particularly fine
stalactite work with rich concentrations of
blue and yellow motifs.
The mosque is unusual because it has
neither a minaret nor a courtyard, and because steps lead up to the entrance. This
SHAH IN A HURRY
When the Imam Mosque was begun, Shah Abbas the Great probably didnt think it would be
25 years before the last of the artisans left the building. He was already 52 when work began,
and as he grew older he grew ever-more impatient to see his greatest architectural endeavour
completed.
Legend has it Abbas repeatedly demanded that corners be cut to hasten the progress, even
insisting work on the walls be started despite the foundations having not yet set. His architect,
Ali Akbar Esfahani, was having none of it. He flatly defied his boss before making himself scarce
until Abbas calmed down. After all, Abbas was notoriously insecure and had killed two sons
and blinded another, so Esfahani was understandably nervous. He eventually returned to the
court where, because the wisdom of his decision had been demonstrated, he was welcomed
back with a royal pardon.
Some of the time-saving techniques were quite innovative: rather than covering the entire
complex with millions of individual mosaic tiles, larger prefabricated patterned tiles called haft
rangi were created theyve been standard ever since.
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was probably because the mosque was

never intended for public use, but rather
served as the worship place for the women
of the shahs harem. The sanctuary or prayer
hall is reached via a twisting hallway where
the eyes become accustomed to the darkness as subtle shifts of light play across deep
blue tilework. This hallway is integral to
both the design and function of the mosque
because it takes the worshipper from the
grand square outside into a prayer hall
facing Mecca, and thus on a completely
different axis.
Inside the sanctuary you can marvel at
the complexity of the mosaics that adorn
the walls and ceiling, which is extraordinarily beautiful with its shrinking, yellow
motifs drawing the visitors eye into the
exquisite centre. The shafts of sunlight that
filter in through the few high, latticed windows produce a constantly changing interplay of light and shadow.
The mihrab is one of the finest in Iran
and has an unusually high niche; look for
the calligraphic montage that names the
architect and the date 1028 AH.
Photography is allowed but flashes are not.
Ali Qapu Palace
Built at the very end of the 16th century as

a residence for Shah Abbas I, the majestic
six-storey Ali Qapu Palace (Map p238; admission
IR4000; h8am-sunset) also served as a monumental gateway (Ali Qapu means the Gate
of Ali) to the royal palaces that lay in the
parklands beyond. Named for Abbas hero,
the Imam Ali, it was built to make an impression and at six storeys and 48m tall
it did. French traveller Sir John Chardin
described it as the largest palace ever built
in any capital.
The highlight of the palace is arguably the
elevated terrace with its 18 slender columns.
The terrace affords a wonderful perspective
over the square and one of the best views of
the Imam Mosque. If you look up, youll see
an attractive wooden ceiling with intricate
inlay work and exposed beams, reminiscent
of the nearby Chehel Sotun Palace.
Many of the valuable paintings and mosaics that once decorated the small rooms,
corridors and stairways were destroyed
during the Qajar period and since the 1979
revolution. However, some remain in the
throne room, which leads off the terrace.
On the upper floor, the music room is

definitely worth the climb. The stucco ceiling is riddled with the shapes of vases and
other household utensils cut to enhance the
acoustics. This distinctive craftsmanship,
considered by some to be one of the finest
examples of secular Persian art, extends to
the walls.
CHEHEL SOTUN PALACE
One of the only surviving palaces from the

royal parklands between Imam Sq and Chahar Bagh Abbasi St, Safavid-era Chehel Sotun
(Map p234; Ostandari St; admission IR5000; h8am-5pm,
8am-noon & 2pm-sunset summer) is today most
famous for its frescoes. It was built as a

pleasure pavilion and reception hall, using
the Achaemenid-inspired talar (columnar
porch) style. There are historical references
to the palace dating from 1614; however, an
inscription uncovered in 1949 says it was
completed in 1647 under the watch of Shah
Abbas II. Either way, what you see today
was rebuilt after a fire in 1706.
The palace is entered via the elegant
talar terrace, which perfectly bridges the
transition between the Persian love of gardens and interior splendour. Its 20 slender, ribbed wooden pillars rise to a superb
wooden ceiling with crossbeams and exquisite inlay work. Chehel Sotun means 40
pillars the number reflected in the long
pool in front of the palace.
The Great Hall (Throne Hall) contains
a rich array of frescoes, miniatures and
ceramics. The upper walls are dominated by
historical frescoes on a grand scale, sumptuously portraying court life and some of the
great battles of the Safavid era. From right
to left, above the entrance door, the armies
of Shah Ismail do battle with the Uzbeks;
Nader Shah battles Sultan Mahmud (astride
a white elephant) on an Indian battleground;
and Shah Abbas II welcomes King Nader
Khan of Turkestan with musicians and
dancing girls.
On the wall opposite the door, also from
right to left, Shah Abbas I presides over
an ostentatious banquet; Shah Ismail battles the janissaries (infantrymen) of Sultan Suleiman; and Shah Tahmasp receives
Humayun, the Indian prince who fled to
Persia in 1543. These extraordinary works
survived the 18th-century invasion by the
Afghans, who whitewashed the paintings to
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
show their disapproval of such extravagance.

Other items, including Safavid forebear Safi
od-Dins hat, are kept in a small museum.
In the garden there is a small teahouse
and a bookshop. Early morning is the best
time for photos (flash not allowed inside).
MUSEUMS
Near the entrance to the Chehel Sotun Palace are three museums. The Decorative Arts
Museum of Iran (Map p234; Ostandari St; admission
IR3000; h8am-1pm Sat-Wed, 8am-noon Thu) is in a
building that once served as stables and
warehouse to Safavid kings. Today it contains a fine collection from the Safavid and
Qajar periods, including miniatures, glassware, lacquer work, ancient Qurans, calligraphy, ceramics, woodcarvings, traditional
costumes, weapons and horse gear.
Just to the north (right) the Museum of
Contemporary Art (Map p234; Ostandari St; admission
shows temporary exhibits, mainly of Esfahani artists; while on the corner a large
15th-century building is home to the Natural History Museum (Map p234; Ostandari St; admission
IR3000; h8am-1pm & 2-5pm, 4-9pm summer), where
the fibreglass dinosaurs out front are not
that enticing. The exhibits inside are better but wont have you rushing off to write
home about them.
HASHT BEHESHT PALACE
Once the most luxuriously decorated in Esfahan, the interior of the small Hasht Behesht
Palace (Map p234; admission IR3000; h8am-8pm) has
been extensively damaged over the years.
However, it retains a seductive tranquillity,
with the soaring wooden columns on its
open-sided terrace seeming to mirror the
trees in the surrounding park.
Hasht Behesht, meaning eight heavens,
was built in the 1660s. The interior boasts
some impressive mosaics and stalactite
mouldings and ceilings cut into a variety
of shapes similar to the music room in
the Ali Qapu Palace.
(now the Abbasi Hotel) and the Bazar-e

Honar. Revenues from these buildings paid
for the upkeep of the madraseh.
Entry is through an imposing wood-andsilver door but this, unfortunately, is mostly
closed to visitors. Apart from the two-week
No Ruz period (admission IR30,000), youll
need to befriend a student to get in. If you
do, youll find a tree-filled courtyard surrounded by two-storey porches leading to
the students rooms. Around it are a prayer
hall with a superb mihrab, two of the finest
Safavid-era minarets in Esfahan, some exquisite mosaics and an attractive dome.
HAMMAM-E ALI GHOLI AGHA
In the historic district of Bid Abad, the recently restored Hammam-e Ali Gholi Agha (Ali
Gholi Agha Bathhouse; Map p234; Ali Gholi Agha Alley, off
Masjed-e Sayyed St; admission IR10,000; h8.30am-5pm
Sat-Thu, 9am-3pm Fri) is now a well-maintained
(but poorly signed) museum to bathhouses.

Fortunately there is information at the entrance, explaining the Qajar-era history
and uses of the hammam. English-speaking
guides are also available. Its worth a look,
especially if you didnt see Hammam-e Sultan Mir Ahmad in Kashan.
To get there, walk west from Takhti
Junction on Masjed-e Sayyed St, and turn
right (north) down Ali Gholi Agha St, 50m
beyond the junction with Tayab St. Walk
about 250m and turn right inside a covered
bazaar, then left at the mosque.
ZAYANDEH RIVER BRIDGES
The Madraseh-ye Chahar Bagh (Madraseh-ye Mazadar-e Shah or Theological School of the Shahs Mother; Map
p234; Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; hNo Ruz only) was built
Si-o-Seh Bridge
between 1704 and 1714 as part of an expansive complex that included a caravanserai
The 298m-long Si-o-Seh Bridge (Pol-e Sio-Seh, Bridge of 33 Arches or Allahverdi
Khan Bridge; Map p234) was built by

Allahverdi Khan, a favourite general of Shah
Abbas I, between 1599 and 1602 to link the
upper and lower halves of Chahar Bagh St.
It served as both bridge and dam, and is
still used to hold water today. Until recently there were teahouses at either end
of the bridge, both accessed through the
larger arches underneath, though only the
northern one remains (see p249).
Chubi Bridge
Nearly 150m long, and with 21 arches, Chubi

Bridge (Map p234) was built by Shah Abbas
II in 1665, primarily to help irrigate palace gardens in the area. Chubi and the two
parlours within were for the exclusive use
of the shah and his courtiers. Until recently
one of these parlours was one of the most
atmospheric teahouses in Iran; hopefully it
will be again.
Khaju Bridge
Arguably the finest of Esfahans bridges, the

Khaju Bridge (Map p234) was built by Shah
Abbas II in about 1650 (although a bridge
is believed to have crossed the waters here
since the time of Tamerlane). It also doubles
as a dam, and has always been as much a
meeting place as a bearer of traffic.
Its 110m length has two levels of terraced arcades, the lower containing locks
regulating water flow. If you look hard, you
can still see original paintings and tiles, and
the remains of stone seats built for Shah

Abbas II to sit on and admire the views. In
the centre, a pavilion was built exclusively
for his pleasure. It was a teahouse, but not
anymore. Vendors at the end of the bridge
sell tea and snacks.
Shahrestan Bridge
This is the oldest of Esfahans bridges

(Map p233). Most of the 11-arched stone
and brick structure is believed to date from
the 12th century, although the pillars themselves remain from a much earlier Sassanian bridge. Although its almost 4km east
of Khaju Bridge, its a pleasant walk.
JOLFA: THE ARMENIAN QUARTER
The Armenian quarter of Esfahan is Jolfa

(Map p234). It dates from the time of Shah
Abbas I, who transported this colony of
Christians from the town of Jolfa (now on
Irans northern border; see p156) en masse,
and named the village New Jolfa. Abbas
sought their skills as merchants, entrepreneurs and artists a look at the walls of
Vank Cathedral reveals what he was after.
The Armenian Christians had their religious freedom respected, but they were
restricted to this area across the river and
kept away from the Islamic centres.
Today there are 13 Armenian churches
and an old cemetery scattered around Jolfa,
serving a Christian community of about
There are few better ways to spend an afternoon than strolling along the Zayandeh River
(Map p234), crossing back and forth using
the old fairy-tale bridges and listening to Esfahanis reciting poetry and just chilling out.
Such a stroll is especially pleasant at sunset
and early evening when most of the bridges
are illuminated. In total, 11 bridges (six are
new) cross the Zayandeh. All but one of the
historic Safavid-era crossings lie to the east
of Chahar Bagh St the exception is the
shorter Marnan Bridge (Pol-e Marnan; Map
p233) but most people satisfy themselves
with the walk from Si-o-Seh Bridge to Khaju
Bridge, and back.
MADRASEH-YE CHAHAR BAGH
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MOURNING ZAYANDEH RIVER TEAHOUSES

One of the great joys of any visit to Esfahan used to be walking along the Zayendeh River and
stopping in the atmospheric teahouses in the Khaju, Chubi and Si-o-Seh Bridges. These teahouses
were loved by locals and visitors alike, places to socialise over tea and qalyan (water pipe) just
as Esfahanis have been doing since the bridges were built more than 300 years ago. But one
by one they have been closed and only the teahouse at the northern end of Si-o-Seh Bridge
remains (see opposite).
Various reasons have been offered for closing these wonderful teahouses. Some cite the crackdown on the highly unhealthy qalyan. Others say the tobacco smoke was damaging the bridges,
though given that people have been smoking in these stone places for centuries this seems unlikely.
Others are convinced the rise of religious conservatives in the provincial government is to blame
and the antismoking campaign is just a smokescreen after all, they say, you can still smoke
cigarettes almost anywhere. The result is that places where young men and women might get
together and do dangerous things like looking at each other have been forced to close.
Whatever the reason, the city that likes to think of itself as the Venice of the Middle East
and (rightly) thinks it deserves a bigger share of international tourists, has lost some of its best
attractions. With luck, the city will see to it that the teahouses are reopened even without
the qalyan.
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
IR3000; h9am-noon & 4-7pm Sat-Thu, 5-8pm summer)
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St; adult/student IR30,000/16,000; h 8am-12.30pm &

2-5.30pm, to 6.30pm summer) is the historic focal
The 14th-century tomb of Abu Abdullah,

a revered dervish, is 7km west of central
Esfahan in Kaladyn. The tomb is popularly
known as Manar Jomban (Shaking Minarets; Map
p233; Saremiyeh St; admission IR5000; h8.30am-1pm
& 3-5pm, to 6pm summer) because pushing hard
against one minaret will start it, and the

other minaret, swaying back and forth. The
minarets were added during the 17th century. Attendants climb up to shake them
once an hour, on the hour. Iranians love
this sight, but its only barely worth the
CENTRAL IRAN
PIGEON TOWERS
For centuries Esfahan relied on pigeons

to supply guano as fertiliser for the citys
famous fields of watermelons. The guano
was collected in almost 3000 squat, circular
pigeon towers, each able to house about
14,000 birds. Today they are unused, made
A SHAKE TOO FAR?
Ask guides why the shaking minarets shake
and they are likely to embark on a lengthy
explanation of vibration theory. Some who
have studied a bit might even quote a geologists report suggesting the sandstone
used in the minarets contains something
called felspar, which dissolves over time,
leaving stone flexible and liable to shake.
The geologists say their theory is supported
by the fact there are no historic references
to the minarets shaking. There are, however,
conflicting views. Another expert points out
that other buildings in Esfahan were constructed from the same sandstone and yet
show no propensity to shake.
Then again, theres another theory. As
the minarets are made of brick and timber,
it seems more feasible that its the timber
that bends and is the connection between
the two minarets. Its a theory supported
by one traveller, who wrote: Flexible
stone pull the other leg.
500 m
0.3 mile
lJama
St
zagh
dolra
in Ab
od-D
Takhti
Junction
Ghalandarhra
Hakim Lane
eh
niy
ru t
Ha S Qeyam
Sq
2 3
9
r St
Golbaha
h St
START
Imam
Hossein
Sq
12
Sepa
z St
11
Imam
Sq
10
15
16
eshti
Beh
St
Hafe
17
END
13
14
attractive, 48m-high Minaret of the Mosque of Ali

(7; Manar-e Masjed-e Ali). Inside the mosque,
which was rebuilt in 1522, are some impressive Safavid paintings that until recently were
hidden under Qajar-era decoration. Opposite
the mosque and back about 20m is the 16thcentury Mausoleum of Harun Vilayet (8; Bogh-e
Harun Vilayet), an important pilgrimage site
containing some high-quality frescoes depicting the son of the 10th, or perhaps the 11th,
Shiite Imam (no-one is quite sure). The courtyard also contains big, photogenic mosaics of
Khomeini and Khamenei.
Continuing west keep right to rejoin the
main bazaar and wander southwest through
the shafts of sunlight and spice-filled air towards Imam Sq. En route, the Madraseh-ye
Sadr (9) has a large, green courtyard that can
provide momentary respite from the bustling bazaar. On entering Imam Square (10;
p238) through the grand Qeysarieh Portal (11;
p238), go straight upstairs to the delightful Qeysarieh Tea Shop (12; p249), overlooking
the square. After tea, launch into the square
by either following the covered bazaars or
by setting off to explore the jewels of Esfahan:
CENTRAL IRAN
MANAR JOMBAN (SHAKING MINARETS)
admission IR2000; h8.30am-5pm, to 6pm in summer)
stare out over the Zayandeh River and the

city from a low hill on its outskirts. The 10minute scramble uphill is worth the effort
on a clear day. Its about 2km west from the
Manar Jomban, along the same road.
0
HALF OF THE 0
WORLD WALKING TOUR
ri St
Of the other 12 churches in Jolfa only these

two are open (sometimes). The frescoes
on the walls and ceilings of the Church of
Bethlehem (Kelisa-ye Bethlehem; Map p234; Nazar St;
admission IR10,000), built in 1628, are arguably
of a higher quality than those in Vank Cathedral. The interior of the high dome is
decorated with swirling black motifs on a
golden background, while the base is surrounded by paintings of Biblical scenes.
The Church of St Mary (Kelisa-ye Maryam; Map p234;
Jolfa Sq) is similarly decorated, though with
less flair. If the churches are closed, as they
often are, and door-knocking doesnt work,
ask for help at the cathedral.
Dating from Sassanian times, the crumbling mud bricks of the Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan (Esfahan Fire Temple; off Map p233; Saremiyeh St;
Esfahan is often described as half of the

world, and this walking tour takes you
through several of the citys highlights.
Starting at Imam Hossein Sq, walk north
along Chahar Bagh Abbasi St and turn right
(east) down quiet Golbahar St. Walk past
the Russian Consulate and into a covered
bazaar, then turn left (north) when you
reach Hakim St, crossing under the bazaar
roof. About 150m along youll come to the
Hakim Mosque (1) on the right. The western
entrance should be open, but if its not
continue north and turn west along Hakim
Alley to reach the northern entrance. This is
Esfahans oldest mosque, but only the beautiful portal (beside the northern entrance)
has survived from the Buyid-dynasty structure built about 1000 years ago. The dome
beneath the southern iwan has an impressive echo and, if you climb the stairs in the
southeastern corner, youll enjoy fine views
over the rooftops of the bazaar.
Exiting through the northern entrance
youll enter the narrow, attractive lanes
around the bazaar. Continuing east on Hakim
Lane, youll pass through the quieter alleys of
the Bazar-e Bozorg (2; p238), with vendors selling household goods and at least one maledominated but charismatic little chaykhaneh
(3). The bazaar veers northeast and becomes
busier, with domestic goods shops, mosques,
madrasehs, teahouses, banks, bathhouses and
even the occasional garden.
At a fork the main bazaar veers right, but
keep straight for about 40m to get to the
Madraseh-ye Nimurvand (4), where the students
normally welcome visitors (though women
shouldnt loiter too long). Rejoin the main
bazaar and follow it across Jamal-od-Din
Abdolrazagh St to the imposing Jameh Mosque
(5; p236) give yourself time here and remember its closed between about 11am and 1pm.
From the mosque, skirt around Qeyam Sq,
stopping for a look at the bird market (6), and
head down Haruniyeh St. Youll soon see the
nda
Other Churches
ATESHKADEH-YE ESFAHAN
Half of the World Walking Tour
Start Hakim Mosque

Finish Sofreh Khaneh Sonnati
Distance about 7km
Duration four to seven hours, depending
on how often you stop and for how long
Osta
point of the Armenian church in Iran. The

churchs exterior is unexciting, but the
interior is richly decorated and shows the
curious mixture of styles Islamic tiles and
designs alongside Christian imagery that
characterises most churches in Iran. The
frescoes are truly magnificent, and sometimes wonderfully gruesome.
The attached Vank Cathedral museum contains, among other things, more than 700
handwritten books and a disturbing display
covering the Armenian genocide in Turkey.
WALKING TOUR
Hatef St
Built between 1606 and 1655 with the encouragement of the Safavid rulers, Vank Cathedral (Kelisa-ye Vank; Map p234; x624 3471; Kelisa
redundant by chemical fertiliser, but more

than 700 of the mud-brick towers remain in
the citys environs.
The best place to see them is dotted along
the Zayandeh River south of the Ateshkadeh.
The 10km walk back into Esfahan makes a
great afternoon, and youre also likely to see
locally made cloth being laid out to dry.
Neshat St
Vank Cathedral
trip and on slow days they might not be

shaken at all.
Many buses (IR250, 20 minutes) going
west along Bahai St from near the corner
of Chahar Bagh Abbasi St run past Manar
Jomban; the man in the ticket booth will
point you to the right one. Chartering
a taxi for an hour to include the nearby
Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan fire temple is
another alternative (about IR40,000).
Hakim St
7000. Its worth heading out here (its not

far) in the afternoon, seeing the sights and
staying around for dinner in the relatively
liberal village atmosphere.
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Chahar Bagh-
Pa'in St
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Chahar Bagh Abbasi St
the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque (13; p240), Imam

Mosque (14; p239)and the Ali Qapu Palace
(15; p241).
If you still have the energy, exit through
the rear of Ali Qapu Palace and cross to the
Chehel Sotun Palace (16; p241) on Ostandari
St. If not, just head back up to the Qeysarieh Tea Shop (yes, theres no better viewing spot!) to watch the light play softly over
the square as the sun goes down and the
lights come up. Sublime! Round off the day
with a meal at the traditional Sofreh Khaneh
Sonnati (17; p248).
Much of Esfahans accommodation is
relatively expensive and rather lacking in
character. However, in recent years the
citys first traditional hotels have opened,
so things are improving in the midrange
area especially. Esfahan is best discovered
on foot and most of these places are within
walking distance of Imam Sq.
Esfahans high season runs from midMarch until the end of June, when rooms
can be scarce. At other times, bargain your
head off.
BUDGET
Amir Kabir Hostel (Map p234; x222 7273; mrziaee@

hotmail.com; Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; dm/s/tw/tr IR35,000/
75,000/120,000/150,000; i) For years the Amir
Kabir has been Esfahans backpacker base
and, for lack of competition, it still is. The
managers, Ziaee brothers, might not like
spending money, but theyre helpful enough
with advice on timetables, booking onward
tickets and some reasonably priced tours.
Rooms and the dorm are basic, and cleanliness is not as consistent as it could be.
Breakfast is served for an extra IR15,000.
Kakh Inn (Map p234; x222 5650; omid_anvary@
yahoo.com; Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; s/tw/tr with breakfast
IR90,000/160,000/180,000) Small rooms here have
shortish beds, bathrooms (most of them)

and thats it. But manager Omid creates a
good feel.
Shad Hostel (Map p234; x221 8621; fax 220 4264;
Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; s/d US$11/18) A good-value,
central option, with small, clean two- and
three-bed rooms and sometimes-whiffy
shared bathrooms. Front rooms are noisy.
Sahel Hotel (Map p234; x222 1702; www.sahel
hotel.com; Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; s US$16-21, tw US$2229; a) Fresh paint, soft beds and bathrooms
yahoo.com; Abbas Abad St; s with breakfast US$15-20, tw

US$21-28; a) Quiet location, alright rooms,
nice price.
Hotel Totia (Map p234; x 223 7525; Masjed-e
Sayyed St; tw/tr with breakfast IR250,000/300,000; a)
Another welcoming, family-run place with

spotless rooms at fair prices. Adjoining
rooms are available and the overhead fans
are a bonus if you hate air-con. Discounts
for single travellers.
Everythings full? Try these:
Persia Hotel (Map p234; x/fax 220 4062; Chahar
Bagh Abbasi St, near Takhti Junction; s/tw US$20/28; a)
Family-run; very clean, relatively spacious rooms with
bathroom; dubious plumbing.
Tous Hotel (Map p234; x222 1599; [email protected];
Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; s/tw/tr IR180,000/260,000/315,000;
ai) Rooms are bigger than some, and noisier than
many.
If you have an early bus, functional Hotel

