Offbeat Iran Itinerary

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Offbeat Iran Itinerary Offbeat Iran Itinerary We all know Iran is a limitless source of places to visit. If you have already taken the classic tour and want to go off the beaten path, we have prepared a fascinating one-week itinerary to discover the lesser-known parts of modern Persia. ChasingTheUnexpected.com Day 1 - Hamedan You can get to Hamedan by hiring a private car or by bus from Tehran. Hamedan is a lively city with a gorgeous colourful handicraft and several historical places to visit such as: ● The mausoleum of physician, astronomer and writer Avicenna ● The Tomb of Esther and Mordechai ● The ancient inscriptions of Ganjnameh near the Alvand Mountain ordered by Darius The Great and Xerxes The Great. ChasingTheUnexpected.com Day 2 - Kermanshah Kermanshah Province will surprise you. Its mountainous landscape is rocky and barren, the roads flanked with boundless, seemingly desert fields. Depending on the season, you will find a different nature, and it’s widespread opinion that the best time to visit is Spring, when the blossoms make the view green and flowery. Some places to visit in this Kurdish-majority province: ● Anahita Temple in Kangavar town ● Bisotun, UNESCO-listed ancient site ● Moaven al-Molk, Qajar-era mourning site in Kermanshah City ● Local bazaar ● Taq-e Bostan, Sassanid-era ancient site ChasingTheUnexpected.com Day 3 - Khorramabad Khorramabad is the capital of Lorestan, beautiful western Iranian province. Here you can visit: ● Falakul Aflak Castle ● Etnographic Museum to know more about the Lor ethnic group ● Local bazaar ChasingTheUnexpected.com Day 4 - Khuzestan One of the most hit provinces during the Iran-Iraq war, Khuzestan is packed with interesting places and sites to visit. Here are some: ● Susa, UNESCO-listed ancient city ● Chogha Zanbil, another UNESCO world heritage site ● A mozif, traditional dwelling of the local Arab community ● The town of Dezful and its historical bazaar ● Ahvaz city and its Falafel Bazaar ChasingTheUnexpected.com Day 5 - Shiraz I know, Shiraz is not exactly an offbeat destination but more part of the classic itinerary I wrote about here. However, on the way from Khuzestan to Shiraz, you can visit the beautiful Bishapur ancient site. Some places to visit once in Shiraz: ● Hafez and Saadi Mausoleums ● Nasir ul-Molk mosque ● Vakil Bazaar ● Persepolis ChasingTheUnexpected.com Day 6 – Izadkhast & Isfahan On the way from Shiraz to Isfahan, we recommend you stop at the fascinating Izadkhast Caravanserai. Since it’s on the way, you might want to stop in Isfahan and visit: ● Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque ● Imam Mosque ● Naqsh-e Jahan Square ● Ali Qapu Palace ● Vank Cathedral and the Armenian New Jolfa Quarter ChasingTheUnexpected.com Day 7 - Natanz On your way back from Isfahan to Tehran, we strongly suggest you stop in Natanz, lovely desert town. Some places to visit: ● Grand Mosque of Natanz ● Natanz ceramic workshop close to the mosque ChasingTheUnexpected.com If you hire a private car, you can definitely take this trip in one week. However, if you have more time, you can consider staying longer in Kermanshah and Lorestan provinces, maybe exploring their countryside and smaller towns. Check out more about Iran and more cool destinations on Chasing The Unexpected! ChasingTheUnexpected.com.
