10 Tourist attraction in Iran

  1. Caravanserai:

 

Iran is blessed with diversified natural landscapes and there are some deserts as well. In the past days, travelers used to cross the deserts and when they got tired, they used the road side inns to take rests. Caravanserai was such a roadside inn that helped the travelers from home and abroad to take rest. Generally, the travelers used to rest for the day or night and regained energy for the next phase of the journey. The inns have different names such as khan, katra etc. The inn turned into a great place for trade and commerce in the locality and also took part in creating different trading routes. Besides, the inn also played the role of an information center where people could get all of their necessary information. This particular Persian caravanserai was built to be a road station and later it was decorated with an inn. The name of this caravanserai has also been reflected in some Arab literatures. The architecture of the caravanserai is almost similar to the other inns or the regions and has a large open sky which is a unique feature for the caravanserai.

2. Urmia Lake:

 

This is one of the largest saltwater lake on the planet and covers around 2000 square miles. The lake is located covering different parts in Iranian Azerbaijan in Iran and some regions with adjacent to the Turkish border. The lake becomes largest in the Middle East when it is full with water but currently it has been a bit shrunken for the pumping of groundwater from the locality. Presently, the government of Iran is careful about the preservation of the lake and have assigned the Iranian Department of Environment for its protection as a national park. The name and meaning of the lake has been changed several times while the existing name has been derived from the city of Urmia and it was done in the 1970s when the Iranian Revolution was done. The presence of the lake was found in the records of 9th century BC and it was the center of a kingdom and human settlement. The location has experiences several wars and some other historical events as well. Now this is one of the best places to visit in Iran.

3. Tomb of Hafez: 

 

Hafez was a great poet of Persia (now Iran). He was born in 1315 and died in 1390 but during his lifetime he has won the hearts of the land’s people with his exceptional writing skills. A magnificent tomb has been built on his grave which attract a large number of tourists annually in the country. Presently there are two memorials and they are located in Shiraz in Iran. The tomb of Hafez is made with marble stone. The garden contains an open pavilion which is located by the side of a seasonal river. The existing tomb of Hafez was constructed in 1935 with the design from a French architect and archaeologist while it is estimated that the previous structure was built in 1773. The first tomb on the grave was built in 1452 with the order of the local governor. But restoration projects were done in different centuries as the rulers were unsatisfied with the tomb structure and believed that the structures were unable to bear the complete respect for the poet. The existing tomb is attractive and with the changes of centuries, it has become a very important tourist spot now.

4. Naqsh-e Rustam:

 

This is an old burial ground in Iran and located in Fars province. The ground is located with a group of Iranian rock reliefs. There is another such relief is available named as Naqsh-e-Rajab. Naqsh-e-Rustam is the oldest relief of the country and was initiated at around c. 1000 BC. With the passage of time, the relief has been damaged seriously and the naming was done after a legendary local hero of the same name, Rustam. The area contains tombs of different kings and rulers of the regions as well. Among the tombs, four of them belong to Achaemenid kings and they are commonly known as Persian crosses. The tombs lead to chambers and the bodies are kept in inscribed coffins made with stone. Excavation for the relief was done in several phases and the most notable excavations were done in 1936 that lasted till 1939. This is a great place for the national and international tourists.

5. Vakil Mosque:

 

Iran is the land of mosques and most of them are related with historical importance. Vakil Mosque is one the most prominent mosques and structures that enriched the beauty of the land. The mosque is located in Shiraz, in the southern part of Iran. The Vakil Bazaar is adjacent to the mosque which is a renowned marketplace in the country. It is said that the construction of the mosque began in 1751 and was completed by 1773. But some others are on the view that the mosque was built between these dates. So, the exact date for the mosque construction is not available but it was built during the Zand period. The mosque experienced a restoration in the 19th century and the restoration was done by the rulers of Qajar dynasty. The naming of the mosque has been derived from the title – Vakil which was used by the founder of the Zand dynasty, Karim Khan. The mosque was built by Karim Khan during his reign in the region and it covers around 8660 square meters altogether. The mosque’s interior and exterior has been designed with the features that resemble the art and culture of the then Shiraz.