Kaveh (Map p233; x/fax 442 5440; s/d US$21/27;
a) is at the northern end of Kaveh terminal, and Hotel Soffeh (Map p233; x668 6462; s/d
US$21/27; a) is at Soffeh bus terminal.
MIDRANGE
All the rooms in this range have bathrooms,

air-con, fridge and TV, though theres no
guarantee on English-language channels.
Bekhradi Historical Residence (Map p234; x448
2072; Sonbolestan Alley, off Ebn-e Sina St; r IR250,000900,000; ai ) This quiet, modest-sized
khan-e sonnati (traditional house) is the

real Safavid-style deal; five wonderfully restored rooms, some with bathrooms, some
not like the old days. Set around two garden courtyards, there is also a restaurant.
Its beside the Masjed-e Dawazeh-Noh.
oHasht Behesht Apartment Hotel (Map
p234; x221 4868/9; [email protected]; Ostandari St; apt from IR350,000; ai) The family-run
Hasht Behesht offers reliable, comfortableif-not-desperately-stylish two-, three- and

four-bed apartments in a wonderfully central location. English-speaking Mohammad
is efficient, engaging and informative, and
(dont fall over) charges everyone the same
price. Great value!
Iran Hotel (Map p234; x220 2740; www.iranhotel

.biz; off Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; s/d with breakfast US$28/43;
a) Not desperately charismatic, but the
bright rooms with double-glazed windows
are not bad in this price range. Bathrooms
have squat toilets.
Pol and Park Hotel (Map p234; x667 4785-7; park_
[email protected]; Aineh Khuneh Blvd; s/d US$34/43;
pa) With half the 35 rooms sporting
balconies overlooking the Si-o-Seh Bridge

and an overall friendly feel, you can forgive the ageing but clean rooms. Excellent
value.
Tourist Hotel (Map p234; x220 4437; www.esfa
hantouristhotel.com; Abbas Abad St; s/d/ste with breakfast
US$30/44/66; a ) Helpful English-speaking
management has transformed this place

into a reliable, if not exciting, lower midrange place. The suite has a kitchenette.
Hotel Melal (Map p234; x222 4532-4; Kemal Esmail
St; s/d with breakfast US$41/64; pa) Overlooking
the river east of Si-o-Seh Bridge, Melal is so
professionally managed that staff refused all
our attempts to actually see a room because
it was full. However, several readers have
reported the three-star standard rooms and
top-floor restaurant (with views) are both
excellent value.
Zohreh Hotel (Map p234; x223 1060; www.zohreh
hotel.com; Ferdosi St; s/d/tr/ste with breakfast
US$46/67/92/150; ai ) The new, 50-room
Zohreh is a temple to classic Persian

kitsch think lots of odd-shaped mirrors,
gold paint, moulded plaster, chandeliers and
portraits of colourfully clad maidens. Then
theres the Achaemenid motifs. Rooms are
more restrained and a fair size. Some have
bathtubs, and all have ADSL internet.
Safavi Hotel (Map p234; x220 8600; Felestin St; s/d
from US$49/72; a) Nearer to Imam Sq than the
Zohreh, the Safavi seems to have used the
same stylists as the Zohreh with the headspinning basement restaurant the pice de
rsistence! Rooms are modern and mercifully less psychedelic to look at. Dont miss
the views from the rooftop teahouse.
oDibai House (Map p234; x 220 9787, 0912
154 6964; www.dibaihouse.com; 1 Masjed Ali Alley, Harunieh; s/tw/tr with breakfast 35/60/75) Dibai House is
Esfahans most atmospheric hotel. Hidden

away off a narrow, vaulted alley deep in
the Bazar-e Bozorg district, the colourful,
painstakingly restored traditional house
and the chilled, interesting and arty female
owners set a paradoxically modern-yet-
traditional Iranian tone. For pure facilities

the 10 rooms are overpriced bathrooms
are outside and there are few modern luxuries but what youre paying for is the
ambience. Children under 14 are not allowed. Its hard to find: from Qeyam Sq,
walk southwest towards the tall minaret at
the Ali Mosque, take the alley about 10m
along on the left, follow this around to the
left, take the first right and right again, into
a tunnel-like passage. The door is unsigned
inside this passage, on the right. Prices are
10 less in low season.
Isfahan Traditional Hotel (Hotel Sonnati Isfahan;
Map p234; x223 6677, 0913 305 1556; www.isfahan
hotel.com; Bagh-e Ghalandarhra Alley, off Hakim St; s/d/
ste with breakfast 32/45/160; ai) Deep in the
Bazar-e Bozorg area, this attractive traditional hotel is set around two courtyards
in adjoining Safavid- and Qajar-period
homes. The 16 rooms are spacious, comfortable and most have attached modern
bathrooms. The stunning royal suite would
make a memorable splurge. The service,
however, was very raw when we stayed.
Its about 75m east of the entrance to the
Hakim Mosque.
Sadaf Hotel (Map p234; x220 2988; Hafez St;
s/d US$63/90; ai) A super location near
Imam Sq, professional management and
impressive rooms with satellite TV and
fridge make this an excellent choice. The
rooftop restaurant is delightful in summer.
Discounts are available in the low season.
Family rooms available.
The following are solid fall-back options: clean, comfortable enough, fair value
but largely devoid of character.
Julfa Hotel (Map p234; x624 4441; www.julfahotel
.com; Hakim Nezami St; s/d US$28/43; pa) A few
metres from Vank Cathedral, with 72 small rooms and unhelpful service. Khangostar Restaurant (p248) is downstairs.
Pardis Apartment Hotel (Map p234; x220 0308;
fax 222 7831; Takhti Junction; apt from US$50; a) No
frills apartments in two- to five-bed (US$77) varieties.
Discounts very possible; good, cheap food in the restaurant.
Safir Hotel (Map p234; x222 2640; www.safirhotel
.com; Shahid Medani St; s/d/ste US$63/87/95; ai)
Professionally run place popular with businesspeople.
Central location, several languages, tired rooms.
TOP END
There are surprisingly few top-end options

in Esfahan considering it is such a tourist
drawcard, so its worth booking ahead.
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
Sleeping
make this central place fair value by Esfahan standards. English-speaking manager
is helpful and theres the atmospheric Bame
Sahel Teahouse (p250) upstairs. Ask for a
quiet room.
Saadi Hotel (Map p234; x220 3881; saadi_hotel@
Kowsar International Hotel (Map p234; x624

0230-39; www.hotelkowsar.com; Mellat Blvd; tw/d
US$108/$158; pais) Portraits of Ayatollahs Khomeini and Khamenei on the
wall confirm this one-time Sheraton is now
government owned. Mercifully, however,
professional management, a recent facelift,
exceptional restaurants and facilities, including wi-fi and a kids playground, have
transformed it from state-run disappointment to quality luxury hotel. Ask for a 5thor 6th-floor front room.
Abbasi Hotel (Map p234; x 222 6010; www
century caravanserai, the Abbasi has a
reputation as one of the best hotels in Iran.
Reputations, however, can be misleading.
While the central garden courtyard is sublime, most of the rooms are plain (neither
luxurious nor historic looking), the service can leave you feeling more like a sheep
than a shah, and the prices are double what
Iranians pay. If you do stay, special rooms
(US$179) are in the original building and
have garden views. Anything cheaper is in
the drab new wing.
Eating
Esfahan has its fair share of good restaurants
and some memorable teahouses, but if its
culinary variety you seek, then prepare for
disappointment. Most places listed here are
walking distance from the hotels, though its
also worth venturing to relatively relaxed
Jolfa one night. Most midrange and topend hotels have restaurants, and remember
that most teahouses (opposite) also serve
food.
Esfahans famous speciality is gaz, a delicious nougat usually mixed with chopped
pistachios or other nuts. Its available pretty
much everywhere, but especially in confectionery shops along Chahar Bagh Abbasi St
and around Imam Sq.
RESTAURANTS
Mikhak Restaurant (Map p238; x222 3291; meals

IR15,000-50,000; hnoon-4pm Sat-Thu) Just off the
northeast end of the bazaar, the Mikhak
serves quality Iranian comfort food that
seems to comfort half of the bazaris every
day. Vegetarians should look elsewhere.
Aboozar Restaurant (Map p238; x 222 0654;
Bazar-e Bozorg; meals IR20,000-35,000; h11am-3pm)
The rest of the bazaris seem to come here

for fast, cheap and tasty meals. Arrive early
or the best food will be gone.
Restoran-e Sadi (Map p234; x222 0237; Chahar
Bagh Abbasi St; meals IR20,000-35,000; h10.30am-11pm)
Down the mirrored staircase opposite Amir

Kabir Hostel, this place is a classic lower
middle-class Esfahani restaurant, with a
cheapish, not that stylish, small menu with
only half the dishes available.
Nobahar Restaurant (Map p234; x221 0800;
Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; meals IR25,000-45,000; h11am3pm & 6-10pm) Nobahar Restaurant has been
around forever because it serves reliably

good, reasonably priced staples like kababs
and zereshk polo ba morgh. Its not stylish
and service isnt great, but thats not what
youre here for.
Sadaf Hotel (Map p234; x220 2988; Hafez St;
meals IR35,000; hdinner only for rooftop) The Sadaf
Hotels restaurant is especially recommended between June and October when
you can eat on the rooftop. The food, including steak with mushroom sauce (IR30,000),
and the usual range of tasty kababs, is
consistently good and complements the
rooftop views (when you stand up) across
the Old City. It opens indoors during the
rest of the year.
Arabo (Map p234; x 624 7119; Kelisa St, Jolfa;
meals IR30,000-45,000; hnoon-4pm & 6-11pm) This
popular underground pizza jointcumcaf offers heavily made-up, crimson-clad
waitresses and pizza thats tasty despite the
usual Iranian-pizza limitations.
o Sofreh Khaneh Sonnati (Traditional
Banquet Hall; Map p238; x221 9068; Imam Sq; meals
IR25,000-50,000; hnoon-3pm & 7-10.30pm) Just off
Imam Sq, this restaurant uses stained glass,

colourful tiles and takhts (day beds) to create
a Qajar-era (if slightly touristy) ambience.
The food makes it memorable, with Esfahani
biryani and khoresht-e bademjan (aubergine
or eggplant stew) some of the well-prepared
and reasonably priced recommendations. To
find it, walk out the square north of Lotfollah Mosque, turn left, left again, and up the
stairs.
Khorshid (Map p234; x624 7536; Khorshid St , Jolfa;
meals IR40,000; h 6.30-11.30pm) This modern
Iranian place appeals to upwardly mobile
young Esfahanis with its relaxed atmosphere and reasonably priced Iranian food.
oKhangostar Restaurant (Map p234; x 627
8989; Hakim Nezami St , Jolfa; meals IR60,000; hnoon-
lonelyplanet.com
3.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm) Located in Julfa Hotel,
Khangostar Restaurant offers probably the

best food in Esfahan locals, our own experience and overwhelmingly positive reader
feedback can attest to this. Servings are
enormous here, (even by Iranian standards!)
and the menu large and varied, but mainly
Iranian. Its busy rather than romantic, and
the salad and dessert bars might seem a bit
Sizzler, but hey, you wont complain when
you get there.
Bastani Restaurant (Map p238; x220 0374;
Imam Sq; meals IR45,000-80,000; h 11.30am-4.30pm
& 6.30-10.30pm) In the shadow of the Imam
Mosque, the Bastani is the best-located restaurant in Esfahan. That, however, is where
the compliments end. In recent years the
quality of the food has been less consistent. Which is a pity, as the menu is full of
interesting-sounding dishes. If you do eat
here, the billing can be confusing so check
it carefully. Its a pity, as the menu is full of
interesting-sounding dishes and it used to
be good. Hopefully it will pick up.
Restaurant Shahrzad (Map p234; x220 4490;
Abbas Abad St; meals IR50,000-70,000; h 11.30am10.30pm) The opulent Qajar-style wall-paint-
ings, stained-glass windows and mirror

work contribute to the Shahrzads reputation as the best restaurant in Esfahan. And
on a good night, its excellent strip lights
notwithstanding. Too often, however, its
packed with tour groups and the service
(and food) feels factory produced.
Restoran-e Khayyam (Map p234; Nazar St, Jolfa;
meals IR25,000) Cheap, popular, very local and
justifiably busy little kabab, rice and bread
place.
QUICK EATS
The lower end of Chahar Bagh Abbasi St

has the greatest concentration of Iranian
fast food joints, selling pizza, sandwiches,
burgers, ice cream and, occasionally, real
kababs. The roads leading into Imam Sq
also have a few options, but not the square
itself. The small but growing caf scene is
best in the streets around Vank Cathedral,
where several atmospheric little places
compete for business.
For genuinely Iranian fast food, try the
following places.
Kalleh Pache (Map p234; Bazar-e Bozorg; h7am5pm) If you take the when in Rome philosophy seriously, or just like the taste of
sheep brains, then this tiny shop is for you.

Turn east off Hakim St where the bazaar
roof crosses the street, and look for the men
about 20m along.
Azam Beryani (Map p234; Chahar Bagh Abbasi St;
biryani IR18,000; h9am-4pm Sat-Thu) Biryani is an
Esfahani speciality and this modest little
place is a favourite of Esfahanis. Join the
queue.
Fereni Hafez (Map p234; Hafez St; h8am-midnight)
For an Iranian breakfast experience (at any
time of day) head for where you can enjoy
a delicious bowl (or two) of fereni (made of
rice flour, milk, sugar and rose-water) for
IR2000; look for the red sign.
TEAHOUSES & CAFS
Sitting in an Esfahani chaykhaneh (teahouse), sipping tea through sugar and

puffing on a qalyan, is a quintessentially
Iranian experience. The Qeysarieh Tea
Shop is probably the highlight, and stopping for tea as you wander along the river
is something Esfahanis have been doing
for centuries (see the boxed text, p243).
The bazaar is also a good place to discover
tiny local places where grizzled but welcoming old fellas puff away on the qalyan
with nary a care for modern antismoking
legislation.
Abbasi Hotel Teahouse (Map p234; Shahid Medani
St; h4-11pm) The setting at the back of the
hotels courtyard is a delight, and while you
might need to start singing to get a waiters
attention its worth the effort after 6pm,
when you can tuck into the famous ash-e
reshte (noodle soup with beans and vegetables; IR9000).
o Si-o-Seh Bridge (Map p234 Enqelab-e
Eslami Sq; h8am-11pm) This teahouse at the
north end of Si-o-Seh Bridge is an Esfahani institution (and its not touristy) and
the last of the bridge chaykhanehs; see the
boxed text, p243). The teahouse is typically male dominated, but foreign women
do get honorary male treatment and it is
invariably a boisterous atmosphere, especially under the pylons.
oQeysarieh Tea Shop (Map p238; Imam Sq;
h8.30am-11pm) Sitting at the outdoor tables,
sipping tea (IR5000 per person) and puffing qalyan (IR10,000), is the perfect way to
soak up this beautiful half of the world,
especially when the colours and moods of
the square change in the late afternoon. And
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
.abbasihotel.com; Shahid Medani St; s/d from US$110/165;

pais) In the remains of a 17th-
despite its position, the Qeysarieh Tea Shop

is often pretty quiet. The tea shop is up a
steep staircase to the left of the Qeysarieh
Portal.
Azadegan Teahouse (Chaykhaneh-ye Azadegan; Map
p238; x221 1225; off Imam Sq; h7am-midnight) In a
lane off the northeastern corner of Imam
Sq, this is the classic old-style teahouse,
with an astonishing collection of teahousejunk hanging from the walls and ceiling and
grumpy men lined up opposite each other
sipping tea and smokingahm, hang on
Its just sipping and eating before 6pm; the
qalyans come out after that.
Bame Sahel Teahouse (Map p234; Chahar Bagh Abbasi St; h7.30am-midnight) On the top of Sahel
Hotel, Bame Sahel is a bit rough around
the edges and very local, and all the better
for it. Escape the traffic for tea, or enjoy a
good dizi dinner (IR27,000). Theres also a
breakfast buffet (IR20,000).
Teria Ani (Map p234; Vank Kalisa Alley, near Vank Cathedral; h9am-midnight) This is allegedly the
oldest caf in Esfahan and with its dim interior, regular clientele and oddball characters, it feels like an inner-city dive bar.
Shopping
Esfahan has probably the widest selection of
handicrafts in Iran. The best buys are carpets, hand-painted miniatures on camel bone
(many of the artists run the stores themselves
and are happy to give demonstrations), intricate metalwork and lacquerware. Prices can
be higher than elsewhere but theres more
choice and its certainly more pleasurable
to shop here than in Tehran. For gold, head
directly to Bazar-e Honar (Map p234; Chahar Bagh
Abbasi St; h8.30am-1pm & 4-9pm Sat-Thu).
The Bazar-e Bozorg (Map p234) and the
arcades around Imam Sq (Map p238) are
literally full of shops. You will find postcards and junk souvenirs for sale in one
store, and expensive works of art in the next.
Stores vary by price, quality and honesty,
with competition among the carpet dealers
particularly fierce (and sometimes nasty), so
dont pay too much attention to what one
shop owner says about his competitor. For
more information, see p64.
Some places do employ high-pressure
sales tactics, but most are friendly and willing to chat over a chay without twisting your
arm too much. It can actually be quite enjoyable as long as you remember that you
lonelyplanet.com
dont have to buy anything. Nevertheless,

whatever youre shopping for, check prices
in several stores and bargain hard (see What
A Bargain, p392).
A few Imam Sq shops recommended by
readers:
Aladdin Carpets (Map p238; x221 1461; aladdin
lonelyplanet.com
Destination
Fare
Duration
Bandar Abbas
IR45,000/
75,000
IR30,000/
55,000
IR38,500
14-16hr
frequent
13-16hr
4-7pm (Soffeh)
8hr
Kermanshah
IR12,000/
21,000
IR60,000
9hr
Khorramabad
IR40,000
8hr
Mashhad
Orumiyeh
IR95,000
IR95,000
17-19hr
18-20hr
Sanandaj
Shiraz
IR36,000
IR20,000/
38,000
IR70,000
IR26,500/
50,000
IR12,500/
30,000
9hr
8hr
Bushehr
Hamadan
[email protected]; Imam Sq) Small shop, interesting

range of carpets, experienced salesmen, underwhelming
nomad tours.
Fallahi Miniatures Shahid Medani St (Map p234;
x222 4613); Saadi St (Map p238; x222 6733; off
Imam Sq) Charming and internationally renowned Hossein
Fallahis works are excellent.
Nomad Carpet Shop (Map p238; x221 9275; nomad
[email protected]; Imam Sq) Almost-comatose approach to
selling, mainly tribal range of carpets and kilims.
Kashan
Tabriz
Tehran
AIR
The Iran Air office (Map p234; x222 8200; www

.iranair.com; Shahid Medani St) is in the shopping
complex opposite the Abbasi Hotel. See the
following table of domestic services; Iran
Air also flies twice a week to Dubai and
three times to Kuwait City. Kish Air flies
to Kish and Dubai.
Destination
Fare
Ahvaz
Bandar Abbas
Bushehr
Mashhad
Shiraz
Tehran
Zahedan
IR245,000
IR454,000
IR283,000
IR476,000
IR246,000
IR245,000
IR512,000
Frequency
5 per week
2 per week
Wed only, via Shiraz
4 per week, via Shiraz
6 per week
several daily
Fri only, via Kerman
BUS
Esfahan has two main bus terminals: Kaveh

terminal (Map p233) in the north is the
busiest and is the terminal youre most
likely to use; while Soffeh terminal (Map
p233) is in the south. Except at the busiest
times its easiest to just get your tickets at
the terminal before you depart. Alternatively, accommodation such as the Amir
Kabir Hostel (p246) and the Negareh Internet Caf (p235) can book tickets for a
small commission.
See the following table for routes from
Kaveh; fares are for mahmooly/Volvo buses,
or just Volvo. As there are no bus offices in
town, its a good idea to ask about departure times of buses when you first arrive
in Esfahan.
Yazd
Zahedan
IR90,000
Departures
7.30am-10am
& 9-10pm
2-3hr very frequent
evenings
Pars Peyma
7-10am &
7-10pm
1-8pm
evenings
Iran Peyma
evenings
frequent
17hr
5-7hr
2-5pm
very frequent
4-5hr
1-2pm Kaveh,
or Jey minibus
terminal
infrequent,
book ahead
16-19hr
For the Kaveh terminal, take a shuttle taxi

north along Chahar Bagh St for IR2500; to
get to Soffeh, take one from just south of the
Si-o-Seh Bridge (IR3000). A private taxi to
either terminal will cost between IR10,000
and IR30,000 depending on your bargaining
prowess. The Esfahan Metro will (one day)
link the two terminals via Chahar Bagh St.
MINIBUS & TAXI
For destinations around Esfahan there

are two minibus terminals. The Zayandeh
Rud terminal (Map p233) has services to
Shahr-e Kord (IR5000, two hours, 107km),
with departures every hour or so. To get to
Zayandeh Rud terminal, take a shuttle taxi
west from just south of the Si-o-Seh Bridge
(IR3000).
From the Jey minibus terminal (Map p233),
there are at least five departures each day to
Yazd (IR10,000, six hours, 316km). Minibuses
also go to Nain (IR5000, three to four hours,
138km) and Ardestan (IR6000, 132km). To
get to the Jey minibus terminal, take a shuttle
taxi from Takhti Junction (IR1500).
Savaris leave from outside the terminals
far more frequently than minibuses but for
about three times the price, such as the service to Shahr-e Kord (IR15,000, 80 minutes).
TRAIN
There is a daily train between Esfahan and

Tehran (six-berth IR35,15, 7 hours) that
leaves at 11.30pm and stops at Kashan.
Trains also run to Mashhad (Ghazal/sixberth IR199,000/92,850, 18 hours, 5.50pm
daily) and Bandar Abbas (six-berth/six-seat
IR66,100/41,700, 2.25pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday). The new line to Shiraz will
open in 2010 at the earliest.
The Raja Trains ticket office (Map p234; x222
4425; Enqelab-e Eslami Sq; h8am-4pm Sat-Thu) is on
the northeast side of the square. Alternatively, Iran Travel & Tourism Tour (Map p234;
x222 3010; [email protected]; Shahid Medani
St) has a dedicated train ticket desk.
The train station (off Map p233; x668 8001) is
way out to the east of the city. To get here,

catch a bus from outside Kowsar International Hotel; ask for the istgah-e ghatah and
youll be put on the right bus. Be at the bus
stop well over an hour before your train is
due to depart. A private taxi (IR45,000) can
cost almost as much as the train ticket to Tehran. Alternatively, take a shuttle taxi south
from the south end of Si-o-Seh Bridge.
Getting Around
Esfahani taxi drivers have a bad reputation,
but in reality theyre not much worse than
taxi drivers anywhere else in the universe
if they see someone fresh off the plane, train
or automobile, theyll try to take you. The
cartel at Kaveh terminal will ask IR30,000
for a trip to a central hotel, but you should
laugh at this and offer IR10,000. If youre
lucky, you might get it for IR15,000. Either
way, settle the price before getting in. Alternatively, take a shuttle taxi or bus traffic
passing on the terminal side of the road
is heading south into town. Getting from
town to Kaveh is cheaper.
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
The airport (off Map p233) is about 25km

northeast of town and there is no airport
bus service. To get there, take any bus heading east along Jamal-od-Din Abdolrazagh
St from Takhti Junction. Get off the bus at
Ahmad Abad Sq where the small Sorush bus
terminal (Map p233) has buses to the airport.
From the airport, ask around for any shuttle
taxis heading into the city, from where you
might need to get another to your hotel. A
private taxi will cost about IR50,000.
CENTRAL IRAN
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252 C E N T R A L I R A N E s f a h a n t o S h i r a z v i a t h e Z a g r o s M o u n t a i n s
BUS & MINIBUS
Buses and minibuses leave the local bus

terminal, near Chehel Sotun Palace, every
few minutes. Just ask and keep asking
for one heading your way. Elsewhere in town
ask at a bus stop and you will soon be pointed
to the correct conveyance. Rides cost IR200 to
IR500 and you buy books of tickets at booths
along the routes. One very handy bus links
the Kaveh and Soffeh bus terminals (IR500).
Depending on the distance and your negotiating skills a fare in a private taxi
around inner Esfahan costs anything from
IR6000 to IR15,000. Luckily there are so
many taxis that its easy to negotiate by
threatening to find another one. Avoid the
taxi drivers hanging around Imam Sq as
they can spot tourists a mile off. To hire
a private taxi for an hour costs between
IR20,000 and IR40,000, and can be a good
way to see the Ateshkadeh-ye Esfahan and
Manar Jomban.
The long Chahar Bagh St is the citys main
thoroughfare, and every couple of seconds a
shuttle taxi goes mostaghim (straight ahead)
for about IR1000 per kilometre or so. To
outlying destinations such as the transport
terminals, look for taxis heading in the right
direction from the following places: Takhti
Junction, Laleh, Qods and Ahmad Abad
Sqs (for anywhere to the east); Imam Hossein and Shohada Sqs (for the north); and
the southern end of Si-o-Seh Bridge and
Azadi Sq (for the south and west); or just
ask anywhere.
ESFAHAN TO SHIRAZ VIA