Recommended publications
  • Day 1: Flight from Your Home Country to Tehran Capital of IRAN
    Day 1: Flight from your home country to Tehran capital of IRAN We prepare ourselves for a fabulous trip to Great Persia. Arrival to Tehran, after custom formality, meet and assist at airport and transfer to the Hotel. Day 2: Tehran After breakfast in hotel, we prepare to start for city sightseeing, visit Niyavaran Palace,Lunch in a local restaurant during the visit .In the afternoon visit Bazaar Tajrish and Imamzadeh Saleh mausoleu. The NiavaranComplex is a historical complex situated in Shemiran, Tehran (Greater Tehran), Iran. It consists of several buildings and monuments built in the Qajar and Pahlavi eras. The complex traces its origin to a garden in Niavaran region, which was used as a summer residence by Fath-Ali Shah of the Qajar Dynasty. A pavilion was built in the garden by the order of Naser ed Din Shah of the same dynasty, which was originally referred to as Niavaran House, and was later renamed Saheb Qaranie House. The pavilion of Ahmad Shah Qajarwas built in the late Qajar period.During the reign of the Pahlavi Dynasty, a modern built mansion named Niavaran House was built for the imperial family of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. All of the peripheral buildings of the Saheb Qaranie House, with the exception of the Ahmad Shahi Pavilion, were demolished, and the buildings and structures of the present-day complex were built to the north of the Saheb Qaranie House. In the Pahlavi period, the Ahmad Shahi Pavilion served as an exhibition area for the presents from world eaders to the Iranian monarchs. Im?mz?deh S?leh is one of many Im?mzadeh mosques in Iran.
    [Show full text]
  • Tribes and Empire on the Margins of Nineteenth-Century Iran
    publications on the near east publications on the near east Poetry’s Voice, Society’s Song: Ottoman Lyric The Transformation of Islamic Art during Poetry by Walter G. Andrews the Sunni Revival by Yasser Tabbaa The Remaking of Istanbul: Portrait of an Shiraz in the Age of Hafez: The Glory of Ottoman City in the Nineteenth Century a Medieval Persian City by John Limbert by Zeynep Çelik The Martyrs of Karbala: Shi‘i Symbols The Tragedy of Sohráb and Rostám from and Rituals in Modern Iran the Persian National Epic, the Shahname by Kamran Scot Aghaie of Abol-Qasem Ferdowsi, translated by Ottoman Lyric Poetry: An Anthology, Jerome W. Clinton Expanded Edition, edited and translated The Jews in Modern Egypt, 1914–1952 by Walter G. Andrews, Najaat Black, and by Gudrun Krämer Mehmet Kalpaklı Izmir and the Levantine World, 1550–1650 Party Building in the Modern Middle East: by Daniel Goffman The Origins of Competitive and Coercive Rule by Michele Penner Angrist Medieval Agriculture and Islamic Science: The Almanac of a Yemeni Sultan Everyday Life and Consumer Culture by Daniel Martin Varisco in Eighteenth-Century Damascus by James Grehan Rethinking Modernity and National Identity in Turkey, edited by Sibel Bozdog˘an and The City’s Pleasures: Istanbul in the Eigh- Res¸at Kasaba teenth Century by Shirine Hamadeh Slavery and Abolition in the Ottoman Middle Reading Orientalism: Said and the Unsaid East by Ehud R. Toledano by Daniel Martin Varisco Britons in the Ottoman Empire, 1642–1660 The Merchant Houses of Mocha: Trade by Daniel Goffman and Architecture in an Indian Ocean Port by Nancy Um Popular Preaching and Religious Authority in the Medieval Islamic Near East Tribes and Empire on the Margins of Nine- by Jonathan P.
