Iran: Magic Carpet to Persian Splendors November 12 to 23, 2009 (arrival/departure Tehran) Modern Iran is a place that has been much in the news lately. There is far more to the experience of this complex country than the the news of the past 30 years and its most recent turmoil would indicate. Fundamentaly, a visit there astonsihes and delights for the warm degree of welcome and hospitality that awaits the visitor from the west, and particularly from the United States. Just as experiencing this country today is enlightening and informative, an immersion in traditional Persian culture of the past offers the key to understanding the winds of cultural change and innovation that have swept through this pivotal bridge between the east and the west. Isfahan: Shah Mosque viewed from the Maidan (all watercolors by Stephen Harby) Our twelve night expedition has been single internal flight to Shiraz and of Shah Abbas were the greatest places crafted by Pasargad Tours (the travel then traveling in a circle by land back on earh in their times. Yazd, Abyaneh agency of choice for all the best cultural to Tehran, we will experience the and Kashan provide rich offerings of and educational groups) to begin and great landmarks and places of this indiginous construction, mosques, end in Tehran and to encompass a wide region, most of which would be on any gardens and traditional urban settings. It range of the country’s outstanding sites dedicated traveler’s life list of key world will be a memorable journey! of artistic, archaeological, architectural sites. Persepolis of the Achaemenid and cultural significance. Taking a kings Cyrus and Darius; and Isfahan A Stephen Harby Invitational Journey: Iran: Magic Carpet to Persian Splendors Page 1 Full day excursion to Persepolis, one of Itinerary the most important sites of the Ancient World, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid kings with remains of the DAY 01 (Wed., 11 Nov.): DEPART palaces of Darius the Great, Xerxes and EUROPE Artaxerxes, and its famous bas-reliefs, Departure from a European destination depicting kings and courtiers and gift- for Tehran (rooms will be booked this bearing representatives of tributary night to accommodate potential early nations of the Persian Empire; also morning arrivals). visit Naghsh-e-Rostam to see Ka’be- Zardosht (fire temple/sanctuary), and DAY 02 (Thu., 12 Nov.): Royal Tombs (also Achaemenid); plus ARRVIALTEHRAN seven magnificent Sassanian rock-reliefs Arrival at IKA airport, meet and transfer including the Eram Garden, the tombs (including Shapur the First’s famous to hotel; later in the morning visit to some of Iran’s greatest lyric poets, Hafez and victory over Roman Emperor Valerian); of Tehran’s museums: Iran’s National Sa’adi, both with beautiful gardens; and Naghsh-e-Rajab, a nearby grotto Museum (Archaeological Museum only the pink tiled 19th-century Nasir-ol- with several more Sassanian reliefs; as Islamic Museum is currently under Molk Mosque, the Arg-e-Karim Khan return to Shiraz. renovation), displaying an authentic (18th-century citadel), the Madrassa collection of pre-historic and ancient Khan (Theological School), to have DAY 06 (Mon., 16 Nov.): SHIRAZ- artifacts with pottery dating back to interaction with teachers and students, YAZD 6-7 millennium B.C.; the Abguineh the Qajar-period Narenjestan Garden/ Drive to Yazd, enroute visit Pasargadae, (Glass and Ceramics) with a wonderful House, the Vakil Bazaar of Shiraz, and the site of the simple, but impressive, and delicate collection of ancient and the Holy Shrine of Shah-e-Cheragh (not tomb and remains of the palaces of Islamic glass and pottery; and the Carpet open to non-Moslems and can only be Cyrus the Great (the Founder of the Museum, with an extensive collection seen from outside). Persian Empire); also stop over at the of old and new Persian carpets and rugs small desert town of Abarkuh, and have from the major carpet-weaving centers DAY 05 (Sun., 15 Nov.): SHIRAZ/ tea under the shade of a 4000-year old EXCURSION PERSEPOLIS of Iran. cypress tree; continue to Yazd. DAY 03 (Fri., 13 Nov.): TEHRAN- DAY 07 (Tue., 17 Nov.): YAZD SHIRAZ Full day sightseeing in Yazd, the center Further visits in Tehran to include the for Iran’s small Zoroastrian community, Golestan Palace/Museum Complex, who seeking refuge from the invading dating from the 18th to the early 20th Arabs found a safe haven within its century, to include the Marble Throne fortified walls. On this day you will visit Hall and other galleries, and the former one of the two Zoroastrian abandoned residence of the