THE ZAGROS MOUNTAINS
If the idea of a direct bus or flight between
Esfahan and Shiraz sounds like a missed
opportunity, then consider an alternative
jaunt through the Zagros Mountains, where
the sharp folds of barren ridge and flowing
valley stretch like a giant crocodiles back
for 1500km from the Turkish border in
northwestern Iran southeast to the Persian
Gulf coast. The population is made up of
Persian, Lori, Kurdish and a vast number of
nomads, primarily Bakhtiari and Qashqai.
As a travelling experience, this trip definitely qualifies as off the beaten track. Few
people speak English, transport can be infrequent and accommodation basic. Sum-
mers are pleasantly mild but during winter

snows often block roads. But tourists are
rare, welcomes are warm and the scenery
absolutely breathtaking.
Shahr-e Kord
x0381 / pop 137,000 / elev 2061m
The first leg is from Esfahan to Shahr-e Kord

(see p251 for transport details). Nestled between two mountain ranges, the sleepy capital of Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiyari province
is a staging post rather than a destination.
The main sights are the Atabakan Mosque and
the Imamzadeh Khatoon, near the bazaar, but
even the provinces own literature doesnt
mention them.
For lodgings, the super basic Hotel Mohammad (x0912 455 3306; Valiasr St; tw IR60,000),
unmarked in English opposite the Imamzadeh, is not the sort of place youll stay
more than one night. Better but overpriced
is the government-run Shahr-e Kord Inn (Hotel
Jahangardi; x222 1077; Dr Shariati St, north of Basij Sq;
r US$40; pa); while the best available is
the Shahr-e Kord Azadi Hotel (x333 0020; r/ste
US$49/64; pa), a taxi-ride up the hill at
the edge of town. The Ferdosi Soffrekhaneh

(x225 4355; Ferdosi Sq; h8am-10pm), just west of
the bazaar, is one of the most atmospheric,

original teahouses in Iran, and serves cheap
dizi and kababs with its chay and qalyan; its
highly recommended.
Transport radiates out from the Terminal-e
Azadi, southwest of the Imamzadeh. One
minibus departs for Chelgerd (IR6000; two
hours) at 8am, returning after lunch. In the
late afternoon buses head south to Shiraz
(mahmooly/Volvo IR22,000/35,000), but its
much easier to take a savari towards Yasuj
(IR50,000) and get out wherever takes your
fancy.
Chelgerd
Chelgerd is the home of skiing in this part

of the Zagros range and is also the ideal base
for climbing some of the many surrounding
peaks of just less than 4000m. The Kuhrang
Ski Resort has a single 800m-long T-bar running up a slope near the Kuhrang Tunnel;
the snow is skiable between late December
and early March, and youll often have it to
yourself on weekdays. There are a couple of
cheaper places, but the Hotel Kuhrang (x0832762 2301; [email protected]; r US$50) is the
place to stay because the English-speaking
lonelyplanet.com
C E N T R A L I R A N I n t o t h e D e s e r t 253
and statesman-like manager Mr Raisi is

an absolute mine of information about the
whole region. Alternatively, the guys in the
Esfahan office of the Mountaineering Federation (Map p234; Shams Abadi St) have climbed most
of these peaks and have photo albums to
prove it; they can arrange guides, insurance,
equipment, transport and permissions. As
little English is spoken, they are usually
contacted through the Ziaee brothers from
Amir Kabir Hostel (p246).
Farsan to Yasuj
There is no tourist infrastructure whatsoever between Farsan and Yasuj, but the road
is one of the most spectacular in the country. Winding through villages and gorges
and steep-sided valleys hosting fast-flowing
rivers, you wont soon forget the trip. The
first two hours is most interesting.
Sepidan
pop 15,000
Sepidan is a sort of alpine resort village

with rental accommodation and a handy
information office on the main road. Its
the jumping-off point for Poolad Kaf, a
ski slope about 15km uphill from Sepidan.
There are four lifts, one being 2100m long
and climbing to 3400m. There is no regular transport to Poolad Kaf from Sepidan,
but stand around the information office
and youll soon have a ride. From Yasuj,
savaris (IR15,000), buses and minibuses
(IR5000) run frequently to Sepidan and on
to Shiraz.
Activities such as horse riding, crosscountry skiing, trekking and rock climbing
can also be arranged; Mr Raeesi from Iran
Sightseeing (x0711-235 5939, 0917 313 2926; www
.iransightseeing.com) has had good reports.
There are, of course, several other routes
through the Zagros and we dont have space
to cover them all. To read about a 2006
bicycle trip from Hamedan to Esfahan, see
www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Iran/Es
fahan/blog-76174.html.
INTO THE DESERT

A great silence overcomes me, and
I wonder why I ever thought to use
language.
Great Persian poet Rumi may never have
been to these towns, but this oft-repeated
line could have been written specifically for
them. Dasht-e Kavir, the northern of the

two deserts that lay themselves across Iran
like slowly dehydrating camels, is a mix of
sand and salt that is as blinding in its whiteness as the desert is deafening in its total,
unimaginable silence. Within these desolate
environs exist oases, and among these oases
are some sweet spring villages.
Toudeshk
x0312
Most people take a bus or savari straight

through to Nain, but its well worth stopping in on Mohammad Jalali and the villagers at Toudeshk, 95km or one days
cycling from Esfahan. This classic desert
village of mud-brick buildings, badgirs and
hospitable locals has been hosting cyclists
for years. And now Mohammad and co
are eager to welcome others so they too
can experience the real Iran and dispel the
stereotypes.
English-speaking Mohammad works
for a cultural heritage NGO called Miras-e
Yarane Jadeye Abrisham (Heritage of Silk
Road Followers). Its hard to summarise exactly what they do, but visitors to Toudeshk
will live desert life as its been lived for centuries. That includes a guided walk through
the ancient town, chay, eating a local meal,
chay, bathing hammam-style and sleeping
desert-style, chay, and if youve got more
time, visiting the Gavkhuni Wetland 70km
away. Oh, and that traditional desert activity free internet. All this for US$8 a
night. Sounds good? Contact Mohammad
Jalali (x0312-637 2586, 0913 365 4420; silkroadngo@
yahoo.com) for details.
If youre not pedalling, take any bus,
minibus or savari from Esfahan or Nain,
and ask to get off at Toudeshk.
Nain
x0323 / pop 26,300 / elev 1557m
Slumbering Nain is an important transit point at the geographical centre of Iran

and the start of the desert road to Tabas
and Mashhad. The ancient town has long
been famous for its carpets and 10thcentury Jameh Mosque. This mosque has no
iwan and is especially notable for its fine mihrab and innovative yet simple use of stucco
decoration, which is remarkably well preserved. Watch out also for the restored traditional houses dotted around town. For local
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
TAXI
lonelyplanet.com
lonelyplanet.com
knowledge, seek out enthusiastic computer

shop ownercumfreelance guide Mahmood
Mohammadipour (x225 7930; greenmemoryna@yahoo
.com), who will happily show you around.
There are two sleeping options. Budgeteers should try good-value Mosaferkhaneh
Gholami (x225 2441, 0913 223 4667; r IR70,000),
about 300m east of Imam Sq towards the
Imamzadeh; theres no English sign but its
a three-storey place above a bakery. Alternatively, the government-run excellent Nain
Tourist Inn (Jahangardi Inn; x225 3088; fax 225 3665;
Shahid Rajaie St; r US$40; pa) has stylish splitlevel apartment-style rooms, 150m southwest of Imam Sq.
Food and internet cafs are concentrated
on or near Imam Sq, including Keliza Pizza
(Imam Sq; h 11.30am-10pm) and Teria Torang
Coffee Shop (Imam Sq; h10am-8pm Sat-Thu).
Regular buses run from Esfahan (IR5000,
138km, two hours), Kashan (2 to three
hours) and Yazd (1 to two hours) to Nain.
There is also a direct minibus from Esfahans
Jey minibus terminal (IR7000, three to 3
hours). Buses usually stop at the roundabout
a few hundred metres from Imamzadeh Soltan Said Ali. For Garmeh, wait here at about
4pm for buses en route to Mashhad, which
stop at Khur (IR20,000, four hours).
Garmeh
x0324 / pop about 260 people &

two camels / elev 857m
The tiny oasis village of Garmeh is everything youd imagine an oasis village to be.
More than 25 varieties of date palm spread
out from a small spring, and where the
palms finish the 1600-year-old mud-brick
village begins. In the midst of this village is
Ateshoni (x443 2156, 0913 223 0874; www.ateshooni
.com; per person IR220,000), where Tehrani artist
Maziar Ale Davoud and his family have
renovated their 265-year-old home into an
oasis of the soul in this oasis in the desert.
Rates include all the food (such as wonderful dates, pomegranates and the to-die-for
cooking of Hadi and Sarra) you can eat.
Part of the beauty of Garmeh is its total,
overwhelming silence. When youre not
chilling out in the quiet, for a few extra dollars you can hike to hot-water springs, take
a desert mountain walk, visit the salt deserts
or go camel riding. Accommodation is in
the traditional style, with basic mattresses
unfolded on the floor of your room.
Ateshonis popularity means you should

book ahead, especially for weekends. You
can stay at any time of year, but during
summer it gets ridiculously hot.
Getting to Garmeh is not easy. From Esfahan take the 1pm bus to Khur, 38km to
the north of Garmeh on the Nain to Tabas
road. Or meet the bus in Nain at about
4pm. From Tehran, buses come direct from
Terminal-e Jonub to Khur (14 hours) on
Sunday and Wednesday. On other days, the
bus to Birjand stops in Khur.
From Tehran, five or six buses (Taavonis 8
and 10) depart every day Terminal-e Jonub
for Birjand between 2.30pm and 5pm. All
of them stop at Khur about 10 hours later;
call Ateshoni to arrange to be met in Khur.
From Esfahan, a bus leaves daily at 1pm
for Khur, or you could get on any bus to
Mashhad (though these usually leave later
so arrive at inconvenient times).
A bus leaves Yazd for Khur at 7am Saturday and Monday, and 3pm on Thursday. On other days, take any bus to Nain
and connect with the bus from Esfahan at
the big roundabout just outside town (the
driver will drop you at the right place).
Khur is pretty quiet, but even at 9.30pm
you will probably be able to find someone
to drive you out to Garmeh. Just say Maziar. Expect to pay about IR30,000 for the
trip. If you call ahead, Ateshoni will arrange
for someone to collect you.
Leaving Garmeh, youll first need to get
a lift to Khur. From there, a daily bus to
Nain and Esfahan at 1pm; link to Yazd
from Nain. There are also buses direct to
Yazd via the desert route on Sunday and
Wednesday at 7am, and Friday at 3pm.
These stop at Kharanaq, if you want to stay
there ask Hadi for all the details.
Tabas
x0353 / pop 35,000 / elev 678m
Once known as the jewel of the desert, the

oasis town of Tabas is the largest in Irans
two vast deserts and, as such, is an important
hub. Tabass palm-lined roads and public
gardens in vividly painted colours are in
stark contrast to the surrounding sands. But
most of the evocative architecture that made
the town famous was flattened by a massive
earthquake in 1978 that killed 26,000.
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C E N T R A L I R A N Ya z d 255
Today the highlight is the Bagh-e Golshan

(Imam Khomeini Sq), with water surging through
its lush variety of tropical plants, though

the small cages of local fauna will appeal
mainly to people who dont like animals.
The garden is well signed. The ruined 11thcentury citadel, the Arg-e Tabas, is also worth
a look.
Hotel Bahman (x422 5951; tw/apt IR150,000/
300,000; pa), on the street leading east
from the enormous new Imamzadeh Hossein Nebn Musa (at the northern entrance
to town), has ancient, overpriced and unpleasant rooms.
Imam Khomeini Sq is home to the Restaurant Khatam (h7am-midnight), which serves
tasty food in large portions and offers the
only (uberbasic) budget rooms in town (for
about IR60,000).
Tabas is not exactly a bus hub. Most services are going to or from Mashhad, including to Yazd (IR38,000, eight hours, 419km)
at about 11.30pm; Mashhad (IR45,000,
10 hours, 521km) via Ferdows (IR8000 to
IR15,000, three hours); Esfahan (IR60,000,
nine to 10 hours, several from 8pm to midnight). Try to check departures ahead of
time at the traffic circlecumbus terminal beside the Imamzadeh Hossein Nebn
Musa. Savaris run to Ferdows (IR40,000,
two hours) and Khur (IR40,000, two hours),
also from near the terminal.
Baghestan-e Olia
x0534 / pop not many / elev 1594m
Two hours drive east of Tabas is Ferdows, a

largish town at the edge of the desert flanked
to the north and east by rocky mountains.
Ferdows is of little interest really, but in the
garden village of Baghestan-e Olia 15km
north, architect Noushin Ghiassi has built
two modern homes and has opened them
to visitors.
The experience is totally different to
Garmeh or Toudeshk. Rather than mudbricks, the richly decorated contemporarystyle Moonlight House (x223 3096, 0912 314 5200;
in Tehran [email protected]; per person incl food 45)
feels sophisticated but homely. Noushin

speaks Italian and English.
The surrounding hills are home to steepsided valleys, fast-flowing streams and orchards of pomegranate, walnut and almond
that are spectacularly green between about

April and July, when the valleys are filled
with the smell of exotic herbs. Noushin can
arrange reasonably priced half- and full-day
walks with a guide or just a map, and trips
to villages such as tiny Koreshk (see the
boxed text, p256). Advance bookings are
essential as Noushin is not always there.
Moonlight House and a neighbours home
sleep a maximum of 15 people, in beds
and on carpets, and the food is absolutely
delicious.
From Mashhad, buses (IR25,000, four
hours) pass between about 6pm and 10pm
en route to Esfahan and Yazd. Ask to be
dropped at the police check point in Baghestan; taxis opposite here will take you the
last 5km. From points west, buses en route
to Mashhad pass late at night. A savari from
Tabas to Ferdows (IR40,000, two hours) is
easier, then take a taxi. Alternatively, Iran
Air flies daily between Tehran and Birjand,
from where a taxi service costs about
IR170,000 Noushin can arrange it.
YAZD
x0351 / pop 533,000 / elev 1213m
With its winding lanes, forest of badgirs,

mud-brick old town and charismatic accommodation, Yazd is one of the highlights of any trip to Iran. Wedged between
the northern Dasht-e Kavir and southern
Dasht-e Lut, it doesnt have the big-ticket
sights of Esfahan or Persepolis, but as a
whole, and in the context of its relationship
with the desert, it is at least as enchanting.
It is a place to wander and get lost in the
maze of historic streets and lanes (and your
imagination), before returning to a hotel
that is itself a piece of Yazds history. Its
also an ideal base for day trips to several
evocative villages and towns.
Yazd has been known for its silks and
other fabrics since before Marco Polo passed
through. And while weaving remains an
important industry, it is tourism on a far
grander scale than Polo would have imagined that has been booming since the traditional hotels began opening. While nothing
like Qom, Yazd is a fairly conservative town,
especially in the older parts. It is also home
to Irans largest population of Zoroastrians
(see the boxed text, p261). Yazd can be quite
cold in winter and is boiling hot in summer,
but not humid.
CENTRAL IRAN
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254 C E N T R A L I R A N I n t o t h e D e s e r t
256 C E N T R A L I R A N Ya z d
lonelyplanet.com
VOICES OF IRAN: ZOHREH ZAMBE
Koreshk is a very small village and there are only about 50 people living
here, in 20 families. I am the youngest in my family and I have three sisters
and two brothers for some reason there are always more girls than boys in
this village. Were in the mountains and most people farm for fruit, walnuts
and almonds. Everyone works here and we daughters help all the time. Last
night we were up at 2am to change the water channels.
We also grow roses and sell the petals to be used in rose water and in medicines, though
I dont know which ones. Oh, and carpet weaving! Its hard work! And we dont like it, but its
important. All the girls who make carpet have to get eye glasses when theyre young because
they are always looking so hard! Everyone in the village is related somehow and we all work
together. When we dont have enough bread we ask the neighbours, and when they dont have
enough, they ask us. Thats how it works here.
I like the village, but it gets very cold and icy here in winter. Definitely, in winter the city is
better. My brother lives in Tehran and I like to visit him. When Im there I am with my brother
all the time so I dont see so much traffic, but we do visit Qom.
There are no jobs here so most of the young people leave for the city, either to Gonabad or
Tehran. Id like to go but the parents wont allow me to leave until I get married. My mother was
married when she was 13! And she had her first baby when she was 14! My father is seven years
older. But I dont want that. I want to be 20 or 25 when I get married, and my husband should
be not more than four years older. But then, it is hard to find a husband here
History
Yazd is said to be the oldest living city on
Earth. This might be a difficult claim to verify, but it is widely believed the site has been
continually inhabited for about 7000 years.
Its position on important trading routes and
a tendency towards diplomacy go some way
to explaining Yazds longevity. The fact that
commercial prosperity never really translated
into real political power is probably another
reason. When Marco Polo passed this way
in the 13th century, he described Yazd as
a very fine and splendid city and a centre
of commerce. It was spared destruction by
Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, and flourished in the 14th and 15th centuries, with
silk, textile and carpet production the main
home-grown industry. Like most of Iran,
Yazd fell into decline when the Safavids
were defeated and remained little more
than a provincial outpost until the last shah
extended the railway line to Yazd.
Orientation
Yazd is laid out on a very loose northeast
southwest grid, the centre of which is Beheshti Sq. Within this grid, however, lies the
mud-brick old city, a warren of kuches (lanes)

and covered walkways and bazaars. Expect to
get lost when walking around the old city
when you want to get out, just ask for directions or orient yourself by climbing until you
can see the minarets of the Jameh Mosque.
Most of the hotels listed are in the old
city and its easy enough to explore the
town on foot. Imam Khomeini St is the
main street, running northeast from Beheshti Sq. Its crossed by Qeyam St, from
where the bazaar fans out.
The airport is on the western fringe of the
city while the train station and bus terminal
are about 2.5km southwest of Beheshti Sq.
Information
EMERGENCY
Dr Mogibiyan Hospital (x624 0061; Kashani St) For

urgent problems.
Police headquarters (x110; Azadi Sq)

Tourist police (x621 4444; h24hr) Opposite the
Heidarzadeh Coin Museum.
INTERNET ACCESS
Both of the following places can burn photos

to either CD or DVD.
Friendly Internet (Masjed-e Jameh St; per hr IR8000;

h9am-1pm & 5-10pm) Is everything alright? Eager
to please.
Issatis.net (x623 1425; www.issatis.net; Kashani St;
per hr IR6000; h9am-1.30pm & 5-9.30pm Thu) Not so
convenient, but the services here include international
calls, writing DVDs and the sale of pre-paid internet access
and international phonecards.
MEDICAL SERVICES
Chamran 24-hour Pharmacy (x626 6900; Farrokhi St)

MONEY
Banks in Yazd take a commission of about

US$2 on exchanges.
Bank Melli Central Branch (Shohada Crossroads)
Exchange is upstairs.
Bank Tejarat (Qeyam St) Also upstairs.
Yazd Exchange (x624 7220; www.yazdexchange.com;
Kashani St; h8am-10pm) Opposite the Ateshkadeh,
these guys have a good reputation for the best rates; call
them and theyll deliver the cash to your hotel. Also has an
office at the airport and can safely store luggage.
overnight, more for groups comprised of

fewer than five people) and desert walks
(one day and one night about US$20 per
person). Old city tours are also popular. Silk
Road Travel (p258) also runs these tours.
Hossain Bagharian (x0913 352 0370) Hossain
has been guiding for years and is a straight-shooter. He
could talk under wet cement, so rest assured hell tell you
everything he knowsand a bit more.
Massoud Jaladat (x0913 352 4752; fravahar_m@
yahoo.com) Massoud is the energy behind Fravihar
Ecotours, a fledgling group of Yazdis running mainly desert
tours. There are all sorts of reasonably priced options,
mainly involving desert trekking; email or call for options
and ask about the desert guide.
Mohsen Hajisaeed (x0913 351 4460; yazdguide@
yahoo.com) Young, highly organised Mohsen speaks
excellent English, leads tours in Yazd, Kerman, Fars and
Esfahan provinces (including Bavanat), and can arrange
hotel discounts.
Keykhosro Lorian (x0913 353 3343; mrlorian_
[email protected]) Mr Lorian is an English-speaking
Zoroastrian driver who has excellent access to the Zoroastrian community.
POST
Main post office (Ghasem Abad St; h7.30am-2pm)
TRAVEL AGENCIES
Its out of town but youll have to come here if youre looking to turn your rug into a flying carpet.
Post office (Imam Khomeini St) Near Bank Melli.
The following are good for plane and train

tickets.
TELEPHONE
THE BADGIRS OF YAZD
Far Away International Telephone (Imam Khomeini
Any summer visitor to Yazd will understand

immediately why the citys roofscape is a
forest of badgirs (windtowers or wind catchers). These ancient systems of natural airconditioning are designed to catch even the
lightest breeze and direct it to the rooms
below. To appreciate the effect, just stand
beneath one.
Badgirs range from standard two-sided
versions to elaborate six-sided models and
all but the simplest consist of at least four
parts: the body or trunk that contains the
shafts; air shelves that are used to catch
some of the hot air and stop it entering
the house; flaps to redirect the circulation
of the wind; and the roof covering. The currents that enter the house often do so above
a pool of cool water, thereby cooling the
air, while the warm air continues its circular path, redirected upwards and out of the
house through a different shaft. Genius! And
while not quite as cold as modern air-con,
the badgir is a whole lot healthier.
St; calls per min IR2500; h9am-1pm & 4-10pm)

Main telephone office (Motahhari St)
Shohada Telephone Office (Amir Chakhmaq Sq;
h8am-10pm Sat-Thu, 8am-2pm & 5-10pm Fri)
TOURIST INFORMATION
Tourist information office (x621 6542-5; info@

caravansalar.ir; Ziaee Sq; h9am-6pm, to 8pm summer)
A few maps and brochures, but mainly about selling tours.
There should usually be an English-speaker there.
TOURS
Most hotels can arrange tours but using an

independent guide can be more rewarding.
The following can lead tours to almost anywhere in Yazd province, and further, and
have been recommended. The most common tour is the KharanaqChak Chak
Meybod loop (about US$40 for three or less
people, US$55 with breakfast and lunch),
which is impossible on public transport.
Other options include camel tours (about
US$25 per person for a half-day, US$75
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
Age: 15
Lives in: Koreshk, South Khorasan Province,
at the edge of the Dasht-e Kavir
lonelyplanet.com
lonelyplanet.com
Saadat Seyr Travel & Tour Agency (x626 6599;
VISA EXTENSIONS
[email protected]; 21/1 Imamzadeh-ye Jafar St;

h7.30am-8pm Sat-Thu, 9am-noon Fri)
Silk Road Travel (x626 7783; www.silkroadhotel
.ir; 6th Alley, off Masjed-e Jameh St) Located in the Orient
Hotel; has day trips and longer that are aimed at independent travellers. Reasonable value and
well organised.
When the Tourist Police (x621 4444; Heidarzadeh