    [Show full text]
  • Taste of Paradise, 27 April to 04 May 2019, Iran
    1 Taste of Paradise, 27 April to 04 May 2019, Iran th 4 CLAT 2019: Taste Paradise Cultural Landscape Association Workshop & Tour 27 April to 04 May 2019, Iran Until now, 22 Iranian sites have been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Iran’s Persian Garden is one of the sites inscribed on UNESCO’s List in 2011. The property includes nine gardens in as many provinces. They exemplify the diversity of Persian garden designs that evolved and adapted to different climate conditions while retaining principles that have their roots in the times of Cyrus the Great, 6th century BC. Always divided into four sectors, with water playing an important role for both irrigation and ornamentation, the Persian garden was conceived to symbolize Eden and the four Zoroastrian elements of sky, earth, water and plants. These gardens, dating back to different periods since the 6th century BC, also feature buildings, pavilions and walls, as well as sophisticated irrigation systems. They have influenced the art of garden design as far as India and Spain. Persian Garden is a well-known garden style in the world. Besides overcoming the environmental restraints, creators of Persian Gardens have also manifested cultures and beliefs of people living in this land in their work; and that’s the reason orientalists have known Persian Garden a symbol of “Promised Paradise”. Persian Garden is in a great harmony with its natural and cultural surroundings and cannot be identified segregated from Iran’s characteristics and peoples’ culture and belief. Cultural Landscape Association (CLA) is planning to organize a specialized tour and workshop called “Taste Paradise” in an international level for the experts, in order to get a better global recognition for Persian Garden and the elite to know it further.
    [Show full text]
  • Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region”
    Islamic Republic of Iran Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization ICHHTO “Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region” for inscription on the World Heritage List (Additional Information) UNESCO World Heritage Convention 2017 1 In the name of God 2 Evaluation of the nomination of the “Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region” (Islamic Republic of Iran) for inscription on the World Heritage List This report is submitted in response to the ICOMOS letter of GB/AS/1568-AddInf-1, dated 28September 2017 on the additional information for the nomination of Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region. The Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization is grateful to ICOMOS for its devotion to conservation and preservation of historic monuments and sites. The objective of this detailed report is to clarify the issues raised by ICOMOS in the aforementioned letter. Additional information for clarification on: - Serial approach - Risks and Factors affecting the property - Protection - Management - Monitoring 1- Serial approach Could the State Party kindly provide information on the rationale, methodology and criteria (here not referring to the nomination criteria), which guided the selection of the component sites presented in this nomination? Could the State Party kindly outline the contribution of each site component, to the overall Outstanding Universal Value in the substantial, scientific and discernible way, as outlined in paragraph 137b of the Operational Guidelines? For clarifying, the question will be explained in the parts of (1-a) and (1-b) in details: 1-a: Rationale, methodology and criteria which guided the selection of the component sites presented in this nomination: The rationale which guided the selection of the component sites is based on a methodology which takes into account their historical characteristics and at the same time considers their association with the regional landscape.
    [Show full text]
  • Achaemenid Empire/ (Persia) BY: HOZAN LATIF RAUF General Architectural Features
    Achaemenid Empire/ (Persia) BY: HOZAN LATIF RAUF General Architectural features ▪ The architecture of Persians was more columnar and that led to vastly different massive architectural features from that of the Mesopotamian era. ▪ The use of flat timber roofs rather than vaults led to more slender columns and were rather more beautiful. This also led to rooms being squarer in shape than simple long rectangle. ▪ The roofing system was also very different, wherein the wooden brackets were covered in clay and provided more stability. The use of a double mud wall might have provided room for windows just below ceiling in structures like Palace of Persepolis. VOCABULARY WORDS ▪ The COLUMN is divided into three parts: ▪ The BASE ▪ The SHAFT- FLUTED ▪ The CAPITAL- Double Animal most with bulls Ancient Susa/Shush The city of SUSA was the Persian capital in succession to Babylon, where there is a building with a citadel complex. There was a good skill set of artisans and laborers available which made the palace complex more of a piece of art than just a building structure. Cedar wood was got from Lebanon and teak from the mountain of Zagros. The baked bricks were still made in the Babylonian method. Ancient Susa/Shush Ancient Persepolis PERSEPOLIS ▪ 518 BCE ▪ King Darius utilized influences and materials from all over his empire, which included Babylon, Egypt, Mesopotamian and Greece Architectural Plan of Ancient Persepolis The Great/Apadana Staircase ▪ King Xerxes (486-465 BC) built the Grand Staircase and the Gate of All Nations. ▪ The Grand Staircase is located on the northeast side of the city and these stairs were carved from massive blocks of stone.