6. Ali Qapu Palace:

Generally, the external visitors in Iran do not miss the chance to visit this grand palace, Ali Qapu. The palace is located in Isfahan in Iran, on the western side of Naqsh-e-Jahan. This is a huge structure with a height of forty-eight meters. The construction of the palace took longer times and several stages to complete. In fact, there were six phases to construct the entire structure. Currently there are six floors available. The floors are accessible through spiral staircase. The sixth floor is the key attractive place for the visitors and the music hall is the best place on this floor. Some the interiors are decorated with different classical fresco of Iran and the picture of traditional Iranian women and their regular activities are the key subjects on the frescos. The name of the palace has been derived from an Arabic and Turkish word which jointly refers to – imperial gate. The structure was constructed with the order from Shah Abbas I in the early part of 17th century. The palace was mainly used for entertaining the foreign visitors, local elites and noble men and others. Reza Abbasi, the court painter was assigned to complete the wall paintings. Now this has turned into a great place to visit.

7. The Arg-e Bam:

 

There are no exact dates of origin has been found for this building but historians are on the view that the Arg-e Bam was constructed by sixth to four centuries BC. The building was the largest brick made building in the world and now is one of the most famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. The building is located in Bam under the Kerman province in Iran. The citadel is located on a crossroads which once was used as a route for important trading purposes. The highest point of the building is located on the citadel and the name has been derived from the height. After its construction, the citadel experienced no major troubles but the severe earthquake of 2003 almost ruined the building. With the declaration of the Iranian President, the citadel was rebuilt. The citadel covers an area of 44 acres of lands and surrounded by oversized walls which are around 7 meters in height. The structure has two watch towers which has made it famous. The citadel has been constructed in several parts and one phase, after completion, has been linked to the next phase. The structure is on the center of the city as it provides a wide view which is a must for security measures. Now this is a fine place indeed for the travelers.

8. Armenian Monastic Ensembles in Iran: 

 

Despite being a Muslim majority country, the people of other religions also live here in peace and the Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran is a burning example of the religious harmony. This is in fact an ensemble of three Armenian churches and they are located in the East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan provinces under Iran. The structures were established between and the 7th and 14th centuries A. D and since then they also experienced numerous renovations for different purposes. Now the sites are enlisted by the UNESCO World Heritage Site list and the edifices demonstrate the Armenian structures and traditions. The three churches cover around 129 hectares of lands and is the key place to spread out Armenian culture in the locality. Historians are on the view that the churches were built by the early Armenians in Iran during the 6th century B.C. There are some legends found over the construction of the churches that Saint Thaddeus was buried here and Saint Gregory was assigned to make a monastery here marking the death of St. Thaddeus. The monasteries were evacuated during the Ottomans invasion and were reoccupied once the conflicts were ended. Now this is a beautiful place for the national and international visitors.

9. Bisotun:

 

Bisotun is another important place to visit in Iran and linked with some historical evidences. The city name is pronounced in different ways and now is the capital of Bisotun district in Iran under its Kermanshah province. The city has a small population and according to a census of 2006, over 500 families lived in the city. The town is located near the Bisotun mountain which is also considered as an important historical site. There are some legends about the place that this was the place where the events of Shirin and Farhad took place. The love between Farhad and Shirin was exceptional that the earth has never seen before. The trade link between Iranian plateau and Mesopotamia is located here and some of the prehistoric artifacts are still available in the region. The city owns the archaeological sites of Darius I and some reliefs. The inscriptions on the reliefs are written in different languages and narrates the legends of the king. 

10. Takht-e Soleyman:

Among the other archaeological sites in Iran, Takht-e Soleymān is a notable one and located in West Azarbaijan under Iran. Currently the site is located near the town of Takab. The site is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site enlisted in 2003 and located on a volcano crate rim. The citadel is the most exciting place here and it was built by the Sassanid dynasty. But the citadel was incomplete during the Sassanid period and was partially rebuilt by the Ilkhanid dynasty. The name of the site has been provided by the Arabs. There is a temple inside the citadel which was used for different purposes mainly for the performance of the throne ascending rituals. There are some legends about the site that King Solomon used to cage monsters under the deep crater which was also known as the prison of Solomon. There is a pond inside the suite which is believed to be created by King Solomon and the pond has been mentioned in different manuscripts. Excavations have been done in the site and the evidences revealed that the settlement dates back to 5th century BC. Now this a highly interesting place for travelers from home and abroad.