Coin Museum; h24hr) heard we were in town
they came to tell us that extending visas in
Yazd was easy, and promised that if tourists
have any problems, just call us and well
solve it. Promises, promises. In fact, getting
your visa extended here can take as long as
0
0
YAZD
A
32
To Meybod (57km); Ardakan (60km);
Chak Chak (72km); Kharanaq (85km)
Esfahan (310km); Kashan (414km);
Qom (517km); Tehran (642km)
22
m
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Jadde-ye
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34
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Fa
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Da
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28
Bl
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Imam
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49
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41
39
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42
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St
Sa
50
Sh
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Enqelab-e
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31
Ba
10
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51
Ha
iS
ja'
Ra
ey
am
37 St
46
Shohada
Crossroads
6
36 5
Im
ye amz
Ja ad
'fa eh
rS t
id
ah
hm
Ba
33
11
40
Daneshju Blvd
To Kerman
To Abuzar
Sq (600m);
Zoroastrian
Cemetery (4.5km);
Zein-o-din (57km);
Kerman (386km)
With its badgirs poking out of a bakedbrown labyrinth of lanes, the old city of Yazd
emerges like a phoenix from the desert a
very old phoenix. Yazds old city is one of
the oldest towns on earth, according to
Unesco, and is the perfect place to get a
feel for the regions rich history. Just about
everything in the old city is made from
sun-dried mud bricks, and the resulting
brown skyline is dominated by tall badgirs
on almost every rooftop (see the boxed text
The Badgirs of Yazd, p257). The residential
quarters appear almost deserted because
of the high walls, which shield the houses
INFORMATION
Bank Melli (Central Branch)........1 C2
Bank Tejarat................................2 C2
Chamran 24-hour Pharmacy....... 3 C3
Dr Mogibiyan Hospital............... 4 D4
Far Away International Telephone..5 C2
Friendly Internet.........................6 C2
Issatisnet..................................... 7 D3
Main Post Office........................ 8 C5
Main Telephone Office...............9 B2
Police Headquarters..................10 B3
Post Office................................11 C2
Public Toilets...........................(see 16)
Saadat Seyr Travel & Tour........ 12 C2
Shohada Telephone Office....... 13 C2
Silk Road Travel......................(see 38)
Tourist Information Office........ 14 C2
Tourist Police............................ 15 C2
Yazd Exchange.........................(see 7)
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Alexander's Prison.................... 16
Amir Chakhmaq Complex......... 17
Amir Chakhmaq Mosque.......... 18
Ateshkadeh (Zoroastrian Fire
Temple)................................ 19
C2
C2
C2
D3
from the narrow and labyrinthine kuches

that crisscross the town.
Follow the walking tour (p262) or just
wander around; youll doubtless discover
simple courtyards, ornate wooden doors
and some lovely adobe architecture. In the
meantime youll be discovered by countless children who will help lead you out of
the maze when you are ready. Be sure to
get yourself to the rooftops at some point
for fine views over Yazd and into the vast
brown expanses of the desert.
Jameh Mosque
The magnificent Jameh Mosque (Masjed-e Jameh;

Masjed-e Jameh St) dominates the old city. Its tiled
entrance portal is one of the tallest in Iran,
flanked by two magnificent 48m-high minarets and adorned with an inscription from
the 15th century. The exquisite mosaics on
the dome and mihrab, and the tiles above
the main western entrance to the courtyard
are particularly stunning.
Built for Sayyed Roknaddin in the 15th
century, its on the site of a 12th-century
building believed to have itself replaced an
earlier fire temple. In the courtyard of the
mosque there is a stairwell leading down to
part of the Zarch Qanat, used these days for
ritual ablutions. For a small tip, the caretaker
will allow you down. The guys at Friendly
Internet Caf (p256) can arrange access to
the roof, usually in the late afternoon.
Bagh-e Dolat Abad....................20 B2

Bogheh-ye Sayyed
Roknaddin............................21 C2
Fortress of Lions........................22 D1
Hosseinieh (usually closed)........23 C2
Jameh Mosque......................... 24 C2
Khan-e Lari...............................25 C1
Moslem Mirzazadeh (Sitar Shop &
Studio)................................(see 16)
Saheb A Zaman Club
Zurkhaneh............................ 26 C2
Tomb of the 12 Imams...........(see 16)
Yazd Water Museum................ 27 C2
SLEEPING
Aria Hotel................................. 28
Beheshty Hotel.........................29
Dad Hotel.................................30
Hotel Amir Chakhmagh............31
Hotel Mamalak Moshir..............32
Kohan Hotel............................. 33
Laleh Hotel...............................34
Malek-o Tojjar.......................... 35
Mehr Traditional Hotel............. 36
Moshir Caravanserai Yazd
Hotel.................................... 37
C3
C3
C3
C2
A1
C2
C3
C2
C2
C2
Orient Hotel............................. 38 C2
Rose Traditional Hotel...............39 C3
Silk Road Hotel......................... 40 C2
Soroush Guesthouse................. 41 D3
Yazd Traditional Hotel............(see 31)
EATING
Amiran Paludeh........................ 42 C3
Baharestan Restaurant..............43 C3
Hammam-e Khan Restaurant
(Chaykhaneh-ye San'ati).......44 C2
Malek-o Tojjarr.......................(see 35)
Marco Polo Restaurant...........(see 38)
Mozaffar Traditional
Restaurant.............................45 B3
Nemoner Sandwich.................. 46 D2
Pizza Gole Sorkh.......................47 A1
Silk Road Hotel Restaurant.....(see 40)
Sito Coffee Shop & Pizza........(see 18)
Yazd Traditional Cookie............48 A1
TRANSPORT
Bus Terminal.............................49 B4
Buses to Mehdi Abad for Zein-o-din &
Kermanshah..........................50 C3
Iran Air Office...........................51 B2
CENTRAL IRAN
Sh
22
16
21
a week. We travelled with one unfortunate

guy who, when his passport still hadnt been
stamped six days after he submitted it, asked
if he could leave town. Of course, they said,
if you have any problem just call us. When
the two of us were subsequently arrested
(my guilt was apparently by association), the
Yazd visa guys denied everything, and my
travelling companion was put on the first
bus back to Yazd. If you cant avoid Yazd,
the Tourist Police office deals with extensions (open 7am to noon Saturday to Thursday) and the Bank Melli Central Branch is
the place to deposit your cash. They dont
promise 30-day extensions, however. See
More Time, Please (p395) for details.
OLD CITY
23
24
Masjed-e
Jamed St 38
C E N T R A L I R A N Ya d z 259
Sights
Dahe-ye Fajr Blvd
Say
Na
va
b-
St
eS
ri
20
lv
nB
15
14
af
ha
9
Ziaee
Sq
25
am
Old City
av
ah
St
iB
lab
lvd
qe
Im
En
ot
M
i Blvd
Eslam
i St
ye
ri-
hu
47
CENTRAL IRAN
Jo
48
1 km
0.5 miles
lonelyplanet.com
260 C E N T R A L I R A N Ya d z
lonelyplanet.com
For at least 2000 years Iranians have been digging qanats (underground water channels) to irrigate
crops and supply drinking water. To build a qanat you first need to find an underground water source.
This source could be more than 100m deep, but as the whole system is reliant on gravity the source
must be higher than the final destination. Then you dig a tunnel just wide and tall enough to crawl
along, so the water can flow across an extremely shallow gradient to its destination. The mounds of
soil youll see in long lines across the desert are the top of wells, dug to dispose of excavated soil and
allow ventilation. Because of the hazards and expense of constructing a qanat, complex laws govern
every aspect of their use and maintenance. Iran is thought to have more than 50,000 qanats. While
modern irrigation projects now take priority, qanats and other traditional methods of supplying water
are still very important. And as hundreds of towns and villages including Bam, Kashan and Mahan
still rely on qanats for water, the highly skilled and well-paid qanat builders of Yazd wont be
picking up redundancy cheques for many years yet.
For the lowdown on qanats, head for the impressive Yazd Water Museum (x626 8340; Amir
Chakhmaq Sq; admission IR10,000; h8am-7pm), located in a restored mansion that happens to have
a qanat or two underneath. The displays are clear and mostly in English.
Bogheh-ye Sayyed Roknaddin
Masjed-e Jameh St; h8am-1pm & 4-8pm Sat-Thu, 10am-noon

Fri), the tomb of local Islamic notable Sayyed
Roknaddin Mohammed Qazi, is visible from

any elevated point in the city. Built 700 years
ago, the dome is notable but the deteriorating
interior stucco and other decoration remains
impressive. The door is often closed but a
knock should bring the caretaker.
The 150-year-old Khan-e Lari (admission IR2000;

h7am-6pm, to 8pm summer) is one of the bestpreserved Qajar-era houses in Yazd. The
badgirs, traditional doors, stained-glass windows, elegant archways and alcoves mark it
out as one of the citys grandest homes. The
merchant family who built it have long gone,
and its now home to architecture students
and cultural heritage officers. Its signposted
west of Zaiee Sq; see the walking tour (p262)
for directions.
This 15th-century domed school is known

as Alexanders Prison (Zaiee Sq; admission IR2000;
h8am-sunset, 8am-1pm & 4pm-sunset summer) because of a reference to this apparently dastardly place in a Hafez poem. Whether the
deep well in the middle of its courtyard
was in fact built by Alexander the Great
and used as a dungeon seems doubtful, no
matter what your guide tells you. Recently
renovated, the building itself is worth a look

for the small display on the old city of Yazd,
the clean toilets, the overly fluorescent but
mercifully cool subterranean teahouse and
the studio-shop of sitar-maker and -player
Moslem Mirzazadeh (x0913 351 5452; moslemmir
[email protected]; h9am-2pm & 4-7pm).
The early-11th-century brick Tomb of the
12 Imams is almost next door to Alexanders
Prison. The once-fine (but now badly deteriorated) inscriptions inside bear the names
of the Shiite Imams (see The 12 Imams, p56),
though none are actually buried here.
Amir Chakhmaq Complex
The stunning three-storey faade of the takieh (a building used during the rituals to
commemorate the death of Imam Hossein)
in the Amir Chakhmaq Complex (Amir Chakhmaq Sq;
admission IR3000; hNo Ruz only) is one of the largest Hosseniehs in Iran. Its rows of perfectly
proportioned sunken alcoves are at their
best, and most photogenic, around sunset
when the light softens and the towering
exterior is discreetly floodlit. Recent work
has added sides, though their exact purpose
wasnt clear when we visited (hopefully not
shops!). During the No Ruz holiday its possible to climb up for spectacular views across
Yazd, but at most other times its closed.
Underneath the complex is a lacklustre
bazaar, where kababis and souvenir shops
open only when there is sufficient interest.
In front of the takieh, look out for the huge
wooden palm nakhl, an important centre-
Saheb A Zaman Club Zurkhaneh
Just off the north side of Amir Chakhmaq

Sq is the Saheb A Zaman Club Zurkhaneh (admission IR10,000; hworkouts 5pm & 8.30pm Sat-Thu),
which is worth seeing both for its Iranian
brand of body building and because its a
quite amazing structure. The modern club
is inside a cavernous ab anbar (water reservoir) built about 1580. Looking like a
29m-high standing egg from the inside, and
crowned with five burly badgirs, the reservoir stored water for much of the town. The
hour-long workouts in the Zurkhaneh are
an interesting window on Iranian culture;
see (p52).
BAGH-E DOLAT ABAD
Once a residence of Persian regent Karim

Khan Zand, Bagh-e Dolat Abad (admission IR30,000;
h7.30am-5pm, to 6pm summer) was built about
1750 and consists of a small pavilion set

amid quiet gardens. The interior of the
pavilion is superb, with intricate latticework
and exquisite stained-glass windows. Its also
renowned for having Irans loftiest badgir,
standing over 33m, though this one was
rebuilt after it collapsed in the 1960s. The
entrance can be reached from the western
end of Shahid Rajai St.
ZOROASTRIAN SITES
Yazd is home to the largest and most active

Zoroastrian community in Iran; see (below).
Ateshkadeh
Zoroastrians come from around the world

to see this Ateshkadeh (Sacred Eternal Flame; h by
appointment), often referred to as the Zoroastrian
Fire Temple, said to have been burning since
about AD 470. Visible through a window
from the entrance hall, the flame was transferred to Ardakan in 1174, then to Yazd in
1474 and to its present site in 1940. Above the
entrance you can see the Fravahar symbol.
ZOROASTRIANISM
Zoroastrianism was the main religion across the Iranian plateau until the Arab Conquest brought
Islam to the fore. Zoroastrians are followers of Zoroaster (Zartosht or Zarathustra), who was probably born between 1000 BC and 1500 BC, possibly near present-day Lake Urimiyeh or further
north in Central Asia no-one is sure. Zoroastrianism was one of the first religions to postulate
an omnipotent, invisible god. The supreme being, Ahura Mazda, has no symbol or icon, but he
asked that followers pray to him in the direction of light. The only light the ancients controlled
was fire, so they created fire temples to keep the flame burning eternally.
Very little of what Zoroaster wrote has survived, though the teachings in the Avesta (sometimes
referred to as the Zoroastrian bible) are attributed to him. The core lesson is dualism: the eternal
battle of good and evil. Zoroaster believed in two principles Vohu Mano (Good Mind) and Ahem
Nano (Bad Mind), which were responsible for day and night, life and death. These two opposing
minds coexisted within the supreme being, Ahura Mazda, and in all living things.
Since Zoroastrians believe in the purity of the elements, they refuse to bury their dead (pollutes
the earth) or cremate them (pollutes the atmosphere). Instead, the dead were exposed in towers of
silence, where their bones were soon cleaned up by the vultures. Nowadays, deceased Zoroastrians
are usually buried in graves lined with concrete to prevent contamination of the earth.
Many Zoroastrian temples are adorned with bas-relief winged figures that symbolise Fravahar,
the part of the spirit that reaches Ahura Mazda after death. The old man symbolises experience
and wisdom, the three layers of feathers on the wings symbolise purity of thought, word and
deed, and the semi-long tail in front represents Vohu Mano, while the rear tail is Ahem Nano.
Of the 150,000 or more Zoroastrians in the world, the number in and around Yazd has dwindled to about 5500. Zoroastrian women can be recognised by their patterned headscarves and
embroidered dresses with predominant colours of white, cream or red. They never wear chadors,
but do follow the strict hejab laws governing womens dress.
Zoroastrianism is also known as Mazdaism from the name of its supreme god, Ahura Mazda,
and as Magism from the name of its ancient priests, the magi. The Three Wise Men of the Bible
are believed to have been Zoroastrian magi, hence the Adoration of the Magi.
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
The beautiful blue-tiled dome of the Boghehye Sayyed Roknaddin (Mausolem of Sayyed Roknaddin; off
Alexanders Prison
C E N T R A L I R A N Ya d z 261
piece for the observance of the Shiites passionate Ashura commemorations.
THE QANAT
Khan-e Lari
lonelyplanet.com
lonelyplanet.com
Getting in is difficult as the caretaker is

often not around. Try knocking at the small
gate in a side alley, but if that doesnt work
your best bet is a Zoroastrian guide (p257).
In the northeast of Yazd, the Fortress of Lions
(Ghaleh-ye Asadan) houses another Zoroastrian eternal flame. It is also usually closed.
Start Amir Chakhmaq Complex

Finish Hammam-e Khan Restaurant
Distance about 5km
Duration three to five hours, depending on
how often you get lost
GET LOST IN YAZD

WALKING TOUR 0
0
200 m
0.1 miles
Mir
za
St zadeh
10
Ziaee
Sq
13
9
11
12
8
el S
15
16
5
M
as
jed
-e
Ja
eh
St
4
ein
om
St
Kh
am
i St
ey
Meydan-e
Khan Bazar
Im
am
Start at the Amir Chakhmaq Complex (1; p260),

and check out the nearby Amir Chakhmaq
Mosque (2) and, on the opposite corner, the
Yazd Water Museum (3; see The Qanat, p260).
From here, head up Imam Khomeini St, take
a quick look at the Hazireh Mosque (4), and turn
left up Masjed-e Jameh St. Before you reach
the imposing mosque, turn down a lane to
the right to see the stunning portal of the turquoise-domed Bogheh-ye Sayyed Roknaddin (5;
p260). If youre hungry, you could now stop
at the Orient Hotel (6; opposite) for lunch and
a spectacular view, or continue into the Jameh
Mosque (7, p259). Exit the mosque through
the northeastern door (near the qanat), turn
right, then left, and keep straight for about
75m to a junction with several arches and
open ceilings. Turn left here and youll reach
an open space with a playground. Stay on
the right (eastern) side and keep heading
northeast. After about 250m on Fazel St a
small lane leads off to the right, where a
water reservoir (8) surrounded by four badgirs stands next to a shaded park. Continue
left (northeast), parallel to Fazel St, and youll
pass the Kohan Hotel. Stay straight another
Sleeping
Get Lost In Yazd Walking Tour
Kohan
Hotel
14
Faz
Set on two lonely, barren hilltops on the

southern outskirts of Yazd are the evocative
Zoroastrian Towers of Silence (Dakhmeh-ye
Zartoshtiyun). In accordance with Zoroastrian beliefs about the purity of the earth,
dead bodies were not buried but left in
these uncovered stone towers so that vultures could pick the bones clean. Such towers have not been used since the 60s. At the
foot of the hills are several other disused
Zoroastrian buildings, including a defunct
well, a water cistern and two small badgirs, a kitchen and a lavatory. The modern
Zoroastrian cemetery is nearby. The easiest
way to get here is by chartering a private
taxi for about IR30,000 return, including
waiting time of 45 minutes or so. Ask for
Dakhmeh-ye Zartoshtiyun.
END
19
17
18
Panjeh-Ali
Bazar
a three-storey white faade (takieh) on the

left. If youre very lucky, the green-and-white
metal door on the right will be unlocked
(reach through to try it from the inside), and
youll be able to climb to the domed roof of
the Hosseinieh (14) for quite splendid views
of the old city. If not, you could carefully
climb the stairs at the back of the takieh (15) for
almost-as-good views. Continue southwest
for about 150m. On your left is the untiled
domed roof of the now-closed Madraseh-e
Kamalieh (16). Keep along the same lane and
youll see the minarets of the Jameh Mosque.
Using these as a guide, youre now on your
own. Wend your way through the old city,
heading roughly southwest, until you reach
Qeyam St. Cross into the Panjeh-ali Bazar (17)
and head for either Malek-o Tojjar (18; p264)
or the Hammam-e Khan Restaurant (19; p265)
for some well-earned sustenance.
1
START
100m or so and youll come to Mirzazadeh

St. To the right is the Heidarzadeh Coin Museum
(9), which is actually more interesting than it
sounds. Heading northwest, walk past Ziaee
Sq and keep straight for about 150m. Turn
right down a small alley to the Khan-e Lari (10;
p260). Head back to Ziaee Sq and turn right.
Ahead is the dome of Alexanders Prison (11;
p260) which has a clean bathroom and
just beyond is the Tomb of the 12 Imams (12;
p260). You can stop for a drink or directions
at the tourist information office (13; p257) opposite. From the tomb, turn left and follow a
sweeping bend until it comes to a dusty space
with a concrete table-tennis table. Then head
left (southwest) under a domed passage for
about 70m until you come to a square with
e Jameh, the Silk Roads mix of traditional

courtyard setting, delicious food, laid-back
vibe and fair price has made it the most
talked about travellers stop in Iran. With 15
simple but attractive rooms (no TVs) and a
seven-bed underground dormitory (no bathroom), it caters to backpackers, flashpackers
and even the odd ambassador. The buffet
breakfast is both delicious and wonderfully
social. Owners Ali and Sebastian can offer
discounts for longer stays.
Kohan Hotel (Kohan Kashaneh; x621 2485; www
.kohanhotel.com; off Imam Khomeini St; dm IR50,000, s/tw with
breakfast IR170,000/250,000; ai) Owner Taslim
and his family have renovated the family home

and given it a relaxed, welcoming ambience.
The 18 traditional but unadorned rooms are
set around a lush garden courtyard, while two
six-bed dorms (each with bathroom) open
off a long stairway to a qanat. A restaurant
should be open when you arrive. To find it,
head northeast on Imam Khomeini St, past
Masjed-e Jameh Ave, and follow the stencil
signs along a lane on your left. If you get lost,
its near the Coin Museum.
Rose Traditional Hotel (x622 5790-92; Farhang Alley,
off Imam Khomeini Ave; s/d IR220,000/300,000; a) Deep
in the Old City, this unpretentious little place
has comfortable and fair-value if not-exactlyinspiring rooms. A restaurant is attached.
If the others are full (or you need the
parking), the following two oldies are cheap
but uninspiring.
Aria Hotel (x626 0411; 10 Farvardin St; r IR80,000-
Yazd has quite simply the most charismatic,

historic bunch of hotels in Iran, and possibly
the entire Middle East. More than 10 khan-e
sonnati (traditional houses) have now been
transformed into hotels. The result is 24hour cultural immersion; see the sights of
this historic city by day, and then sit on the
takhts (daybeds), sip tea and eat local food
as Iranians have for centuries. Compare
this with the sense of place you get in the
usual cookie-cutter hotels. Even better, your
money contributes to the preservation and
renaissance of this historic Silk Road city.
Not surprisingly, the old city is the most
atmospheric area to stay in. Almost all hotels offer day trips to Chak Chak, Meybod
and Kharanaq (see Around Yazd, p266), and
prices are in proportion to room rates.
150,000; a) Overpriced rooms, some without bathroom,

around a courtyard. Communal kitchen. No English is spoken.
Beheshty Hotel (x626 5517; Imam Khomeini St;
s/tw/tr IR60,000/80,000/110,000; ap) Simple, clean
rooms. Only the triple has attached bathroom. Secure
parking for overlanders.
BUDGET
MIDRANGE
Hotel Amir Chakhmagh (x626 9823; Amir Chakhmaq

Sq; s/tw/tr IR50,000/80,000/120,000; ai) The Amir
Chakhmagh is not a historic hotel, though
at this rate in a few years it will bevery old
indeed. Its in a great location beside the Amir
Chakhmaq complex, but rooms can be noisy
and the shared bathrooms could be cleaner.
The dorms listed in any of the following
places are probably better.
oSilk Road Hotel (Jada-e Abrisham; x 625
All of the following are traditional hotels

in renovated or converted homes in Yazds
old city.
Soroush Guesthouse (x626 5159; off Basij Ave;
s/tw/tr US$27/38/50; a) The attractive-looking
Soroush has rooms on two levels around a
sunken courtyard, though for size, cleanliness and value they are not fantastic; try
others first.
Orient Hotel (x 626 7783; orient_hotel@gmail
2730; www.silkroadhotel.ir; 5 Tal-e Khakestary Alley, off Masjed-e Jameh Ave; dm 4, s/d/tr with breakfast 14/22/30;
pa) Two minutes walk from the Masjed-
.com; 6th Alley, off Masjed-e Jameh St; s/d/tr with breakfast 20/30/40; ai) From the same owners
as the Silk Road Hotel, the Orient is set
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
Towers of Silence
WALKING TOUR
Bookeyourlstayeat. lonelyplanet.com/hotels
lon lyp an t com

lonelyplanet.com
around two high-sided courtyards and is a

more family-oriented place. The convivial
service, comfortable rooms, unbeatable
location beside the Masjed-e Jameh and
rooftop Marco Polo Restaurant (opposite)
make this a top choice. Discounts possible.
Malek-o Tojjar (x622 4060; www.malek-o-tojar
lamp-lit passage from the Panjeh-ali Bazar is
Yazds original traditional hotel, where youll
soon be lying around drinking tea, eating fine
food and feeling transported to a different
time. This Qajar-era home was converted,
not completely renovated, which means everything is original. Rooms are cobbled together from odd spaces connected by low
doorways and steep stairways, bathrooms are
tiny and plumbing can be inconsistent. Still,
the atmosphere, delicious food (see right)
and homely service make it a good choice.
Theres also a fine dorm, though it can be
cold in winter. Coming from Qeyam St, look
for the sign and small doorway on the left.
Yazd Traditional Hotel (x622 8500-09; www
.yazdhotel.com; Amir Chakhmaq Sq; s/d/tr/f US$50/70/85/100;
ai) At the top of the midrange, this
215-year-old mansion was recently restored

and is run by enthusiastic young Yazdis who
deliver above-average service. The 24 attractive rooms retain their odd shapes, stained
glass and low doorways, and theres even a
sauna and two small Jacuzzis, to be used onesex-at-a-time, of course.
Mehr Traditional Hotel (x622 7400; www.mehr
hotel.ir; Labe Khandaq Alley, off Qeyam St; s/d/tr/ste with
breakfast US$35/50/70/95; pai) The 250-year-
old Khan-e Zargar-e Yazdi has been lovingly

restored and converted and is an excellent traditional choice. Signposted from Qeyam St,
the rooms here are bigger and better equipped
than some, the food is delicious, service
responsive and rooftop views expansive.
Moshir Caravanserai Yazd Hotel (x622 705054; www.caravanseraihotel.com; Imamzadeh-ye Jafar Blvd;
tw/ste IR600,000/1,000,000; a) This Moshir, not
to be confused with the Mamalak Moshir,

is a good choice deep in the Old City. The
22 mid-sized rooms are set around a twostorey restored caravanserai. It has a welcoming feel, and big low-season discounts
make it particularly worthwhile.
Dad Hotel (x622 9444; www.hoteldadint.com; 214
Favardin St; s/d US$30/60, ste US$100-120; pais)
Dad is not named for anyones father,
though as the brainchild of an 84-year-old

patriarch it could be called great granddad.
The 54 spacious, modern and well-equipped
rooms are reasonably stylish, though there is
not much natural light and, well, they dont
feel as real as the genuinely old places. Still,
theyre good value, especially when you can
take a dip in the sparkling underground pool
(women AM, men PM).
oMarco Polo Restaurant (x 626 7783; off