    [Show full text]
  • The Location Optimization of Wind Turbine Sites with Using the MCDM Approach: a Case Study
    Energy Equip. Sys./ Vol. 5/No.2/ June 2017/165-187 Energy Equipment and Systems http://energyequipsys.ut.ac.ir www.energyequipsys.com The location optimization of wind turbine sites with using the MCDM approach: A case study Author ABSTRACT a* Mostafa Rezaei-Shouroki The many advantages of renewable energies—especially wind—such as abundance, permanence, and lack of pollution, have encouraged a Industrial Engineering Department, many industrialized and developing countries to focus more on these Yazd University, Yazd, Iran clean sources of energy. The purpose of this study is to prioritize and rank 13 cities of the Fars province in Iran in terms of their suitability for the construction of a wind farm. Six important criteria are used to prioritize and rank these cities. Among these, wind power density— the most important criterion—was calculated by obtaining the three- hourly wind speed data at the height of 10 m above ground level related to the time period between 2004 and 2013 and then extrapolating these data to acquire wind speed related to the height of 40 m. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method was used for prioritizing and ranking the cities, after which Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Article history: Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) methods were used to assess the validity of the results. According to the results obtained from these Received : 20 September 2016 three methods, the city of Izadkhast is recommended as the best Accepted : 5 February 2017 location for the construction of a wind farm. Keywords: Wind Farm; Prioritizing; Optimization; Fars Province; Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA).
    [Show full text]
  • Composition and Continuity in Sasanian Rock Reliefs
    0320-07_Iran_Antiq_43_12_Thompson 09-01-2008 15:04 Pagina 299 Iranica Antiqua, vol. XLIII, 2008 doi: 10.2143/IA.43.0.2024052 COMPOSITION AND CONTINUITY IN SASANIAN ROCK RELIEFS BY Emma THOMPSON (University of Sydney, Australia) Abstract: The cliffs of Iran are adorned with rock reliefs from every period of its long history. During the years that the Sasanian dynasty ruled Iran, artists added to this collection considerably. These monuments are individual capsules of infor- mation on the general political, religious, historical and artistic milieu of the time. This paper presents a method for furthering our understanding of the Sasanian period through an analysis of the composition of each Sasanian relief. The analy- sis is based on the hypothesis that composition will serve as an indicator of artis- tic continuity and change and encode an artistic signature of sorts indicating the artists’ background and training. The initial results suggest that the reliefs of the early Sasanian period reflect the work of artists from at least two schools of art. Keywords: Sasanian, rock reliefs, composition. The kings of the Sasanian dynasty ruled Iran for over four hundred years. During the first eighty-five years of the dynasty (AD 224-309) there were seven changes of crown, many military gains and losses and thirty rock carvings were commissioned to commemorate these events. Most of these were carved in Fars, the homeland of the dynasty: eight were carved in the company of the Achaemenid tombs at Naqsh-i Rustam; six line the way to Shapur’s city at Bishapur; four were carved in the open air grotto at Naqsh- i Radjab; two were carved near Ardashir’s first city at Firuzabad and the rest were carved as single reliefs at various locations across the province of Fars: Barm-i Dilak, Sar Mashhad, Sarab-i Bahram, Guyum, Rayy, Darab- gird, and Tang-i Qandil.