last Royal Family of Towers of Silence (Dakhma), dating Iran at Sa’ad-Abad Palace/Museum back to the 18th century, where until Complex, where the White and Green some 50-60 years ago the dead were Palaces, will be visited; afternoon carried and left to decompose and transfer to airport for flight to Shiraz. be devoured by birds; and the active Zoroastrian Fire Temple, the fire of DAY 04 (Sat., 14 Nov.): SHIRAZ which has been burning for about 1500 Full day city tour of Shiraz to visit years. Among Yazd’s Islamic sites are some of the famous gardens of this Top: Tomb of Darius, near Persepolis the Friday Mosque (1324 A.D.) with the city of “roses and nightingales”, Above: Persepolis highest portal and minarets in Iran and A Stephen Harby Invitational Journey: Iran: Magic Carpet to Persian Splendors Page 2 the Mirchachmagh Maidan and Mosque. for which Isfahan is world-famous. of Nightingales. The small but intricate Other notable Islamic monuments in the building is set amongst tree-lined alleys, old Fahadan area of Yazd are the Seljuk DAY 10 (Fri., 20 Nov.): ISFAHAN a reflecting pool and water rills. shrine dedicated to the Twelve Shi’ite Another full day sightseeing of Isfahan Imams; and Ziaieyeh Theological DAY 11 (Sat., 21 Nov.): ISFAHAN- to visit the magnificent Friday Mosque, School, known as Zendan-e-Eskander ABYANEH with the famous Uljaitu Mihrab (Prayer or Alexandar’s Prison. There are also Niche) of the Il-Khanid period. The Morning drive to the village of Abyaneh, many beautiful old houses in Yazd, Friday Mosque is considered a museum en-route stop over at the charming town among them the Dowlat-Abad Garden, of a thousand years of Persian religious of Natanz to visit a beautiful Islamic with an 18th century feudal hexagonal architecture and is truly one of the Complex (Friday Mosque/Monastery/ house. world’s greatest mosques. Also visit Tomb of Sheikh Abdol Samad Isfahani), the Harun-e-Velayat Shrine and the Ali continue to Abyaneh, hidden in Karkas DAY 08 (Wed. 18 Nov.): YAZD- Minaret. From here drive to the Chehel Mountains, and enjoy walking in this ISFAHAN Sotun Palace, built by Shah Abbas II in ancient village which was one of the last Drive to Isfahan, en route visit the early the 17th century; its wooden columns places in Iran that surrendered to Islam. Islamic period Friday Mosque in the reflected in the surface of the pool give The people of Abyaneh have preserved town of Na’in, and the Pirnia House/ rise to its name ‘The Palace of Forty their ancient culture and traditions Ethnographic Museum, a beautiful Columns’. The final stop of the day is at over the centuries, and still wear their example of a Safavid period private the Hasht Behesht pavilion built in 1670 traditional clothes. O/N stay at hotel. house with delicate monochrome by Shah Solayman and known as the painted plaster decoration, close to the Pavilion of Eight Paradises or the Palace DAY 12 (Sun., 22 Nov.): ABYANEH- mosque; continue to Isfahan. TEHRAN Morning drive to Tehran, via Kashan, to DAY 09 (Thu., 19 Nov.): ISFAHAN visit the historical garden of Fin, which Full day tour of the beautiful city of was first planted during the Safavid Isfahan, the 17th century capital of period and kept alive with water from the Safavids, referred to as Nesf-e- the nearby Sulaimanieh Spring. This Jahan (Half of the World) in Safavid beautiful garden was expanded by the texts. We will visit the famous bridges Zand and Qajar monarchs, with many of Shahrestan/Khajou/Sio-se-pol, open pavilions added. You will also the Armenian Quarter with several visit a fine example of a 19th century churches, including the important merchant residence known as Borujerdi Cathedral of Vank; in the afternoon visit House with its beautiful stucco dome one of the world’s grandest squares, and inlaid mirror work, with some of the Maidan-e-Naghsh-e-Jahan, with the best examples of existing “badgirs” several sites (the Ali-Qapu Palace with (wind-catchers); on to Tehran, and drive its enchanting music rooms and balcony by the Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini. overlooking the Maidan, from where the Safavid Kings watched polo games, DAY 13 (Mon. 23 Nov.): DEPARTURE and two of Islamic world’s greatest TEHRAN mosques – the Sheikh Lotfollah and the Transfer to IKA airport for departure Shah – with magnificent architecture flights. and tilework), finishing with a visit to the Qeisarieh Bazaar with hundreds of shops displaying the arts and handicrafts Both images: Isfahan, Shah Mosque A Stephen Harby Invitational Journey: Iran: Magic Carpet to Persian Splendors Page 3.