Masjed-e Jameh Ave; meals IR35,000-65,000) Set like a
Nemoner Sandwich (Imam Khomeini St; camel burgers

IR8000; hSat-Thu) Fancy a camel burger? This
crown atop the Orient Hotel, this glass-sided

restaurant serves up sumptuous views of the
Masjed-e Jameh and surrounding blue-tiled
domes and delicious Iranian food thats fit
for the setting. Ideal for a romantic dinner.
Silk Road Hotel Restaurant (x625 2730; 5 Tal-e
TOP END
Jumping on the khan-e sonnati bandwagon

are these two faux-traditional places,
purpose built as hotels.
Hotel Mamalak Moshir (Moshir Gardens; x523 9760-
good, the delicious (if not super-hot) subcontinental curries are the most popular
dishes among travellers who cant face another kabab. Relaxed, social atmosphere.
Mozaffar Traditional Restaurant (x622 7664;
modest little place can knock one up in about

three minutes. Theres no English sign, but
its directly opposite the camel butchery.
Sito Coffee Shop & Pizza (x622 0888; Amir Chakh
maq Sq; pizzas IR30,000; h11am-11pm) The modern Iranian mix of pizza and miscellaneous
other dishes wont have you writing home,
but the views from the rooftop (in summer)
just might.
65; www.hotelgardenmoshir.com; Enqelab Ave; s/d/tr/ste with

breakfast US$65/85/100/140; ai) The largest hotel
Khalf Bagh Alley, off Motahari Ave; meals IR35,000-60,000;

hnoon-3pm & 6-11pm) A recent addition to
in Yazd, the Mamalak Moshir is a faux-traditional place set around an expansive, attractive garden. Rooms are a mix of subterranean
and above-ground affairs, all very attractively
decorated with bright colours and stained
glass. The restaurant is also quite good. For
Iranians, this is the place to stay in Yazd, but
the location away from the Old City is inconvenient and the service disorganised.
Laleh Hotel (x622 5048; www.yazdlalehhotel.com;
the sonnati scene, the Mozaffar is set in

and around a particularly large courtyard,
with both private rooms and takhts. To the
standard Iranian menu, add (brace yourself)
pizza. Expected to open rooms by 2009.
Hammam-e Khan Restaurant (Chaykhaneh-ye
opposite Abanbar Golshan, off Basij Ave; s/d US$70/95;

pai) Laleh is undoubtedly one of the
most stunning of the restored homes, with

40 luxurious rooms set around three courtyards. Its not, however, the best place to
stay. Service, especially in the restaurant,
is very one-star, and thats before we even
mention the food. Better value elsewhere.
Eating
Most of the traditional hotels use one of their
courtyards as a restaurant. Were listing some
of the better options here, but rest assured
that if youre staying in a traditional hotel,
food wont be too far away. Yazd is famous
for baghlava, which is similar but thicker
than classic Turkish baklava, and pashmak,
a solid type of fairy floss or cotton candy.
RESTAURANTS
o Malek-o Tojjar ( x 622 4060; www.malek

-o-tojar.com; Panjeh-ali Bazar, off Qeyam St; meals IR35,000)
The evocative surrounds and fine Iranian

dishes here are complemented with several
regional classics, including some delightful soups, bademjan and other vegetarian
dishes. And its very reasonably priced considering the surrounds.
Khakestary Alley, off Masjed-e Jameh Ave; meals IR30,00065,000) While the Iranian food here is very
Sanati; x627 0366; Meydan-e Khan Bazar, off Qeyam St;

meals IR35,000-60,000; h11.30am-3.30pm & 7.30-11pm)
Deep in the heart of the old city, this restored

underground hammam is one of the original
historic restorations in Yazd and deserves its
ongoing popularity. The interior is all tranquil pools, arched ceilings and fine tilework,
and the food is delicious (as long as its not
too busy). Follow the signs from Qeyam St.
Pizza Gole Sorkh (x725 7519; Jomhuri-ye Eslami Blvd;
pizzas IR20,000-50,000; h6-11pm) After working for
almost 30 years as a pizza chef in Australia,
the owner returned home to open a modern,
busy restaurant serving arguably the best pizzas in Iran and a range of Italian classics. His
serve of Aussie slang is pretty good, too.
Baharestan Restaurant (x622 5107; Beheshti
Sq; meals IR25,000; h11.30am-5pm) Forget atmosphere and style, the Baharestan is about tasty
staples at tasty prices; the khoresht is best.
QUICK EATS
Amiran Paludeh (Favardin St, off Beheshti Sq) This

tiny place specialises in delicious paludeh,
a type of sorbet made of rice flour, grated
fruit and rose-water (IR1500 a bowl).
Yazd Traditional Cookie (x525 3673; Jomhuri-ye
Eslami Blvd; h8am-4pm) Sweet shop extraordinaire! A huge array of shirin (sweets) is made
in front of you by a team of busy men who
will happily let you taste a few offerings; the
pistachio-flavoured loz-e peste is supreme!
Shopping
The old city bazaars are probably the best
places in Iran to buy silk (known locally
as tirma), brocade, glassware and cloth
products that brought the town its prosperity in centuries past. If you have a sweet
tooth, dont forget to try pashmak (Iranian
fairy floss), available in many shops around
Beheshti Sq.

AIR
Yazd airport (x199) is not the busiest in Iran.

Iran Air (x622 2080; Motahhari St) flies to Tehran
(IR316,000, 70 minutes, twice daily).
BUS & MINIBUS
All buses leave from the main bus terminal

(Rah Ahan Blvd), about 3km southwest of the
centre, and accessible by shuttle taxi from
Beheshti and Azadi Sqs.
Fares are for mahmooly/Volvo buses,
though Volvos are more frequent:
Destination
Duration
Departures
Bam
IR50,000(V)
7-9hr
Bandar Abbas
IR36,000/
60,000
IR12,500/
30,000
IR16,500/
30,000
IR42,000/
80,000
IR18,000/
45,000
IR37,000
IR33,700/
45,000
IR65,000(V)
9-11hr
4pm service,
usually a few
others
frequent
Esfahan
Kerman
Mashhad
Shiraz
Tabas
Tehran
Zahedan
Fare
4-5hr
frequent
4-5hr
frequent
14-16hr
5-7hr
8hr
10hr
14hr
3-6pm
8am, 2pm &
8.30pm
3-6pm
frequent
4pm service,
usually a
few others
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
.com; Panjeh-ali Bazar, Qeyam St; dm US$5, s US$20-25, tw

US$35-40, tr US$45-60, f US$75; a) Down a narrow,
lonelyplanet.com
266 C E N T R A L I R A N A r o u n d Ya z d
lonelyplanet.com
The 4pm Zahedan service gets you there

with time to continue to the border for a
morning crossing. Any bus to Zahedan will
drop you in Bam. For Garmeh, see p254.
There are three trains daily from Yazd to
Tehran (though berths can be hard to come
by): two with six-berth couchettes (IR48,550,
eight hours), via Kashan and Qom, departing
at 9pm and 10.10pm; and a four-berth couchette at about 2am en route from Bandar
Abbas. From Tehran, trains leave at 8.35pm
and 10.20pm. For Kerman the train from
Tehran stops at about 2.20am, but the 2ndclass train (IR15,950, five hours) departing at
6.10am is a better choice. For Bandar Abbas
(1st class only, IR53,000, nine hours) there
is a daily train at midnight, and on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday at 7.10pm. Trains to
Mashhad (Ghazal 1st class IR149,000) leave
at 4.50pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday,
arriving at 6.10am.
The train station (x139; h8am-1.30pm &
7-11pm) is next to the main bus terminal. Get
here by shuttle taxi from Beheshti or Azadi
Sqs, or charter a taxi for about IR10,000.
Oddly, train tickets are much easier to buy
from agencies (p257) than at the station.
Getting Around
To the airport take a shuttle taxi from
Enqelab-e Eslami Sq for about IR2000, or
a private taxi for IR20,000. Taxis dar baste
start at about IR6000 for short trips, and
cost IR10,000 to the terminals.
AROUND YAZD
Kharanaq, Chak Chak, Meybod and Ardakan are best seen as part of a looping day
trip from Yazd. Its a long day (about 7am
to 6pm) and you can either hire a taxi from
the street (about IR250,000) or take a guided
tour (p257), which is much more rewarding
but more costly. Minibuses run to Meybod
or Ardakan from the main bus terminal in
Yazd, but theres no public transport at all
to Chak Chak. The irregular bus to Garmeh
(p254) passes Kharanaq, and you can sleep
there either en route to/from Garmeh or
as a destination in itself.
Kharanaq
The virtually deserted and crumbling mudbrick village of Kharanaq, in a valley about
Chak Chak
Chak Chak is Irans most important Zoroastrian pilgrimage. About 72km northwest
of Yazd and deep in the desert, legend has it
that after the Arab invasion in AD 637 the
Sassanian princess Nikbanuh fled to this
site. Short of water, she threw her staff at
the cliff and water began dripping out
chak, chak means drip, drip. The steep,
cliff-side location is impressive even if most
of the buildings are not. The exception is
the Pir-e-Sabz fire temple, home to the drip,
which has a brass door embossed with the
likeness of Zoroaster. The dramatic views
make it worth the climb.
Chak Chak attracts thousands of pilgrims
for an annual festival held between 14 and
18 June.
Meybod
About 52km north of Yazd, Meybod is a

sprawling mud-brick town that is at least
1800 years old. It has three main sights near
each other in the west of town, all open from
9am to 5pm, or 7pm in summer. They include a 300-year-old post house (admission IR3000)
that served as a relay station on, as it says
above the door, the Kings Road, Rey to Kerman; a caravanserai with a covered qanat; and
a huge Safavid-era ice house (yakh dan) across
the street. Crumbling Narein castle (admission
C E N T R A L I R A N A b a r q u 267
IR2000; h9am-5pm, to 7pm summer), in the centre

of town, dates from Sassannian times and
affords desert-rooftop views across town.
As you enter town, stop at the circular
pigeon tower that once housed 4000 pigeons
whose guano was collected as fertiliser. The
tower has been meticulously restored and
today about 100 pigeons swing from strings
in a crude celebration of the taxidermists
art. Avoid taking anything mind-altering
before coming here Its on government
property so ask at the gate before entering.
Ardakan
Now almost merging with Meybod, Ardakan is another ancient desert city and a
regional agricultural centre courtesy of its
amazing qanat irrigation system (see The
Qanat, p260). Ardakans desert setting,
rather than specific buildings, makes it
worth a detour on the way to or from Chak
Chak. There are some attractive old lanes
and badgirs around the Jameh Mosque (Masjed-e
Jameh). Ardakan is famous for its camels and
you can sample delicious camel kababs in
almost any kababi.
Saryazd
Saryazd means head of Yazd and its two

caravanserais were the last stop before Yazd
for hauliers heading north. About 6km east
of the highway, the sleepy village has zero
tourist infrastructure. What it has is the
crumbling but still largely intact, Safavidera Robat-e Noh (New Caravanserai), complete with three floors of rooms, some with
ancient pots scattered around the dusty
floors, and fine rooftop views. And the village
is just a fun place in which to wander a bit.
Infrequent minibuses come here from
Abuzar Sq in Yazd, though most people
come with a taxi dar baste (one way
IR40,000).
Zein-o-din
Blink and youd miss Zein-o-din, where the

sole structure and raison detre is a 400year-old caravanserai built on the orders of
Shah Abbas I. Located two days camel ride
south of Yazd (thats 60km) in a vast desert
plain flanked by mountains, the caravanserai was part of a network of 999 such hostels
built to promote trade. Of those, its one of
only two circular caravanserais (the other,
near Esfahan, is largely destroyed).
Thankfully, this one was built to last and

today Caravanserai Zein-o-din (x0351-824 3338,
0912 306 0441; [email protected]; per person incl
two meals 48; p) is a serendipitous, romantic
taste of a caravan traders life on the Silk

Road. A three-year renovation, during which
13,000 pumice stones were used to scour
centuries of grime from the walls, saw the
simple accommodation restored to almost
its original state: the raised rooms offer mattresses on top of carpets with just a curtain
separating you from the corridor. Where it
differs is in the stylish and clean communal
bathrooms, the service and the delicious
food. Zein-o-dins isolation means food
and excursions need to be planned ahead,
so advance booking is essential. Prices are
negotiable in summer and December.
Apart from just chilling out Safavid style,
desert walks to a mountain spring can be
arranged with notice.
Take any bus heading south to Kerman
(pick one up at Abuzar Sq) and ask to be
dropped at Zein-o-din, or take a savari
dar baste for about IR80,000 one way; add
IR30,000 per hour waiting time.
ABARQU
x0352 / elev 1510m
This historic town on the road between

Yazd and Shiraz is a good off-the-touristtrail stop. There are several attractions, including a huge ice house, the 11th-century
Gonbad Ali dome, the Jameh Mosque and a
4000-plus-year-old cypress tree. The main
draw, however, is the Khan-e Aghazadeh, a
restored Qajar-era mansion that might one
day be a hotel; look for the distinctive twostorey badgir.
The Hotel Pouya Abarkuh (Mehmansar Jahangardi;
x682 1030; s/d US$36/48; pai), on the left
as you come into town from the east, has
a decent restaurant and will often charge
local rates. Get off any bus between Yazd
and Shiraz.
SHIRAZ
x0711 / pop 1,750,000 / elev 1531m
Shiraz is a city of sophistication that has

been celebrated as the heartland of Persian
culture for more than 2000 years. Known
as the Dar-ol-Elm (House of Learning), the
City of Roses, City of Love and City of Gardens, Shiraz has become synonymous with
education, nightingales, poetry and wine.
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
TRAIN
70km north of Yazd, is believed to be more

than 1000 years old and the site occupied
in some form for more than 4000 years.
The Qajar-era mosque, 17th-century shaking
minaret and caravanserai on the edge of town
have all been restored. Youll need a key to
get into these, however, and youll need a
guide (or the folks at Silk Road Kharanaq)
to arrange that.
Many of the buildings are falling down and
weve seen at least one tourist fall through
the roof, so watch your step. Walk into the
valley below to see an ancient aqueduct, built
to irrigate the surrounding fields. Photographers will love it mid-afternoon. Silk Road
Kharanaq (dm/s/d 5/10/15) is run by the Silk Road
guys in Yazd (p263), and all bookings should
be made through them. The modest adobe
building has been extensively renovated but
remains as simple and appropriate as
youd expect in a virtual ghost town. Rates
include breakfast and dinner, and guidance
for onward transport.
lonelyplanet.com
Golestan
Sq
lvd
nB
Valiasr
Sq
Go
Valiasr
Park
d)
21
Blv
nd
e (
Za
33
rim
Ka
Kh
an
fali
61
34
Lot
24
Ahmadi
Sq
31
bS
Imamzadeh
Bibi Dokhtar D
as
tq
18
ie
48
28
16
32
57
26
Moshir
Sq
43
65
52
53
Darvazeh-ye
Kazerun
Eiz
Bazar-e
Vakil
30
St
23
10
49
35
ed
i St
50
41
42
38
6 4 13
36
46
St
am
in F
Me
St 51
d
hi
w Dehnadi St 37
To
56
40
osi S
Shohada Sq
(Shahrdari Sq)
54
8
9
17
12
11
1
22
li
Sahe
Ferd
Rudaki Av
e
shk
i St
var
An
Horr St
39
an-
St
adi
27 E
m
Esfahan Gate
Bridge
iS
'd
Sa
Azadi
Park
Kh
Melli
Park
Qeyam Sq
(Atlasi Sq)
59
Modarres
Terminal
Blv
ta
les
Abadiat
Cross
Jahan
Nama 20
Garden
15
St
jrat
He
vd
iS
t
uz
Pir
iS
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Bah
Azadi Bl
St
Ta
lvd
iB
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14
Qa
nS
ma
22
St
No
hir
-e
os
Hasan
Sq
Fakh
r Abad
St
55
To Amir Kabir
Terminal (1km)
asht
S
Cinema
Sa'di
Cross
Esteghal Blvd
ju
esh
Da
n
ra S
Sad
NamazI
Sq
lla
Mo
Chamran Blvd
Qas
r-od
-D
Daneshju
Sq
29
St
tin
Fele
s
To Dena
Hospital (7km)
gh
Ba
15 Khordad Cross
(Paramount Cross)
Imam Hossein
Sq
Blv
Gharb
i St
hen
a
aks
Kh
Saheli-ye
Nesha
t St
rim 45
Or
Kh
dib
an- 64
2
eh 63
e Z
esh
Mo
and
2
tS
a'd
t
Blv
el S
To Setareh Fars
d
t
Commercial Centre (1.5km):
Soofi Traditional
Restaurant 2 (1.5km); Afif
Abad Garden (2km)
St
Ka
Tir
To Yord
Restaurant (7km)
ft-e
Ha
19
IS
qIh
Fa
University
Stadium
St
Blv
Eram
Sq
lab
qe
En
Ad
Shiraz
University
IS
ad
As
ad
St
SHIRAZ
am
ayy
Kh
si S
Az
58
ni
St
Azadi Sq
(Gas Park)
rz S
ava
h
Kes
leq
a
No
ti S
kh
Ta
-e
St
St
CENTRAL IRAN
To Main Post
Office (2km);
Airport (7km)
62
Ha
ft
Kh
zar
47
Sa
Ba
fez
44
Ha
fez
Ha
0
0
an
lm
Sa
25
E
60 Allah Akbar
To Marvdasht (42km); Quran
Gorge
Sq
Persepolis (54km);
Esfahan (473km);
Tehran (863km)
d
Blv
ran
Qu
Azad
Sq
-e
Fa
St
qi er
ar iv
Sh R
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lonelyplanet.com
C E N T R A L I R A N S h i r a z 269
It was one of the most important cities in

the medieval Islamic world and was the Iranian capital during the Zand dynasty (AD
174779), when many of its most beautiful
buildings were built or restored.
In his 1893 book A Year Amongst the Persians, Edward Browne described Shirazis as
amongst all the Persians, the most subtle, the most ingenious, the most vivacious.
And even in Iran, where regional oneupmanship is common, everyone seems to
like Shirazis. This is a city of poets and home
to the graves of Hafez and Sadi, themselves
major pilgrimage sites for Iranians. Shiraz
is also home to splendid gardens, exquisite mosques and whispered echoes of ancient sophistication that reward those who
linger longer than it takes to visit nearby
Persepolis (p279).
There are the usual Iranian traffic issues,
but Shirazs agreeable climate, set as it is in
a fertile valley once famed for its vineyards,
makes it a pleasant place to visit (except at
the humid height of summer or the freezing
depths of winter).
History
Shiraz is mentioned in Elamite inscriptions from around 2000 BC and it was an
INFORMATION
Aramgah-e Hafez Bookshop...(see 15)
Bank Melli.................................. 1 D3
Dr Faqihi Hospital........................2 B2
Maral Coffeenet......................... 3 C3
Pars Tourist Agency....................4 C3
Paytakht.....................................5 C3
Persepolis Bookshop...................6 C3
Police Department of Aliens
Affairs.....................................7 F4
Post Office................................. 8 D3
Telephone Office........................ 9 D3
Telephone Office...................... 10 C3
Tourist Information Office........ 11 D3
Tourist Police............................ 12 D3
Zand Exchange......................... 13 C3
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Anglican Church of St Simon the
Zealot (Kelisa-ye Moqaddas-e
Sham'un-e Ghayur).............. 14 C3
Aramgah-e Hafez (Tomb of
Hafez)...................................15 E2
Aramgah-e Shah-e Cheragh..... 16 D4
Arg-e Karim Khan..................... 17 D3
Armenian Church (Kelisa-ye
Aramaneh)........................... 18 C4
Bagh-e Eram.............................. B1
19
Bagh-e Jahan Nama................... E1
20
Bagh-e Naranjestan & Khan-e Zinat
ol-Molk.................................21 E4
Bagh-e Nazar & Pars Museum.. 22 D3
important regional centre under the Sassanians. However, Shiraz did not become
the provincial capital until about AD 693,
following the Arab conquest of Estakhr,
the last Sassanian capital (8km northeast of
Persepolis, but now completely destroyed).
By 1044 Shiraz was said to rival Baghdad
in importance and grew further under the
Atabaks of Fars in the 12th century, when it
became an important artistic centre.
Shiraz was spared destruction by the
rampaging Mongols and Tamerlane because the citys rulers wisely decided that
paying tribute was preferable to mass
slaughter. Having avoided calamity, Shiraz
enjoyed the Mongol and Timurid periods,
which became eras of development. The
encouragement of enlightened rulers, and
the presence of Hafez, Sadi and many
other brilliant artists and scholars, helped
make it one of the greatest cities in the
Islamic world throughout the 13th and
14th centuries.
Shiraz remained a provincial capital
during the Safavid period, when European
traders settled here to export its famous
wine. But by the mid-17th century it had
entered a long period of decline. This
was worsened by several earthquakes, the
Bazar-e Nou............................. 23 D3
Bazar-e Vakil............................ 24 D4
Bogh-ye Sayyed Mir
Mohammad........................(see 16)
Darvazeh-ye Quran (Quran
25
Gateway)............................... E1
Hammam-e Vakil..................... 26 D4
Imamzadeh-ye Ali Ebn-e
Hamze...................................27 E2
Jameh-ye Atigh Mosque.......... 28 D4
Kakh-e Eram (Eram Palace).......29 A1
Madraseh-ye Khan................... 30 D4
Martyr's Mosque (Masjed-e
Shohada).............................. 31 D4
Masjed-e Vakil (Vakil Mosque).. 32 D4
Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque..............33 E4
Serai Mushir............................. 34 D4
Saadi Hotel............................... 48
Sasan Hotel.............................. 49
Shiraz Eram Hotel..................... 50
Zand Hotel............................... 51
SLEEPING
Anvari Hotel............................. 35
Aryo Barzan Hotel.................... 36
Esteghlal Hotel.......................... 37
Hadish Apartment Hotel........... 38
Homa Hotel.............................. 39
Hotel Sina................................. 40
Jaam-e-Jam Apartment Hotel... 41
Kowsar Hotel............................ 42
Mehmunsara Fadagh................ 43
44
Park Saadi Hotel........................
Pars International Hotel.............45
Parsian Hotel............................ 46
Persepolis Hotel.........................47
TEAHOUSES & CAFS