    [Show full text]
  • The Reliefs of Naqš-E Rostam and a Reflection on a Forgotten Relief, Iran
    HISTORIA I ŚWIAT, nr 6 (2017) ISSN 2299 - 2464 Morteza KHANIPOOR (University of Tehran, Iran) Hosseinali KAVOSH (University of Zabol, Iran) Reza NASERI (University of Zabol, Iran) The reliefs of Naqš-e Rostam and a reflection on a forgotten relief, Iran Keywords: Naqš-e Rostam, Elamite, Sasanian, Relief Introduction Like other cultural materials, reliefs play their own roles in order to investigate ancient times of Iran as they could offer various religious, political, economic, artistic, cultural and trading information. Ancient artist tried to show beliefs of his community by carving religious representations on the rock. Thus, reliefs are known as useful resource to identify ancient religions and cults. As the results of several visits to Naqš-e Rostam by the author, however, a human relief was paid attention as it is never mentioned in Persian archaeological resources. The relief is highly similar to known Elamite reliefs in Fars and Eastern Khuzistan (Izeh). This paper attempts to compare the relief with many Elamite and Sasanian works and, therefore, the previous attributed date is revisited. Fig.1. Map showing archeological sites, including Naqš-e Rostam, on the Marvdasht Plain (after Schmidt, 1939: VIII ) PhD. student in Archaeology; [email protected] Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts and Architecture; [email protected] Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology; [email protected] Page | 55 Naqš-e Rostam To the south of Iran and north of Persian Gulf, there was a state known as Pars in ancient times. This state was being occupied by different peoples such as Elamite through time resulted in remaining numerous cultural materials at different areas including Marvdasht plain1 confirming its particular significance.
    [Show full text]
  • Sasanian Bas-Reliefs at Tang-E Chogan Under Invasion of Lichens and Fungi
    81 I RAN Sasanian Bas-reliefs at Tang-e Chogan under Invasion of Lichens and Fungi At several places near the town of Bishapur, which was founded by Sasanian King Shapur I (241–272) and was situated on the road between Persis and Elam, the King also had the sides of the Bishapur River gorge decorated with huge historical reliefs commemorating his triple triumph over Rome. The six reliefs at Tang-e Chogan show scenes such as Shapur enslaving the Roman Emperor; the King and his courtiers; or rows of registers with files of soldiers and horses, in a deliberate imitation of the narra- tive scenes on the Trajan column in Rome. The critical situation of these bas-reliefs is described in an arti- cle by CAIS (The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies): Lichens and vegetation growing in the cavities and cracks of the Sasanian bas-reliefs at Tang-e Chogan, a part of the ruins of the ancient city of Bishapur in southwestern Iran, are gradually Sasanian bas-reliefs at Tang-e Chogan (photo: Pedram Veisi) destroying these irreplaceable antiquities. The lichens and veg- etation are clearly visible on all six bas-reliefs, which are located 19 kilometres north of Kazerun, reported the Persian service of site historical monuments in Fars Province, has made no efforts the Mehr News Agency. One of the bas-reliefs depicts Shapur I, to save the ancient relics from the lichens and vegetation attacks. the Persian King of Kings who consolidated and expanded the The ancient city of Bishapur is also in peril by several other fourth Iranian dynastic empire founded by his father, Ardashir I.
    [Show full text]
  • Iranian-Tour-Details
    10 days / 9 nights Starting from $1450.00 per person based on double occupancy $550 single supplement Day one Leave United States for your flight to Shiraz Day two: Shiraz Arrive to Shiraz. Our guide is waiting to greet and transfer you to your hotel where you sill stay overnight in Shiraz. Day three: Shiraz The first full tour day begins an educational adventure led by our Group Leader. First we will visit the beautiful Narenjestan Garden, circa 1257 CS, which features a richly decorated pavilion set among graceful trees. Next, we’ll walk to the Vakil Bazaar - one of the finest and most important bazaars of historical Iran, established in the 11th century CE. The next visit is to the Tomb of Hafez, Iran’s greatest lyric poet, followed by the Tomb of Sa’adi whose poems and tales are still known to every Iranian. After that, we will journey to the downtown part of the city to the Arg-E Karim (Karim Khan Citadel). It was named after a king of the 18th century Zand Dynasty, who made this city his capital. You will learn the history of the citadel, King Karim Khan and the dynasty. Finally, we will enjoy the shining domes ov Ali Ebn- e Hamze and Holy Shrine of Shah Cheragh. You will spend the night in your hotel in Shiraz. Day four: Shiraz – Persepolis – Pasargadae – Yazd Once we check out of the hotel, we will take a vehicle to Yazd, one of the most distinctive cities in Iran, renowned for its Persian architecture. Along the way, we will visit Persepolis in the heart of the fabled Persian Empire.
    [Show full text]
  • Iran, Gem of the Middle East
    a Iran, Gem of the Middle East Itinerary correct as at Mar 06, 2018 but subject to change. ALL flights to be confirmed. www.bluedottravel.com.au IRAN, GEM OF THE MIDDLE EAST Iranian culture is very old and considered one of the richest in the world. Religion, arts, pottery and weaving have been developed to a high degree. Ancient cultures and settlements have existed on the Iranian Plateau since the fourth millennium BCE. Many great empires came and went. In the 13th century, the Mongols invaded and killed most of the inhabitants and destroyed most of the cities. The following centuries were marked by constant wars with neighbouring states. It wasn’t until 1906 that the nation’s first parliament was established, however a coup led by Reza Khan (Shah) in 1921, toppled the government. In 1925 he replaced the ruling Qajar Dynasty founding his own Pahlavi Dynasty. In 1941 the Shah was exiled and replaced with his son Mohammad Reza Shah. The Pahlavi’s are credited with the development of Iran’s modern industry, transport and education system. They did however, with their autocratic rule, manage to alienate many of their countrymen including the religious leaders. Eventually, the Ayatollah Khomeini’s revolution toppled the Pahlavi Dynasty in 1979. Formerly Persia until 1939, the country is now officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is a mountainous and generally arid country with the interior containing a vast salt wasteland. Much of the terrain is unpassable and as such, is yet to be explored. Its population is diverse and consists of many ethnic and religious backgrounds.
    [Show full text]
  • Sekandar Amanolahi Curriculum Vitae
    Sekandar Amanolahi Curriculum Vitae Occupation: Professor of Anthropology E-mail: [email protected]; amanolahi @yahoo.com Phone: 89-7136242180, 617-866-9046 Education: A.A., University of Baltimore, 1964 B.A., Sociology, Morgan State University, 1968 M.A., Anthropology, University of Maryland, 1971 Ph.D., Anthropology, Rice University 1974 Scholarships and Research Grants: University of Maryland, scholarship, 1968-70 Rice University, scholarship, 1971-73 National Science Foundation (through Rice University), Research Grant, 1973 Shiraz University (formerly Pahlavi), scholarship, 1974 Shiraz University, Research Grant, 1976-77 Shiraz University, Research Grant, 1978-80 Harvard University, Fellowship, 1984-85 Namazi Foundation, 1984-85 Harvard University, Grant, summer 1988 National Endowment for Humanities Collaborative Grant, 1990-91 Aarhus University (Denmark) Research Foundation, summer 1991 Bergen University, Council for International Cooperation and Development Studies (Norway) 1991-92 Cultural Heritage Foundation (Center for Anthropological Studies), Research Grant, 1996-97 Shiraz University, Research Grant, 1996-97 Shiraz Municipality, Research Grant, 1997-98 Daito Bunka University (Japan) Fellowship, Summer 1999 UNFPA, Research Grant, University of London, Summer 2004. Fields of Special Interest Culture Change, Ethnic Relations, Tribes Pastoral Nomadism, Peasants, Gypsies, Urbanization, Migration, Globalization Courses Taught: Sociocultural Anthropology, Ethnological Theory, Nomadism, Social History of Iran, Kinship and Family, Rural Sociology, Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East, Introductory Physical Anthropology. Publications: 1970 The Baharvand: Former Pastoralist of Iran, unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Anthropology. Rice University. 1974 "The Luti, an Outcast Group of Iran," Rice University Studies, Vol. 61, Mo.2, pp. 1-12 1975 Social Status of Women among the Qashqai (in Persian) Tehran: Women Organization.
    [Show full text]