Aramgah-e Hafez
Teahouse...........................(see 15)
Aroosh Khorshid.....................(see 37)
60
Khajo Teahouse......................... E1
Seray-e Mehr Teahouse........... 61 D4
C3
C3
C3
C3
C2
C3
C3
C3
C4
E1
B2
C3
E2
C4
C3
C3
C3
EATING
110 Hamburgers.......................52 C3
Gavara Restaurant..................(see 48)
Haji Baba Restaurant.................53 C3
Mahdi Faludeh......................... 54 D3
Pat Traditional Restaurant.........55 B3
Restaurant Hatam.....................56 C3
Sarve Naz Restaurant..............(see 50)
Sharzeh Traditional
Restaurant.............................57 D3
Shater Abbas Restaurant 1........58 C1
Yavar Restaurant...................... 59 D2
TRANSPORT
Carandish Bus/Minibus
Terminal................................62 F4
Iran Air..................................... 63 A2
Iran Aseman..............................64 B2
Iran Peyma Office.....................65 C3
Park Taxi Service.....................(see 10)
CENTRAL IRAN
Ta
vd
Bl
Some Minor Roads

not Shown
To Aramgah-e Sa'di
(Tomb of Sa'di)
(5km)
lonelyplanet.com
rsi
300 m
0.2 miles
268 C E N T R A L I R A N S h i r a z
Afghan raids of the early 18th century,

and an uprising led by Shirazs governor
in 1744, which was put down in typically
ruthless fashion after a siege by Nader Shah.
At the time of Nader Shahs murder in
1747, Shiraz was squalid and its population
had fallen to 50,000, a quarter of the number
200 years earlier. But the city soon returned
to prosperity. The enlightened Karim Khan,
the first ruler of the short-lived Zand dynasty, made Shiraz the national capital in
1750. Despite being master of virtually all
of Persia, Karim Khan refused to take any
higher title than vakil (regent). He was determined to build Shiraz into a worthy capital,
the equal of Esfahan under Shah Abbas I.
Karim Khan founded a royal district in
the area of the Arg-e Karim Khan and commissioned many fine buildings, including
what was the pre-eminent bazaar in Persia.
After his death, however, things fell apart.
The Qajars, longtime enemies, attacked and
destroyed the citys fortifications and by
1789 had moved the national capital and
the remains of Karim Khan to Tehran.
Shiraz remained prosperous due to its
position on the trade route to Bushehr, but
this role was greatly diminished with the
opening of the trans-Iranian railway in the
1930s. Much of the architectural inheritance of Shiraz, and especially the royal district of the Zands, was either neglected or
destroyed as a result of irresponsible town
planning under the Pahlavi dynasty. Lacking any great industrial, religious or strategic importance, Shiraz is now largely an
administrative centre, though one famous
for its universities.
Orientation
The main street of Shiraz is the wide, treelined Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd (shortened
simply to Zand). This boulevard runs about
as far east and west as you would want to go
without leaving Shiraz. Most of the things
to see, and nearly all the hotels, are on or
within walking distance of Zand.
The old city or nearby is where youll spend
most of your time. The city centre is Shohada Sq (still widely known as Shahrdari Sq),
within walking distance of most hotels, the
bazaar and the major mosques and shrines.
To the north is the Khoshk River, and north
of that the tombs of Hafez and Sadi and the
major gardens. To the west and northwest of
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town are the smarter residential areas and, on

a hill, many university buildings. The airport
and two major bus terminals are short taxi
trips from the centre.
Information
lonelyplanet.com
TOURIST INFORMATION
Tourist information office (x224 1985; Karim

Khan-e Zand Blvd; h8am-8pm) Outside the Arg-e
Karim Khan. Helpful English-speaking staff will give you a
free map and/or directions, and have useful brochures on
individual sights.
BOOKSHOPS
Aramagh-e Hafez Bookshop (h9am-5pm) Wide

range of Hafez books at tourist prices.
Persepolis Bookshop (x233 8200; Rudaki St) Opposite the new Shahreraz Hotel, a good range of pictorials
and postcards.
TOURS
EMERGENCY
topersia.com) Young, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and

highly organised guide and fixer. Recommended.
Hossein Soltani (x0917 713 1517; h-soltani-n@
hotmail.com) Hossein works in the Shiraz Eram hotel and
moonlights as a (safe) driver and fixer.
Kazem Salehi (x0917 113 0858; ilovetourists@yahoo
.com) Kazem is not a guide as such, but hes a lovely guy and
good fun. He works with Pars Tourist Agency or independently.
Morteza Mehrparvar (x0917 314 6124) More driver
than tour guide, Morteza has nonetheless been recommended by several readers who have used him across Iran.
Park Taxi Service (x222 5544; Park Hotel Lane;
h24hr) Long-running, reliable and recommended taxi
service. Note that theyre drivers, not guides.
Pars Tourist Agency (x222 3163; www.key2persia
.com; Zand Blvd; h9am-9pm Sat-Thu, 9am-1pm Fri) Pars
runs probably the most diverse, well-organised, goodvalue and best of all enjoyable tours of any Iranian
agency. The 100 options include: half-day group trips
to Persepolis for US$8 per person, leaving daily at 8am;
Pasargadae for US$50 per car; also Firuz Abad, Bishapur,
Bavanat, skiing, trekking, climbing and nomad tours. All
prices are fixed and listed online. They also rent bikes
(US$1 per hour) and on Friday take a bus full of interested
Iranians for walking and a picnic lunch (US$10) its a
great way to meet the locals. Guides cost about US$25 a
day, or US$50 a day for overnight trips; several languages
can be arranged.
Shiraz is famous for its medical training so

its a good place to get sick.
Dena Hospital (x628 0411-18; www.denahospital
.com; Dena Alley, Motahari Blvd) Best in Shiraz.
Dr Faqihi Hospital (x235 1091; Zand Blvd) The most
central hospital; public.
Tourist Police (Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd) Outside the
Arg-e Karim Khan. Theres rarely anyone here outside
peak season.
INTERNET ACCESS
You wont need GPS technology to find one

of Shirazs many coffeenets, which include
the following:
Maral Coffeenet (Park Hotel Lane; per hr IR8000;
h9am-1pm & 4-9pm)
Paytakht (x222 7989; Sadi St; per hr IR8000;
h8.30am-2.30pm & 4.30-9pm Sat-Thu, 8.30am-2.30pm
Fri) English-speaking and very helpful.
MONEY
The central branches of the major banks

have foreign exchange facilities. However,
the exchange offices along Zand are simple,
safe and your best option.
Bank Melli (Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd) Next to the Arg-e
Karim Khan. Exchange on 1st floor.
Zand Exchange (x222 2854; Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd;
h8am-1pm & 4-7pm Sat-Thu) Good rates, no commission, fast, and longer hours.
POST
Main post office (x726 9070; Modarres Blvd) On the

road to the airport, for big items only.
Post office (x224 1516; Hejrat St)
Travellers commonly hire a taxi or driver for

trips to Persepolis or other attractions around
Shiraz; see p280 for details. Tours can also be
arranged through almost every hotel.
Arash Sadeghzadeh (x0917 317 1652; www.trip
TRAVEL AGENCIES
Pars Tourist Agency (x222 3163; www.key2persia

.com; Zand Blvd; h9am-9pm Sat-Thu, 9am-1pm Fri;
i) As well as tours, the multilingual team do the usual
travel agency jobs: air, bus and train ticketing, visa extensions etc. In the event of an emergency, owner Masoud
Nematollahi can be contacted to help sort things on
x0917 111 8514. Highly recommended.
TELEPHONE
Local calls are free from public phones in

Shiraz. For international calls:
Telephone office Park Hotel Lane (h8am-9pm Sat-Thu);
Hejrat St (h8am-8pm Sat-Thu)
tensions. Arrive before 9am and you should be able to pick

up a 30-day extension the same day. To get there, take a
shuttle taxi (about IR1000) east along Zand Blvd to Valiasr
Sq, walk another 300m or so east, then take the third lane
heading north at an angle. Its another 70m along, behind
the light green door its on the 3rd floor. Your cash must
be deposited at Bank Melli Markazi (Shohada Sq); ask Pars
Tourist Agency (left) for the account number and deposit
before going for the extension to save doubling back. For
more on extending visas, see More Time, Please (p395).
Sights
ARG-E KARIM KHAN
hada Sq; admission IR2000; h8am-sunset, to 8pm summer) was built in the early Zand period and
formed part of the royal court that Karim

Khan had hoped would develop to rival Esfahan. The exterior is fairly mundane, with
high walls punctuated by four 14m-high
circular towers. The southeastern tower has
a noticeable lean, having subsided onto the
underground sewerage system that served
as the Args bathhouse.
Inside the Arg is a large, open courtyard
filled with citrus trees and a pool. More interesting are the exhibition of photos taken
in Shiraz in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries, starting inside the north wall,
and the museum of the Zand period, with
wax figures in traditional dress. These recent additions mean you might now agree
with the sign at the entrance, which has
for years been proclaiming: The exalted
stature of the Karim Khan citadel amuses
every new traveller for a long time who
arrives in Shiraz.
BAGH-E NAZAR & PARS MUSEUM
Bagh-e Nazar (Eye-catching Garden; Zand Blvd) and the

octagonal Pars Museum at its centre are other
notable Zand-era additions. Its possible to
walk around the garden and view the delightfully decorated pavilion where Karim
Khan received foreign dignitaries. The interior is stunning, with the stalactite ceiling a
particular highlight. Exhibits include Karim
Khan Zands sword and indeed, his grave.
Photography is not allowed.
VISA EXTENSIONS
Police Department of Aliens Affairs (off Valiasr Sq;

h7.30am-1.30pm Sat-Wed, 7.30am-noon Thu) When
we were here, Shiraz was the best place in Iran for visa ex-
Dominating the city centre, the burly Arg-e

Karim Khan (Citadel of Karim Khan; x224 7646; Sho-
MASJED-E VAKIL
The beautiful Masjed-e Vakil (Vakil Mosque; admission IR3000; h8am-noon & 2-8pm) was begun by
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
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Karim Khan and is the only major mosque

surviving from the late Zand period. Beside
the entrance to the bazaar, it has two vast
iwans to the north and south, a magnificent
inner courtyard surrounded by beautifully
tiled alcoves and porches, and a pleasingly
proportioned 75m-by-36m vaulted prayer
hall supported by 48 carved columns. Inside the prayer hall are an impressive mihrab and 14-step marble minbar, carved
from a monolith carried all the way from
Azerbaijan. Much of the tiling, with its predominantly floral motifs and arabesques,
was added in the early Qajar era.
After years as one of the most popular

traditional restaurants in Iran, the Hammam-e Vakil (Taleqani St) was closed because
the kitchen was damaging this classic old
building. Shame. In early 2008 it reopened
as a modest carpet museum, but its future
remained uncertain. If it is open in some
form, its worth popping in for a look at the
classic old bathhouse.
THE BAZAARS
Shirazs ancient trading district is comprised

of several bazaars dating from different periods. The finest and most famous is the
Bazar-e Vakil (Vakil Bazaar; hdawn-dusk Sat-Thu), a
cruciform structure commissioned by Karim
Khan as part of his plan to make Shiraz into a
great trading centre. The wide vaulted brick
avenues are masterpieces of Zand architecture, with the design ensuring the interior
remains cool in summer and warm in winter.
Today, its home to almost 200 stores selling
carpets, handicrafts, spices and clothes and
is one of the most atmospheric bazaars in
Iran, especially in the early evening when it
is fantastically photogenic. As usual, its best
explored by wandering without concern for
time or direction, soaking up the atmosphere
in the maze of lanes leading off the main
thoroughfares.
Chances are youll stumble across Serai
Mushir, off the southern end of the main
bazaar lane coming from Zand. This tastefully restored two-storey caravanserai is a
pleasant place to gather your breath and do
a bit of souvenir shopping.
On the north side of Zand is the less touristy but still pleasingly proportioned Bazar-e
Nou (New Bazaar), built during the Qajar era.
One of the largest ancient mosques in Iran,

the rectangular courtyard of the Martyrs
Mosque (Masjed-e Shohada; Ahmadi Sq; hFri) covers
more than 11,000 sq metres. Founded at the
start of the 13th century, the mosque has
been partially rebuilt many times and now
has very little in the way of tiling or other
decorations, though it does boast some
impressive barrel vaulting. It lives under
acres of unsightly corrugated fibreglass
and is only open on Fridays, when it is still
used for prayer. Entry is through a gate off
Ahmadi Sq.
ARAMGAH-E SHAH-E CHERAGH
Sayyed Mir Ahmad, one of Imam Rezas 17

brothers, was hunted down and killed by the
caliphate on this site in AD 835. His remains
are housed at the glittering Aramgah-e Shah-e
Cheragh (Mausoleum of King of the Light; x222 2158;
Ahmadi Sq; hvariable, often 24hr). A mausoleum
was first erected over the grave during the
12th century but most of what you see dates
from the late-Qajar period and the Islamic
Republic; expansion is ongoing.
The expansive courtyard is a great place
to sit and take in the bulbous blue-tiled
dome and dazzling gold-topped minarets
while discreetly observing the pious at what
is one of the holiest Shiite sights in Iran. In
the shrine itself, countless minute mirror
tiles reflect the passion within.
In theory, however, non-Muslims are not
allowed to enter the shrine. Enforcement
seems to be mixed, but if you are polite
and in a small group you should be fine.
Women must wear a chador, which can be
borrowed from the entrance. Cameras are
forbidden inside the shrine but permitted
in the courtyard.
Hidden away in the northwestern corner
of the courtyard is a small museum housing
some highly prized old Qurans that have
been on the site for centuries. When we
visited, however, it was closed for repairs.
In the southeastern corner is the Bogheye Sayyed Mir Mohammad (Mausoleum of Sayyed Mir
Mohammad; hvariable, often 24hr), which houses
the tombs of two brothers of Mir Ahmad.
The shrine has the typical Shirazi bulbous
dome, intricate mirror work and four slender wooden pillars, leading some to describe
it as more beautiful than Shah-e Cheragh.
MASJED-E JAMEH-YE ATIGH
Walking through the southeastern (back)

entrance to the Shah-e Cheragh courtyard
and turning right after about 50m leads to
the ancient Jameh-ye Atigh Mosque (Masjed-e
Jameh-ye Atigh; hvariable). Dating from 894 this
is Shirazs oldest Islamic structure, though
most of what you see is from the late Safavid
period onwards.
While the dome of the north iwan and the
hypostyle columns in the ancient prayer hall
in the southeast corner are impressive, the
highlight is the rare turreted Khodakhaneh
(House of God). It was built in the mid14th century (or perhaps earlier) to preserve
valuable Qurans; poet Hafez is believed to
have worked here. The Khodakhaneh bears
an uncanny likeness to the Kaaba at Mecca,
and bears a unique Sassanid-style Tholth
inscription in raised stone characters on a
tiled background.
MADRASEH-YE KHAN
In 1615, Imam Gholi Khan, governor of

Fars, founded the serene Madraseh-ye Khan
(Dastqeib St; hknock on the door) theological college for about 100 students. The original
building has been extensively damaged by
earthquakes and only the impressive portal
at its entrance has survived; watch for the
unusual type of stalactite moulding inside
the outer arch and some intricate mosaic
tiling with much use of red, in contrast to
the tiles used in Yazd and Esfahan. The college (still in use) has a fine stone-walled
inner courtyard and garden.
The building can be reached via a lane
off Lotfali Khan St. The doors are usually
closed but if you get lucky the caretaker will
open it; a tip is appreciated. If you get in,
ask to be shown to the roof for panoramic
views over the bazaar.
NASIR-OL-MOLK MOSQUE
Down the road from the Madraseh-ye Khan,

Masjed-e Nasir-ol-Molk (Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque; off Lotfali Khan St; admission IR15,000; h8am-1pm & 3.30-5pm,
to 6pm summer) is one of the most elegant and
photographed mosques in southern Iran.

Built at the end of the 19th century, its coloured tiling (an unusually deep shade of
blue) is exquisite. There is some particularly fine stalactite moulding in the smallish
outer portal and in the northern iwan, but
it is the stunning stained glass, exquisitely
carved pillars and polychrome faience of the

winter prayer hall that are most eye-catching.
Photographers should come as early as possible in the morning for shots of the hall lit
up through the glass (you might have to
tip the caretaker to open the curtains). A
museum in the opposite prayer hall opens
into the Gav Cha (Cow Well), in which cows
walked downhill to raise water. The structure has survived numerous earthquakes,
due in part to its construction using flexible
wood as struts within the walls look for
the wooden bricks in the iwan columns.
BAGH-E NARANJESTAN & KHAN-E ZINAT
OL-MOLK

Bagh-e Naranjestan (Orange Garden; Lotfali Khan St;

admission IR30,000; h7.30am-6pm, 8am-7.30pm in summer) is Shirazs smallest garden and is famous
as the setting for the opulently decorated
Naranjestan-e Ghavam pavilion, built between
1879 and 1886, as part of a complex owned
by one of Shirazs wealthiest Qajar-era families. The pavilions mirrored entrance hall
opens onto rooms covered in a breathtaking
combination of intricate tiles, inlaid wooden
panels and stained-glass windows. Ceilings in the upstairs rooms are particularly
interesting, with the beams painted with
European-style motifs, including Alpine
churches and busty German frauleins.
Down a small lane beside the garden is
the Khan-e Zinat ol-Molk (Fars History Museum; x224
0035; h9am-7pm), which was originally the
private, andaruni area of the complex and is
named after its last owner, the daughter of
the builder Qavam. Today most of the finely
decorated rooms are stuffed with exhibits in
the Fars History Museum, while others serve
as galleries for young Shirazi artists. The gardens are in a walled compound 400m south
of the Nasir ol-Molk Mosque.
CHURCHES
The Anglican Church of St Simon the Zealot (Kelisaye Moqaddas-e Shamun-e Ghayur;
,)built by R Norman Sharp in 1938, is
very Iranian in character and even contains
stone tablets with biblical stories incised
on them in cuneiform, probably by Sharp.
According to local tradition, St Simon was
martyred in Persia together with St Thaddeus, another of the 12 Apostles. The great
metal door bearing a Persian cross is usually
closed ring the doorbell.
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
HAMMAM-E VAKIL
MARTYRS MOSQUE
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The 17th-century Armenian Church (Kelisaye Aramani; ; Nohahar Alley, off Qaani St),
is famous for its frescoes and flat, painted
ceiling. However, knocking might not be
enough to get you in.
IMAMZADEH-YE ALI EBN-E HAMZE
ARAMGAH-E HAFEZ
Iranians have a saying that every home must

have two things: first the Quran, then Hafez
(see p74). And many would reverse that
order. Hafez the poet is an Iranian folk-hero
loved, revered and as popular as many a modern pop star. Almost every Iranian can quote
his work, bending it to whichever social or
political persuasion they subscribe to. And
there is no better place to try to understand
Hafezs eternal hold on Iran than here, at
Aramgah-e Hafez (Tomb of Hafez; x228 4552; Golestan
Blvd; admission IR3000; h8am-10pm), his tomb.
Set in a charming garden with its two
pools, the whole scene is restful despite the
ever-present traffic noise. The marble tombstone, engraved with a long verse from the
poet, was placed here, inside a small shrine,
by Karim Khan in 1773. In 1935, an octagonal pavilion was put up over it, supported by
eight stone columns beneath a tiled dome.
Plan to spend a couple of hours sitting in a
discreet corner of the grounds, at sunset if
possible, to watch the way Iranians react to
what is, for many, a pilgrimage to his tomb.
You might see people performing the faale Hafez, a popular ritual in which you seek
insight into your future by opening a volume
of Hafez the future is apparent in his words.
After sunset, with the tomb floodlit and sung
ARAMGAH-E SADI
While not as popular as Hafezs tomb, the

Aramgah-e Sadi (Tomb of Sadi; x730 1300; Bustan
Blvd; admission IR3000; h7.30am-9pm, to 10pm summer)
and its generous surrounding gardens are appropriate for a man who wrote so extensively
about gardens and roses. Its a tranquil place,
with the tombstone housed in an opensided stone colonnade, inscribed with various verses from Sadi and supporting a tiled
dome (see p74 for more on Sadi). Nearby is
an underground teahouse (p278) set around
a fish pond that is fed by a qanat.
Its easy to visit the tombs of both Hafez
and Sadi in a single afternoon. From Golestan Blvd (outside Hafezs tomb), take a
shuttle taxi three squares southwest (IR1000)
to Sadi Sq, then walk about 800m uphill to
the tomb. Food and drink is available near
the entrance.
BAGH-E ERAM
Famous for its tall cypress trees, the delightful Bagh-e Eram (Garden of Paradise; x627 3647; Eram
Blvd; admission IR40,000; h8am-noon & 2-5pm, to 7pm
summer) will impress budding botanists and
social anthropologists the many hidden

corners of the gardens are popular with
young Shirazis. The gardens are centred
around a pretty pool beside a Qajar-era palace, the Kakh-e Eram (Eram Palace), which is
not open to the public. The gardens are managed by Shiraz University, which chooses to
charge foreigners 10 times the local price.
The gardens are easy enough to reach by
taking any shuttle taxi going along Zand
towards the university.
BAGH-E JAHAN NAMA
After being closed for years, the lovely Baghe Jahan Nama (Jahan Nama Garden; Hafez St; admission
IR1500; h8am-noon & 2-5pm, to 7pm summer) was
reopened in 2005. It doesnt have the reputation of Bagh-e Eram, but if you just want
VOICES OF IRAN: MAJID PIROOZMAND

Age: 28
Lives in: Shiraz
Occupation: Architect, consultant to Miras Feranghi
(Cultural Heritage Organisation)
I like Shiraz more than anywhere in the world. My childhood was here in
these kuches (lanes) and the city has a very rich history. Until now it still
doesnt have the terrible traffic you have in other cities, people are especially
friendly and the weather is perfect not too hot and not too cold.
I work with Miras Ferhangi and we want to preserve the cultural heritage.
Now Shiraz is ready to grow and advance, but we are still working to preserve the history. There
are many threats; we have to pay attention to every detail and if a plan threatens the heritage, we
reject it. To keep the old city alive we have programs to help the old places pay for themselves.
The traditional hotels in Yazd are a good example, and we know how important tourism is in
making this endeavour a success. When tourists spend money in historic buildings it helps to
keep that building alive, and thats important. In Shiraz, I love the gardens the most. We have
some of the most famous gardens in Iran. Shirazis specialise in going out and we love to go out
on the weekend, find some spare grass and sit, especially in summer.
The gardens are important for another reason, too. Usually, a girlfriend and boyfriend have a
problem because they want to go somewhere to enjoy themselves nothing illegal, just to be
together but there is nowhere to go. The garden is a great place for this, much better than
restaurants or cafs. I used to go with my girlfriend and now we are married we still go.
I love to travel and with my work I travel about one week every two months, to Esfahan, Yazd,
Kashan, Kerman, Mahan or Bam. Maybe its because Im an architect, but Kashan is my favourite;
I love the old houses and Madraseh-ye Khan.
to hang out in the greenery, dont want to

spend IR30,000 for the privilege and want it
to be within walking distance of your hotel,
come on down.
DARVAZEH-YE QURAN
At the northern and main entrance to

Shiraz is a ravine known as the Allah Akbar
Gorge because people would praise Allah
when they looked from here down to Shiraz
below. This is also home to the Darvazeh-ye
Quran (Quran Gateway; Quran Sq), a modern and
not desperately impressive structure built
in 1949 to replace two earlier gateways. The
gateway holds a Quran and travellers have
traditionally passed underneath it before
undertaking any journey. The fine original
Quran, installed during the Zand period,
was stolen from the Pars Museum in 2003.
Those with good leg muscles might want
to climb up Mt Baba Kuhi in search of two
more tombs and some bas-reliefs, from where
the views of Shiraz are breathtaking. There
are three teahouses here that are popular with
young people hanging, especially at sunset. To
get here, take a shuttle taxi to Quran Sq or walk
up from either the Aramgah-e Hafez (opposite) or the Bagh-e Jahan Nama (opposite).
Sleeping
Shiraz has probably the best range of hotels,
in the most confined space, of all Iranian
cities. Unless otherwise stated, they are located in streets leading off Zand Ave and
are a short walk to the main sights. They
tend to be clustered by price range, making
comparisons a breeze. The main downside
is that hotels on Zand can be noisy ask for
a room away from the street. Competition
is keen so most managers will be happy to
knock a few rial off the price out of season.
And if youre arriving by plane, the reservation desk at the airport offers discounts of up
to 20% on many hotels. Almost every hotel
in Shiraz can arrange trips to Persepolis and
Pasargadae.
BUDGET
The cheapest places are mainly concentrated

in neighbouring Dehnadi and Pirouzi Sts;
a couple of better budget options are on
Anvari St.
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
The Imamzadeh-ye Ali Ebn-e Hamze (x222 3353;

Hafez St, near Hamzeh Bridge; hdawn-dusk) stands
as the tomb of Emir Ali, a nephew of Shah
Cheragh who also died here while en route
to Khorasan to help Imam Reza. The existing shrine was built in the 19th century after
earthquakes destroyed previous incarnations. It has an eye-catching bulbous Shirazi
dome, dazzling mirror work, stained-glass
windows and an intricate, ancient wooden
door. The tombstones around the courtyard, for which families of the deceased paid
a small fortune, are also interesting. Unlike
some other shrines, the caretakers here are
very welcoming of foreigners; women are
happily handed a chador, and in you go!
poetry piped over the public address system,

it is difficult not to feel transported back to
the magic of ancient Persia. The charming
teahouse in the walled garden at the back of
the grounds was closed when we passed, but
should be open by the time you arrive.
To get here from the centre of town you
can walk (about 2km); take a shuttle taxi
from Shohada Sq to Ghaem Sq, then walk;
or take a private taxi (about IR7000).
lBook yourl stayeat. c o m

o n e l y p a n t lonelyplanet.com/hotels
Mehmunsara Fadagh (x222 5135; Kuche Mohandase; dm/tw IR20,000/60,000) Deep in the old city,
this mehmunsara in a 200-year-old building
is the cheapest, most interesting hotel in
town; note we didnt say atmospheric. Its
owned by the Sepah militia and mainly used
by male pilgrims (not great for solo women),
who like the enormous dorm. But the small,
clean twins are good value and the courtyard, with its underground teahouse (open
8am to 8pm), is good for chilling. Theres
no sign in English and its hard to find; walk
past the Imamzadeh Bibi Dokhtar, turn
right and follow the signs to the Meshkinfam Museum of Art its about 15m before
the museum.
Zand Hotel (x222 2949; [email protected]; Dehnadi
Zand has ultra-basic, reasonably clean rooms
with or without showers (toilets are shared).
Its popular with overlanders because it has
(limited) courtyard parking, a kitchen for
guests and a free washing machine.
Esteghlal Hotel (x222 7728; Dehnadi St; tw with/
without bathroom IR140,000/115,000; a) Opposite
the Zand Hotel, the Esteghlal has long been
popular with budgeteers but not, it must
be said, for the quality of the small, boxy
rooms. Theyre adequate, but note that
while all rooms with bathrooms cost the
same, some dont have a toilet look at
several. English-speaking manager Reza can
advise on transport and flogs the usual day
trips.
oAnvari Hotel (x 233 7591; Anvari St; tw
IR160,000; a) Theres nothing fancy about the
modest, four-storey Anvari, but almost all
like the place. Its clean, comfortable enough
for the money and, most importantly, has a
consistently convivial atmosphere. Ideal for
solo women travellers and the place youre
most likely to meet other travellers.
Sasan Hotel (x233 7830; sasanhotel@shirazsport
.com; Anvari St; s/d/tr US$15/20/24; ai ) Next
door to the Anvari, Sasan has slightly better
rooms, with softer beds and more furniture,
for slightly more money. The manager is a
friendly old guy who could, as one reader
reported, talk all four legs off a billiard
table. Good upper budget choice.
If the other places are full, no-frills hotels
line noisy Piruzi St (ask for a back room):
Saadi Hotel (x222 5126; s/tw/tr IR70,000/110,000/13
0,000) Boxy, noisy but clean rooms and shared bathrooms,
lumpy beds.
Hotel Sina (x222 5665; Piruzi St; tw with/without

bathroom IR180,000/150,000; a) Good beds, fridge and
squat toilets; clean relatively large rooms.
MIDRANGE
Rudaki Ave and the adjoining Eizedi St are

the places to look for midrange options. Rates
include breakfast and, at most, bargaining
is worthwhile.
oShiraz Eram Hotel (x 230 0814-16; www
.eramhotel.com; Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd; s/d US$45/55;
pai) For years weve been getting let-
ters and emails complimenting the Erams

relaxed but professional service, and its the
guys at reception who set the tone. Rooms
in the new wing (specify them) are big, quiet
and reasonably well-equipped with phone,
minibar and satellite TV. Buffet breakfast in
the Sarve Naz Restaurant (meals IR35,000
to IR70,000; open breakfast, lunch and dinner) is refreshingly varied, and the mains
here are also good. In short, the Eram is
comfortable, dependable, friendly, central
and good value and has embraced some
energy-saving measures.
oAryo Barzan Hotel (x 224 7182-4; www
.aryohotel.com; Rudaki Ave; s/d/ste US$45/65/97; ai)
The Aryo is a favourite among readers for its

intelligent, smiling and extravagantly coiffed
service, fair prices and modern rooms. The
small but tastefully furnished rooms are set
around an atrium and have correspondingly small and spotlessly clean bathrooms,
with Mini Mesized bathtubs. Significant
discounts are possible off season.
Park Saadi Hotel (x227 4901-19; parksaadi_hotel@
yahoo.com; Hafez St, s/d/ste/apt US$45/65/110/150;
pai) The Saadis 52 newly refurbished
rooms are in a quiet location opposite

lovely Bagh-e Jahan Nama. Its solid threestar through and through, with large, bright
rooms (some with wi-fi), a decent restaurant
and experienced management.
Jaam-e-Jam Apartment Hotel (x230 4002; www
.jaamejamhotel.com; Eizedi St; 1-/2-bed apt from US$60;
ai) Choose between the sprawling apart-
ments in the four-year-old old wing and

smaller rooms in the Persepolis-inspired new
wing, opened in 2007. The location is quiet,
and management and service are professional.
Be nice and a big discount might come your
way; we were offered an apartment for US$40.
Great value.
Persepolis Hotel (x229 5370-73; www.persepolis
hotel.com; Azadi Blvd, off Ghaem Sq; s/d US$65/95;
ais) Opened in 2006, this has mod-
ern-looking and well-equipped, if not huge,

rooms. Service is enthusiastic and the pool
can be booked after 11pm. Discounts are
available; if not, try Aryo Barzan first.
If those are full:
Kowsar Hotel (x230 0207; [email protected];
Zand Blvd; s/d US$27/40; ai) Old but reasonable
value. Discounts are possible.
Parsian Hotel (x233 0000; www.parsian-hotel.com;
Rudaki Ave; r/ste US$66/100; pai) Compact
rooms, good beds, decent service.
TOP END
Hadish Apartment Hotel (x235 1988; www.hadishhotel

.com; Rudaki Ave; 1/2-bed apt US$100/150; pai) The
big apartments here are a bit austere but have
fully equipped kitchens. Theyre most appealing for the value and friendly staff, who at
most times are happy to discount (rates were
halved after about 10 seconds bargaining).
Pars International Hotel (x233 2255; www.pars-in
ternational-hotel.com; Zand Blvd; s/d/ste with breakfast
US$81/117/186; pais ) This four-star
business hotel is probably the best in town.

Rooms are well equipped (though theres no
internet; its only available in the lobby) and
those upper floors offer panoramic views.
Homa Hotel (x222 8000-09; www.homahotelgroup
.com; Meshkin Fam St; s/d/ste with breakfast US$90/120/175;
pais) The 70s-era Homa is showing
its age and the rooms and indeed some of

the staff look tired. But the location, restaurants, front-desk service and views over the
city, and Park-e Azadi in particular, make it
a decent choice. The pool is men-only.
Eating
Shiraz is noted as a culinary capital but
Shirazis have embraced Western-style fast
food with an almost embarrassing relish.
Weve listed the best places and will mostly
leave you to find the pizza and burger joints
on your own. Sadly the world-famous
Shiraz (Syrah) grape is no longer made into
the wine that inspired Hafez to poetry.
RESTAURANTS
There are some excellent Iranian restaurants.

Gavara Restaurant (x222 7211; Piruzi St; meals
IR20,000-40,000; h11am-10pm) The subterranean
Gavara is an old-style local an unpretentious, neon-lit hall divided into sections for
men, and women and families. The menu
is big and the food unsophisticated but very
tasty; kababs, khoreshts, fish (sometimes) and

a decent ghorme sabzi. Look for the Achaemenid-style staircase beneath the Saadi Hotel.
Haji Baba Restaurant (x233 2563; Zand Blvd; meals
IR25,000-50,000; h7am-11pm) Not exactly atmospheric, but the food is delicious, location
and opening hours convenient and prices
reasonable.
Yavar Restaurant (x228 7728; Ghaem Sq; meals
IR30,000; h11.30am-3.30pm & 6.30-11pm) For traditional Shirazi food, local prices and character, the Yavar is excellent. The eslamboli
(rice and tomato) and khoresht bademjan
(eggplant stew) make a refreshing alternative to kababs (which it also has). Theres
no English sign; look for Hossein riding a
white horse across the front wall.
Restaurant Hatam (x222 1709; Piruzi St; meals
IR35,000; h11am-9pm Sat-Thu) No frills, soulless cheapie with a limited range of decent
Iranian food.
oYord Cultural Complex (x 625 6774, 0917
715 2059; Mansour Abad, Dinakan St, after Maliabad bridge;
meals IR55,000; hlunch & dinner, dinner only in winter)
In an enormous colourful yord (tent) about

8km northwest of town, this complex not
only offers the chance to enjoy some fine
Iranian-nomad food, but also to experience
the Qashqai culture. The warm atmosphere,
colourful costumes, live music and delicious
food afford a dreamy escape from modern
life into a Qashqai tented embrace. Yord is
almost impossible to reach by public transport, so ask your hotel to write the name in
Farsi and get a taxi (about IR25,000); it is
also worth paying the taxi to wait for you
(about IR70,000 total) as taxis out here are
rare indeed. We heard a second Yord has
opened, and that both are periodically closed
because of licensing issues, so always call
ahead and get the address sorted.
oSharzeh Traditional Restaurant (x 224
1963; Vakil St, off Zand Ave; meals IR65,000; h11am-3pm

& 8-11pm) Talk about atmosphere! The night
we ate at the Sharzeh it was going off like

the proverbial frog in a sock, with diners
singing and clapping along with musicians
playing traditional music in the centre of the
two-level space. Great fun! The Iranian food
was well-prepared, tasty and plentiful. Its
diagonally opposite the entrance to the Vakil
Bazaar. Theres no English sign; look for the
man in costume outside an arcade.
Shater Abbas Restaurant 1 (x229 1440; Khakshenasi
St, off Azadi Blvd; meals IR80,000; h11am-4pm & 6-11.30pm)
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
St; tw with/without shower IR100,000/80,000; pa)
The low light, open kitchen, bustling staff and

modern design touches create an atmosphere
that is hugely popular with middle-class
Shirazis. The menu mixes the classic range of
kababs with some less familiar dishes turkey kabab and mushroom steak, for example.
Prices seem to have climbed with demand,
sharply. Look for the flame torches outside.
Other recommendations:
Soofi Traditional Restaurant 2 (x626 1573; Afif
Abad St; meals IR50,000-80,000; hnoon-3.15pm &
7-11.15pm) Beside the Setareh Fars shopping centre; popular with young, wealthy Shirazis; live music at night.
Pat Traditional Restaurant (x235 4186; Paramount
Cross; meals IR55,000; hlunch & dinner) Subterranean,
traditional place with live music.
Shiraz might just be the pizza capital of

the world. Dozens of new pizza joints have
opened here serving the usual array of
thick-crusted, tomato-less pies topped with
too much tasteless sausage. Zand is packed
with places selling pizzas, burgers, hot dogs,
saucis (sausage) sandwiches, soft-serve ice
cream and other such delicacies.
110 Hamburgers (Anvari St; meals IR25,000; h11ammidnight) The best, however, is this place to
which Shirazis come like moths to a neon
flame (two glowing palm trees). Their version
of the shwarma, with meat sliced off a spit and
shovelled into a bread roll with healthy bits
like tomato and pickle (IR18,000), is good.
Mahdi Faludeh (Naser Khosrow St; h2-10pm) The
most famous faludeh (IR3000 a cup) shop in
Shiraz that does a good line in bastani, too.
Its opposite the Arg and beside the mosque
entrance.
TEAHOUSES & CAFS
There are some cracking teahouses in Shiraz,

and a few decent cafs too. Unfortunately,
the historic and popular Hammam-e Vakil
has closed as a teahouse.
Aroosh Khorshid (Dehnadi St; meals IR25,000-45,000;
h8am-10pm Sat-Thu) Convenient to the cheap
accommodation, the Aroosh has plenty of
old paraphernalia hanging about and the big
space can have a decent atmosphere when its
busy. The food is decent if unadventurous;
check the bill carefully.
oSeray-e Mehr Teahouse (x 222 9572;
Seray-e Mehr, Bazar-e Vakil; meals IR35,000-50,000; h9am9pm Sat-Thu) This is a serendipitous place to find
after wandering through the Bazar-e Vakil.
Hidden away through a small door behind

the Serai Mushir Bazar, the split-level teahouse has a small menu of tasty favourites
(think dizi, kubideh, zereshk polo) and a delightfully relaxed atmosphere in which to sit,
sip tea and puff on qalyan.
Khajo Teahouse (Darvazeh-ye Quran; h11am-10pm)
One of three little places selling tea and qalyan
on the side of the rocky slope above the Quran
Gate. Panoramic city views at sunset.
Aramgah-e Hafez Teahouse (x228 4552; Golestan
Blvd) Set at the back of the ground of Hafezs
tomb, this teahouse is a great place to chill
out with some live traditional music and a
cup of chay, though the man himself might
have preferred a glass of Shiraz. At the time of
writing the teahouse was closed, but should
be back by the time you arrive.
Saadi Teahouse (x727 2300; Aramgah-e Sadi)
This subterranean chaykhaneh isnt quite
as atmospheric as the Hafez version, but its
still plenty of fun.
Shopping
Good buys in the Bazar-e Vakil include metalwork and printed cottons, especially tablecloths and rugs woven by Fars nomads. Shiraz
can be a good place to buy kilims and gabbehs (traditional rugs), though the selection
is not as great as in Esfahan. For handicrafts,
head to Serai Mushir in the Bazar-e Vakil,
where youll find some excellent shops and a
great atmosphere. For a taste of modern Iran,
head for the Setareh Fars Commercial Mall, a
shopping mall (lots of labels), games complex
(10-pin bowling IR40,000 a game!) and topfloor food court (Mexican and Chinese, open
4pm to midnight) where the young and hip
hang out. Come in the evening for a taste of
modern, consumer Iran.

AIR
Its easy to start or finish a trip to Iran in

Shiraz because several airlines operate between Shiraz and gulf cities. Iran Aseman
(x230 8841; Zand Blvd; h8am-8pm Sat-Thu) flies between Shiraz and Dubai (one way IR820,000,
daily) and Kuwait (IR882,000, daily), while
other Gulf cities are served by Gulf Air (Bahrain) and Iran Air (Bahrain, Doha).
Shiraz International Airport (x722 5020; http://
shirazairport.ir) has a handy flight information
number (x199; h8am-9pm) and a hotel booking counter offering hefty discounts.
lonelyplanet.com
C E N T R A L I R A N Pe r s e p o l i s 279
Iran Air (x233 0041; cnr Zand Blvd & Felestin St;
h8am-3.30pm) flies the following domestic
routes.
Destination
Fare
Bandar Abbas
Bandar-e Lengeh
Esfahan
Kish
Mashhad
Tehran
Flights
IR289,000
IR244,000
IR246,000
IR253,000
IR540,000
IR395,000
5 weekly
4 weekly
daily
5 weekly
6 weekly
several daily
Iran Aseman, Mahan Air, Kish Airlines and

other domestic carriers serve a mix of the
same destinations, for the same prices; see
a travel agency (p271) for tickets.
BUS & MINIBUS
Most long-distance buses operate from busy

Carandish bus terminal (Terminal-e Bozorg; Salman-e Farsi
Blvd). Prices are for mahmooly/Volvo buses
(or just Volvo), and the main (but usually not
the only) departure times are noted.
Destination
Fare
Duration
Departures
8-9hr
7pm-9.30pm
7-10hr
10hr
Zahedan buses
5-9pm
Kerman
IR25,000/
55,000
IR65,000
IR26,500/
55,000
IR20,000/
38,000
IR34,500/
60,000
IR45,000
Kermanshah
IR85,000
Sanandaj
IR90,000
Tabriz
IR115,000
Tehran
IR37,000/
75,000
IR18,000/
45,000
Ahvaz
Bam
Bandar Abbas
Esfahan
Hamadan
Yazd
Zahedan
IR85,000
8hr
regular
15hr
1.30pm
(Fars Mihan)
8hr
7.30am,
9.30am (T8);
1.30-10pm
18hr
2.30pm
(Fars Mihan)
1.30pm
(Fars Mihan)
20hr
1.30pm
(Fars Mihan)
13-18hr
hourly
4-11pm
5-7hr
7.30am, (T8),
5-8pm 2pm, 3pm
(Seiro Safar Jonub)
13-17hr
7am, 1pm,
6pm (T8)
If youre on a tight schedule its worth

booking ahead at the Iran Peyma (Taavoni 1;
x 222 3888; Zand Blvd; h 7am-8pm Sat-Thu, 8amnoon Fri) office near the corner of Sadi St, or
nearby Pars Tourist Agency (p271).
Buses to towns west and southwest of

Shiraz leave from Amir Kabir Terminal on
the southern outskirts. Buses for Kazerun
(IR10,000, two to three hours) and Bushehr
(IR13,000/30,000, five hours) depart at least
every hour; arriving from Bushehr, youll
probably be dropped here.
SAVARI
Savaris for regional towns such as Bishapur,

Firuz Abad and Marvdasht (for Persepolis) go
from the southern edge of Carandish Terminal, near the river, on a semiregular basis.
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
A private taxi to or from the city centre should

cost about IR15,000. Ask at the airport information desk if the public bus has resumed,
and if it runs all the way into town.
METRO
The Shiraz Urban Railway (www.shirazmetro.ir) is

being built and will eventually include three
lines, with 40 stations on 47km of track,
including a link to the new EsfahanShiraz
mainline station. Line 1 will open in 2010
at the earliest, and will run from southeast to northwest, including a stretch along
Zand Ave between Valiasr Sq (good for visa
extensions) and Imam Hossein Sq.
TAXI
Shirazs fleet of old, green-and-white Paykan

taxis, known locally as mas khiyari (yogurt
cucumber) is slowly being phased out in
favour of shiny yellow Prides. Shuttle taxis
ply the streets for IR1000 to IR2000 per trip.
Chartering starts at IR5000.
PERSEPOLIS
x0728 / elev 1630m
Magnificent Persepolis (Takht-e Jamshid; admission

IR5000; h 7.30am-5pm Nov-Mar, 8am-6pm summer)
embodies the greatest successes of the ancient Achaemenid Empireand its final
demise (see History, p27). The monumental staircases, exquisite reliefs and imposing
gateways leave you in no doubt how grand
this city was and how totally dominant the
empire that built it. Equally, the broken and
fallen columns attest that the end of empire
was emphatic. Persepolis is a result of the
vast body of skill and knowledge gathered
from throughout the Achaemenids empire.
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
QUICK EATS
lonelyplanet.com
280 C E N T R A L I R A N Pe r s e p o l i s
lonelyplanet.com
It is Persian in ideology and design, but truly

international in its superb architecture and
artistic execution.
This multicultural concoction is alone
in the ancient world, and while largely
ruined it remains the greatest surviving
masterpiece of the ancient Near Eastern
civilisations. Respected scholar Arthur
Upham Pope ably summed up the philosophy behind Persepolis in Introducing
Persian Architecture (published by Tuttle
in 1982):
Tours
CENTRAL IRAN
ENTERING THE CITY
Just about every hotel in Shiraz organises

tours, with prices proportional to room
rates; be sure about whether youll have
an actual guide who speaks your language
(more expensive) or just a driver. For a list
of reputable tour guides, see p271.
Some historians believe the site of Persepolis was chosen by Cambyses II, son of
Many travellers opt for an English-speaking driver to ferry them around for a half or
full day. The driver usually wont enter the
site with you, so youll have to rely on this
book, or if youre lucky, a brochure from
Persepolis. To Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam
and Naqsh-e Rajab, it usually costs from
about IR200,000 to IR250,000, while the
full day to Pasargadae costs IR300,000 to
IR350,000. For the best of these drivers, see
our list (p271).
As it always has been, entry to Persepolis is

via the monumental Grand Stairway (2) at the
northwest corner of the site. The stairs were
carved from massive blocks of stone, but
each step was shallow so Persians in long
elegant robes could walk gracefully up into
the palace.
Whenever important foreign delegations
arrived, their presence was heralded by
trumpeters at the top of the staircase; fragments of one of these bronze trumpets are
on display in the museum. Acolytes then
led the dignitaries through Xerxes Gateway
(3; also known as the Gate of All Nations),
PERSEPOLIS
0
0
100 m
0.1 miles
D
Entrance...................................... 1
Grand Stairway............................2
Xerxes' Gateway (Gate of All
Nations)...................................3
Northern Staircase to Apadana
Palace......................................4
Apadana Palace (Central Hall).......5
Apadana Staircase........................6
Tripylon (Xerxes Hall of
Audience)............................... 7
Tachara....................................... 8
Hadish.........................................9
Palace H.....................................10
Haramsara (Museum).................11
Treasury.....................................12
Tomb of Artaxerxes III............... 13
Tomb of Artaxerxes II................14
Palace of 100 Columns.............. 15
Garrison.................................... 16
Hall of 32 Columns.................... 17
Unfinished Gate........................ 18
Court of Apadana...................... 19
18
START
END
2
17
3
19
16
14
4
To Ticket
Booth (250m);
Bookshop
(250m)
15
Harem
ay
12
11
8
9
10
13
A2
A2
A2
A2
A2
B2
B2
A3
B3
B3
B3
C3
C3
C2
B2
C2
B1
B1
B2
The Persepolis Complex

The following descriptions are set out like a
walking tour in the order suggested on the
map. This route is different to that taken by
many guides, meaning you can avoid the
throngs.
C E N T R A L I R A N Pe r s e p o l i s 281
which is still a wonderfully impressive

monument.
The gateway was built during the time
of Xerxes I and is guarded by bull-like figures that have a strong Assyrian character.
Above these, look for a cuneiform inscription in Old Persian, Neo-Babylonian and
Elamite languages. It declares, among other
things, that King Xerxes says: by the favour of Ahuramazda this Gate of All Nations I built. Much else that is beautiful was
built in this Parsa, which I built and my
father built. Centuries of graffitists have
also left their mark; look for explorer Henry
Morton Stanley.
APADANA PALACE & STAIRCASE
Important Persian and Median notables were

probably ushered to the Apadana Palace (5) to
the south. Constructed on a terrace of stone
by Xerxes I, the palace was reached via another staircase. Although it can be difficult to
picture the grandeur of the palace from what
remains, the bas-reliefs along the northern
wall evocatively depict the scenes of splendour that must have accompanied the arrival
of delegations to meet with the king.
Most impressive of all, however, and
among the most impressive historical sights
in all of Iran, are the bas-reliefs of the Apadana
Staircase (6) on the eastern wall, which can also
be reached from the Palace of 100 Columns.
The northern panels recount the reception
of the Persians in long robes and the Medes
PERSEPOLIS UNDER THE ACHAEMENIANS

In its heyday Persepolis spread over about 125,000 sq metres and was one of four cities at the
heart of an empire that spread from the Indus River to Ethiopia. Its original name was Parsa and
the first known reference to it by its Greek name of Persepolis meaning both City of Parsa
(City of Persia) and Destroyer of Cities came after its sacking by Alexander the Greats army in
330 BC. Oddly, however, Persepolis is rarely mentioned by any name in foreign records, fuelling
speculation among some archaeologists that the existence of the city was kept a secret from the
outside world. The few remaining records focus instead on other Achaemenid capitals, including
Babylon, Ecbatana (modern Hamadan) and Shush.
More certain is that Persepolis was built on the slopes of Mt Rahmat (the Mount of Mercy) as a
showcase for the empire, designed to awe visitors with its scale and beauty. It served this purpose
during the annual No Ruz (New Year) celebration, when subjects came from across the empire to
climb up from the level of the surrounding plain and pay homage and tribute to their kings.
Its quite possible that at other times the business of the empire returned to Shush.
Persepolis was burned to the ground during Alexanders visit in 330 BC. If youre wondering how
a palace built almost entirely of stone could be burned to the ground, the explanation lies in the
roof. The ceilings of most buildings are believed to have been made from huge timber beams, and
as these burned they heated, then melted, the iron and lead clamps that held it all together.
CENTRAL IRAN
Cyrus the Great, but work did not begin

until after Darius I (the Great) took the
throne in 518 BC. It was added to by a host
of subsequent kings, including Xerxes I and
II, and Artaxerxes I, II and III, over a period
of more than 150 years.
The ruins you see today are a mere
shadow of Persepolis former glory. But
their very existence is due in part to the
fact the ancient city was lost for centuries,
totally covered by dust and sand. It wasnt
until the 1930s that extensive excavations
revealed its glories once again.
Note that there is little shade at Persepolis and from May until early October it can
be sweltering, so bring a hat and water. For
computer illustrations of Persepolis in all its
glory, see www.persepolis3D.com.
Humane sentiments found expression

in the nobility and sheer beauty of the
building: more rational and gracious
than the work of the Assyrians or Hittites, more lucid and humane than that
of the Egyptians. The beauty of Persepolis is not the accidental counterpart
of mere size and costly display; it is
the result of beauty being specifically
recognised as sovereign value.
lonelyplanet.com
in shorter dress. The three tiers of figures are

amazingly well preserved. Each tier contains
representations of the most elite of the Achaemenid soldiers, the Imperial Guard and
the Immortals. On the upper tier, they are
followed by the royal procession, the royal
valets and the horses of the Elamite king of
chariots, while on the lower two tiers they
precede the Persians with their feather headdresses and the Medes in their round caps.
The stairs themselves are guarded by Persian
soldiers. The central panel of the staircase
is dedicated to symbols of the Zoroastrian
deity Ahura Mazda, symbolised by a ring
with wings, flanked by two winged lions with
human heads and guarded by four Persian
and Median soldiers; the Persians are the
ones carrying the indented shields. An inscription announces that the palace was
started by Darius and completed by Xerxes
and implores God to protect it from famine, lies and earthquakes. The panels at the
southern end are the most interesting, showing 23 delegations bringing their tributes to
the Achaemenid king. This rich record of the
nations of the time ranges from the Ethiopians in the bottom left corner, through a
climbing pantheon of, among various other
peoples, Arabs, Thracians, Indians, Parthians and Cappadocians, up to the Elamites
and Medians at the top right.
Today, the staircase is covered by a permanent shelter and the only direct sunlight
is early in the morning; its worth heading
straight here when the site opens.
TRIPYLON (XERXES HALL OF AUDIENCE)
This small but handsomely decorated palace

is known as both the Tripylon (7) and Xerxes
Hall of Audience. It stands at the heart of the
city but what its exact function was remains
unknown. One of the more widely accepted
theories is that the king used it to receive
notables and courtiers in a private area, possibly to make important political decisions.
On the columns of the eastern doorway are
reliefs showing Darius on his throne, borne
by the representatives of 28 countries; the
crown prince Xerxes stands behind his father. The 28 have their arms interlinked,
representing a union of nations.
ROYAL PALACES
The southwestern corner of the site is

dominated by palaces believed to have been
lonelyplanet.com
constructed during the reigns of Darius and

Xerxes. The Tachara (8; or Winter Palace)
is easily the most striking, with many of
its monolithic doorjambs still standing
and covered in bas-reliefs and cuneiform
inscriptions. The stairs on the southern
side bear highly skilled reliefs and are
some of the most photogenic. The palace
opens onto a royal courtyard flanked by
two palaces. To the east is the Hadish (9), a
palace completed by Xerxes and reached
via another monumental staircase. Some
scholars speculate that its wooden columns
on stone bases might have served as kindling for Alexanders great fire especially
as it had been Xerxes who had put Athens
to the torch. To the south of the square are
the remains of an unfinished palace known
as Palace H (10).
lonelyplanet.com
C E N T R A L I R A N N a q s h - e R o s t a m & N a q s h - e R a j a b 283
THE LAST SHAHS TENT CITY

Outside the entrance to Persepolis, through the pine trees behind the toilets, are the remains of a
luxurious tent city built by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to celebrate the 2500th anniversary of
the Persian monarchy in 1971. The tents played host to a lavish and incredibly expensive party,
attended by dignitaries including 60 monarchs or heads of state, but few Iranians. Food was flown
in from Maxims in Paris, and many of the VIPs were put up in luxury tented apartments, complete
with marble bathrooms. They were arranged on five streets, each representing a geographical area
(Europe, Oceania, Asia, Africa and America), which came together to form a five-pointed star.
The celebration had two main objectives: to promote Iran to the rest of the world, and nurture
Iranian nationalistic pride and love of their monarch. The first was a huge success, but the second
was a public relations disaster. Opponents quickly pointed to the unnecessary extravagance, and
some believe the party was a turning point from which the shah never recovered. It has stood
rusting, with canvas slowly decaying, ever since.
In late 2007 it seemed the tent city, so long portrayed as a symbol of wasteful monarchy,
would be rehabilitated through the uncomfortable mix of politics, pragmatism and ideology
that is Iranian life. Reports suggested the city would be restored to its original luxury to house
wealthy tourists. Talk about ironic
HAREMSARA (MUSEUM)
PALACE OF 100 COLUMNS
Accessed via stairs east of the Tripylon, the

Haremsara (11; admission IR5000; h8am-5pm) is the
most argued about building at Persepolis.
Despite the depictions around the door of
the king defeating evil, scholars argue that
is was either a harem for the kings consorts
and concubines or a residence for visiting
ambassadors (it has the same number of
rooms as the number of subject nations).
Restored in the 1930s, today it houses a
museum and administrative offices. The
museum contains a stone foundation tablet
and a range of artefacts discovered during
excavations: alabaster vessels, cedar wood,
lances and arrow tips. Note the highly
polished walls; almost every wall in Persepolis was finished in this expensive, labourintensive fashion.
With an extravagant square hall measuring

almost 70m square and supported by 100
stone columns, the Palace of 100 Columns (15)
was the second-largest building at Persepolis,
built during the reigns of Xerxes and Artaxerxes I. Some scholars believe it was used
to receive the military elite upon whom the
empires security rested. An impressive array
of broken columns remain, and reliefs on the
doorjambs at the back (south) of the building
show a king, soldiers and representatives of
28 subject nations. Little remains of the Hall of
32 Columns (17), built at the end of the Achaemenid period. The arrival of Alexander and
his armies stopped work on a larger version
of the Gate of All Lands, in the wide courtyard in front of the Palace of 100 Columns,
now aptly called the Unfinished Gate (18).
TREASURY & TOMBS
SOUND & LIGHT SHOW
The southeastern corner of the site is dominated by Darius Treasury (12), one of the
earliest structures at Persepolis. Archaeologists have found stone tablets in Elamite and
Akkadian detailing the wages of thousands
of labourers. When Alexander looted the
Treasury its reported he needed 3000 camels
to cart off the contents. The foundations of
walls and bases of more than 300 columns are
all that remain. On the hill above the Treasury are the rock-hewn tombs of Artaxerxes II
(13) and Artaxerxes III (14). Its worth sitting
on the hill for a while to get a feel for the
enormous scale of Persepolis.
On summer Thursday and Friday nights a

sound and light show (IR5000; usually in
Farsi) lights up Persepolis at 8.30pm. You
must enter the site by 6pm. Check that its on
at the Tourist Information in Shiraz (p271).
Sleeping & Eating

Camping in the parking lot at Persepolis is
allowed, but otherwise the only sleeping option is Persepolis Tourist Complex (Hotel Jahangardi;
x447 4001; Takht-e Jamshid Blvd; r/ste US$24/50; a),
about 1.5km west of Persepolis, where recently restored bungalows are fair value and
the open-air teahouse is attractive.
Nearby, the best restaurant is the fauxgrotto Parsian Restaurant (x447 3555; Takht-e
Jamshid Blvd; meals IR30,000-50,000; hlunch & dinner).
At Persepolis itself, snacks, drinks and ice
creams can be bought near the ticket office.

Many travellers take tours or hire taxis
(see Tours, p271), but its not difficult to
get to Persepolis by a combination of bus
and local taxi from Shiraz. Take a minibus
(IR4000, 42km, hourly) or savari (IR8000, or
IR40,000 for the whole car to Persepolis) from
the southern edge of Carandish Terminal to
Marvdasht, where they stop at Basij Sq. From
here you should be able to find a shuttle taxi
(IR3000, 12km) or private taxi (IR15,000)
to Persepolis. Alternatively, drivers in Marvdasht told us they would go dar baste to
Persepolis and Naqshe-e Rostam, then back
to Shiraz for IR120,000, including a couple of
hours waiting time. Returning from the site,
there are always plenty of vehicles lurking
outside the entrance (about IR80,000 per
car to Shiraz), or try hitching.
NAQSH-E ROSTAM & NAQSH-E RAJAB

Definitely worth visiting as part of a trip to

Persepolis are these sites The rock tombs of
Naqsh-e Rostam (admission IR3000; h8am-5pm winter,
7.30am-5.30pm summer) are magnificent. Hewn
out of a cliff high above the ground, the four
tombs are believed to be those of Darius II,
Artaxerxes I, Darius I and Xerxes I (from
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
282 C E N T R A L I R A N Pe r s e p o l i s
lonelyplanet.com
left to right as you look at the cliff) although

historians are still debating this. The tombs
of the later Artaxerxes above Persepolis were
modelled on these. The openings lead to funerary chambers, where bones were stored
after the vultures had picked them clean.
The reliefs above the openings are similar to
those at Persepolis, with the kings standing
at fire altars supported by figures representing the subject nations below. The cruciform
design of the tombs supposedly represents
the cardinal points, but some historians
wonder whether this religious symbol has
any relationship to the Christian cross.
The eight Sassanian stone reliefs cut into
the cliff depict scenes of imperial conquests
and royal ceremonies; there are detailed descriptions in front of the tombs and reliefs.
Facing the cliff is the Kaba Zartosht. It was
long thought to be an Achaemenid fire temple, but scholars now argue that it might
have been an ancient calendar, or perhaps a
treasury. The walls are marked with inscriptions cataloguing later Sassanian victories.
Naqsh-e Rajab (admission IR2000; h8am-5pm
winter, 7.30am-5.30pm summer) is directly opposite the turn-off to Naqsh-e Rostam on the
old ShirazEsfahan road and is worth a
quick look. Four fine Sassanian bas-reliefs
are hidden from the road by the folds of a
rocky hill and depict various scenes from
the reigns of Ardashir I and Shapur the
Great. A man called Rajab once had a teahouse here, hence the name.

Most private taxi trips to Persepolis also
stop at Naqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab.
If you dont have a vehicle and its winter,
you could walk the 6km from Persepolis to
Naqsh-e Rostam, stopping off at Naqsh-e
Rajab en route. In summer, this would be
idiotic. Alternatively, negotiate with a taxi
driver to take you to these places, perhaps
en route back to Marvdasht.
PASARGADAE
elevation 1847m
Begun under Cyrus the Great in about 546

BC, the city of Pasargadae was quickly superseded by Darius Is magnificent palace at
Persepolis. Pasargadae (admission IR3000; h8am5pm, 7.30am-5.30pm summer) is about 50km north
of Persepolis and some travellers have questioned whether its worth the effort of get-
ting there. The site is not nearly as well

preserved as Persepolis, but is beautiful in
a lonely, windswept way.
The austere and awesomely simple Tomb
of Cyrus stands proudly on the Morghab
Plain. It consists of six stone tiers with a
modest rectangular burial chamber above,
and its unique architecture combines elements of all the major civilisations Cyrus
had conquered. During the Achaemenid
period it was surrounded by gardens and
protected, but was plundered by the armies
of Alexander the Great, an act that greatly
distressed the Macedonian conqueror.
About 1km north of the tomb begin the
insubstantial remains of the early Achaemenid empire. Cyruss Private Palace is first, notable for its unusual H-shaped plan, central
hall of 30 columns (the stumps of which remain), and wide verandahs front and back.
About 250m southeast is the rectangular
Audience Palace, which once had an 18mhigh hypostyle hall surrounded by smaller
balconies. Incredibly, one of the eight white
limestone columns remains standing on its
uncommon black limestone plinth. In both
the Audience Palace and in Cyrus Private
Palace there is a cuneiform inscription that
reads: I am Cyrus, the Achaemenid King.
Another 500m north of Cyruss Private
Palace are the remains of the Prison of Solomon
(Zendan-e Soleiman), variously thought to
be a fire temple, tomb, sun dial or store. On
the hill beyond is the Throne of the Mother of
Solomon (Takht-e Madar-e Soleiman), which
was actually a monumental 6000-sq-metre
citadel used from Cyruss time until the
late Sassanian period. Local historians believe the references to Solomon date from
the Arab conquest, when the inhabitants of
Pasargadae renamed the sites with Islamic
names to prevent their destruction.
By far the easiest way to get here is to
charter a taxi from Shiraz; see p271 for options. Some travellers take a driver to/from
Yazd, stopping here and at Persepolis.
By public transport, follow the instructions for Persepolis (p283), then walk another
1.5km and ask for the Sadahan Asenjan (taxi
station), from where you take another savari
to Saadatshahr (also known as Saadat Abad;
IR10,000, 45 minutes), and then another to
Pasargadae (IR5000). Alternatively, take a
bus (IR11,000) from Carandish terminal in
Shiraz to Saadatshahr, and a (very rare) taxi
lonelyplanet.com
C E N T R A L I R A N B a v a m a t 285
IRANS NOMADS
The 20th century saw the Iranian government try repeatedly to settle Irans many nomadic tribes.
For all their efforts, however, there are still about a million people living as nomads in Iran. They
are mostly Turkic Qashqai and Bakhtiyari, but there are also nomadic Kurds, Lors, Baluchis and
smaller groups such as the Khamseh of Bavanat.
The Bakhtiyari are concentrated in an area extending southward from Lorestan province to
Khuzestan province and westward from Esfahan to near the Iraqi border, moving their herds of
sheep and goats between summer and winter pastures. They speak a dialect of Lori.
The Qashqai are based in central Iran where they move between summer and winter pastures
in Fars Province. Their migration routes are among the longest and most difficult of all of Irans
pastoral tribes, as they are often on the road for 45 days. They have become famous for their
production of simple rugs the gabbeh which have proved very popular with Westerners (Iranians
are rather snobbish about gabbeh). You can usually spot Qashqai women in the Shiraz bazaar.
Nomadic women wear long, colourfully layered dresses with much jewellery and no chadors.
The men sometimes wear tall hats with a rounded crown. To see them its best to go with a
guide, who can translate and just find them. Pars Tourist Agency (p271) in Shiraz has several
nomad tour options, or try Bavanat Tours (below). Also see The Bakhtiyari, p218.
or (rare) minibus the remaining 30km. Easier is taking any bus towards Yazd or Esfahan
(you may have to pay full fare), getting out
at the turn-off to Pasargadae and walking or
hitching the last 8km. Leave plenty of time
to hitch/bus/whatever back to Shiraz or on
to Abarqu/Yazd.
BAVANAT
In a quiet valley 230km northeast of Shiraz,

the Bavanat region is a 20km-long walnut
forest in a lush valley between the Zagros
Mountains in the south and deserts to
the north. The main town is Suryan, aka
Bavanat, but the real destination here is
the village of Shah Hamzeh Bazm (or just
Bazm) 18km further east. The mountains
near Bazm are home to Khamseh nomads,
a confederation of five groups of Arabic,
Turkish and Farsi-speaking people. From
about April until October they pitch their
tents in the hills and survive with few of
the luxuries you might see in the tents of
Qashqai nomads north of Shiraz.
Abbas Barzegar, himself part Khamseh,
opens his family home in Bazm to visitors
and runs one- and two-day Bavanat Tours
(x0752-326 2357, 0917 317 3957; www.bavanattravel
.com) tours to stay with the nomads (in sum-
mer, of course). Hes a lovely guy, though

his very basic English is a problem. Alternatively, you could just hang out in his
place (price negotiable). Tours cost US$40
for one person, US$35 for two to five, and
US$30 each beyond that, including the
delicious food his wife is an award-winning

cook and transport.
To get to Bazm, first come to Suryan. One
bus leaves Abuzar Sq in Yazd (IR12,000,
three hours) at 1pm, returning at 7.30am.
From Shiraz (IR12,000, three hours), buses
leave Carandish Terminal at 7.30am and
12.30pm, returning at the same times next
day. There are no regular savaris to Suryan,
but you can go dar baste to Shahr-e Babak
(IR200,000 one way) if youre continuing to
Meymand (see p311). From Suryan, youll
have to hire a taxi or hitch.
FIRUZ ABAD
x0712 / pop 70,000 / elev 1330m
The monumental Sassanian-era remains

around modern Firuz Abad are often missed
by those in a rush to get to Persepolis. The
palaces and city were built by the founder
of the Sassanian empire, Ardashir Babakan,
in the 3rd century BC. Firuz Abad was once
an important stop on the Sassanid Roadway
between Shiraz and the ancient port of Shiraf.
Today, its mainly a Qashqaii farming town.
Coming from Shiraz, the first site is Qaleh-e
Doktar (Maidens Palace), sitting atop a steep
hill with commanding views into the valley
below. Youll know youre there when you
see a footbridge crossing the road. Take the
bridge and its a 10- or 15-minute climb. This
three-tiered palace made of rock and gypsum
was Ardashirs first, and its position and fortification reflect the lingering Parthian threat
of the time. While crumbling, its not difficult
CENTRAL IRAN
CENTRAL IRAN
284 C E N T R A L I R A N Pa s a r g a d a e
to imagine the palaces original layout, and

the views from the top are magnificent.
About 2km towards Firuz Abad, a signed
dirt road fords the Tang Ab river to reach
Ardashirs Palace (admission IR3000; h7.30am-sunset),
a much grander structure built beside a wonderfully refreshing spring once Ardashir felt
more secure. Given it is almost 1800 years
old, its domes, high iwans and clean, stable
lines which set the tone for all Sassanian
architecture remain hugely impressive.
The iwans and domes, with their accompanying squinches, are some of the earliest
surviving examples. In winter, the Tang Ab
is impassable so youll need to take a lengthy
detour through Firuz Abad by taxi.
Beyond Ardashirs Palace is his city, Gur
(N 28512.66, E 523158.52), which in
its current form is an archaeologists dream,
but requires plenty of imagination. With its
perfectly circular plan, divided into equal
sectors and separated by high walls, Gur
was a hugely ambitious town-planning feat.
The only existing building is the 30m-high
minaret that marked the centre of the circle. Gur is about 3km along the sealed road
between Firuz Abad and Ardashirs Palace.
Sleeping
The only place to stay in Firuz is the overpriced Firooz Abad Tourist Inn (Mehmunsara Jahangardi; x622 3699; s/d US$25/35; pa); most
people wisely take a day trip from Shiraz.

Minibuses run from Shirazs Carandish terminal to Firuz Abad (IR10,000, 2 hours)
several times a day, or take a savari (IR18,000,
80 minutes). Returning, the last savari leaves
about 7pm. For Qaleh-e Doktar, ask to get
off when you see the overhead footbridge.
Returning by savari youll need to go to
Firuz Abad, as they will be full when they
pass Qaleh-e Doktar. Or you could hitch.
Alternatively, take a tour or driver (p271).
KAZERUN & BISHAPUR

Just off the ancient royal road between Shiraz

and Bushehr are the small but fascinating
ruins of another two ancient cities: Kazerun
and, about 25km to the west, Bishapur. At
lonelyplanet.com
Kazerun (the name comes from an ancient

word meaning people who wash cotton
clothes) there are several Sassanian-era basreliefs most interesting to archaeologists for
their unique inscriptions.
Bishapur (admission IR3000; h8am-4pm, to 5pm summer), or Shapurs City, is better. It was the
grand capital of possibly the greatest of the
Sassannian kings, Shapur I. Shapur and his
armies defeated the Romans three times, and
much of Bishapur was built by Romans taken
captive after their Emperor Valerian was defeated in AD 260; he lived his final years a
captive at Bishapur. The site has been partly
excavated, revealing the enormous Palace of
Shapur and nearby Anahitas Temple, where a
stairway leads underground to a pool around
which the faithful once walked and prayed.
Some fine Irano-Roman mosaics remain, but
the best are now in the Louvre.
The city was originally approached along
the Shapur River in the steep-sided Chogan
Gorge. A short walk from Bishapur, its
rocky walls bear six large bas-reliefs commemorating, among other historical moments, Shapurs investiture as king and his
victory over Roman invaders. The deep
groove running through the reliefs was
caused by a powerful flood in the 1960s;
the groove marks the high-water mark.
About 4km along the gorge is the Tange Chogan (Shapur Cave) and its awesome
7m-high Statue of Shapur I, one of the most
impressive archaeological sites in Iran. Getting to the cave is easiest on a taxi tour, but
you could walk the 5km or so from Shapur.
Take the road along the river for about 4km
to a village on your left, where one of the
villagers will probably offer to lead you up
the steep ascent to the cave (start very early
in summer). A tip is appreciated.
Getting to Bishapur is easiest by charter taxi (at least IR200,000 from Shiraz),
but public transport is viable with an early
start. Take the bus to Kazerun from the
Amir Kabir terminal in Shiraz (IR10,000,
2 hours) or from Bushehr, or a savari.
From Shiraz, keep an eye out en route for
the 15-arch Karim Khan Bridge, a Zand-era
bridge about 40km west of Shiraz.
Alternatively, take a guided tour; see
p271 for guides and drivers.
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x0251 / pop 1,070,000 / elev 931m

Irans second-holiest city after Mashhad,

Aran Namak Lake

Book yourlstayeat. lonelyplanet.com/hotels

Despite the ever-present scaffolding the

Money Exchange (Marashi Najafi St; h9am-8pm)

At the physical and spiritual centre of Qom

no English sign, and the rooms and shared

bours and fair value.

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

The centre of town is Kamal-ol-Molk Sq,

x0361 / pop 320,000 / elev 935m

Most sights are easily reached on foot. To

Trains run from Qom train station (x441 7151)

several meticulously restored mansions that

A STING IN THE TAIL

Getting There & Away

Transport to Qom is packed on Fridays and

Qoms main bus terminal is actually a huge

Kashan and its surrounds have been home

Kashan is full of driver-guides looking to take

Kashans bazaar (hSat-Thu) is one of the most

lavish interior mouldings completed in 1868.

Hiding behind the high mud-brick walls

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

TEAHOUSES & CAFS

To Valiasr Sq (500m); Minibuses & Savaris

The oldest of Kashans restored houses,

To Imamzadeh-ye Abu Lolou (1.5km);

or are literally turning to dust, but several

Famous for its ground-breaking design,

extravagantly as youd expect, with the usual

OLD CITY WALLS

As one of the few remnants of the ancient

Arguably the finest Islamic complex in

The revered Shah Abbas I might well be

Lost in the midst of the labyrinthine bazaar

There are several sights worth a quick look

Off the left of the road as you come from

Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels

The delightful Shahzadeh-ye Ibrahim (Amir Kabir

pottery pieces, metal tools and domestic

Designed for Shah Abbas I, Bagh-e Tarikhi-ye

A few metres from the entrance to the

of shapes and sizes, some with raw, arched

With the much-loved Delpazir recently

TEAHOUSES & CAFS

Hammam-e Khan (x445 2572; Bazaar; h8am-9pm)

Getting There & Away

As with Qom, most buses that pass through

lBook yourl stayeat. c o m

x0362 / pop a few old ladies most of the time /

The ancient village of Abyaneh is the perfect

red mud-brick houses with lattice windows

Abyaneh Hotel (x436 2223-25; fax 436 2226; s/tw/

Located on a hill above Abyaneh, this

There are at least three trains a day between