Iran Cities SHIRAZ , Tehran , ISFAHAN , YAZD , KERMAN , BAM , MASHHAD , TABRIZ

http://travel-t-o-iran.blogspot.com/2011/10/shiraz-tehran-isfahan-yazd-kerman-bam.html
Iran Cities SHIRAZ , Tehran , ISFAHAN , YAZD , KERMAN , BAM , MASHHAD , TABRIZ
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SHIRAZ

Shiraz was one of the most important cities in the medieval Islamic world and was the Iranian capital during the Zand dynasty (1747-79), when many of its most beautiful buildings were built or restored. Through its many artists and scholars, Shiraz has been synonymous with learning, nightingales, poetry, roses and also wine!

Today Shiraz is a relaxed, cultivated city, with wide tree-lined avenues and abundant monuments, gardens and mosques to keep most visitors happy for several days. The university here is one of Iran's finest, and you'll come across lots of students eager to speak English.

Highlights include the restful mausoleum and garden of Hafez , a celebrated poet; the Aliebnehamze mausoleum, an important Shiite place of pilgrimage which attracts hordes of supplicants; the Pars Museum , which contains Zand dynasty relics; and the delightful Eram garden, where the 19th century Ghajar palace lies alongside a pretty pool.

There are plenty of hotels to suit all budgets and tastes in Shiraz, most of them clustered near Zand, the main boulevard. This is also the area to nose out a good feed, from inexpensive kebabs and burgers to more swanky sit-down affairs. Shiraz is nearly 900km (560mi) south of Tehran. It's a great place to start or finish your trip to Iran and is well serviced by international and domestic flights. The airport lies 8km (5mi) south-east of the city centre. Buses run from Shiraz to Tehran and other major towns; shared taxis run occasionally to Isfahan

Tehran

Iran is not blessed with one of the world's loveliest capitals. Pollution, chronic overcrowding and a lack of responsible planning have all helped to make Tehran a metropolis that even the most effusive travel agent would have difficulty praising . If you're expecting an exotic crossroads steeped in oriental splendor, you'll be sadly disappointed. The distances are vast, the traffic is shockingly bad and the main sights are spread out. However, the hotels are good , the variety of restaurants is impressive, the facilities are far ahead of those anywhere in the provinces and the Tehranies are friendly. The major attraction for visitors is the city's excellent museums.
Human settlement of the region dates back to Neolithic times, but the development of Tehran was very slow and its rise to prominence largely accidental. From the mid-16th century, Tehran's attractive natural setting and good hunting brought it into the favor of the Safavid kings. It developed from a moderately prosperous trading village into an elegant, if dusty, city. European visitors wrote of its many enchanting vineyards and gardens. In 1789, Agha Muhammed Khan declared Tehran his capital, and six years later had himself crowned as Shah of all Persia. The town continued to grow slowly under later Ghajar rulers.

From the early 1920s, the city was extensively modernized on a grid system, and this period marked the start of phenomenal population growth and uncontrolled urban development that continues to this day. Today Tehran is so vast that getting hopelessly lost at least once is a near certainty .Iif you would like to see the landmarks, the Alborz mountains, known as the 'North Star' of Tehran, are to the north; as the huge telephone office at Emam Khomeini Square dominates inner southern Tehran.

The National Museum of Iran houses a marvellous collection including ceramics, stone figures and carvings dating back to the 5th millennium BC. Many of the relics are taken from excavations at Persepolis, Shush, Rey and Turang Tappé These places could probably mean more to you ,if you come here after you've visited the archaeological sites. The Glass & Ceramics Museum is one of the most impressive in Tehran, not only for its professionally organized exhibitions, but also for the building itself. The Reza Abbasids Museum, another stunner, contains examples of Islamic painting , pottery and jewellery. The National Palace (White) Museum used to be the last Shah's palace and is now a complex of museums.

Tehran's best non-museum sight is the so big haphazard bazaar, it's practically a separate city. Also worth a look are the busy Emam Khomeini Mosque, the Armenian Sarkis Cathedral, and the city's parks and gardens.

Just about every cheap place to stay in Tehran is in the southern part of the city, within about 1km radius of Emam Khomeini Square. This is also the place to look for a good kebab. Four and five-star hotels are scattered through the city, most of them hopelessly inconvenient if you're hoping to use public transport. The airport is about 10km (6mi) south-west of central Tehran.

ISFAHAN

The cool blue mosaics of Isfahan's Islamic buildings, and the city's majestic bridges contrast perfectly with the hot, dry Iranian countryside around it . Isfahan is a sight you won't forget. Not only is the architecture superb and the climate pleasant, but also there's a fairly relaxed atmosphere here, compared with many other Iranian towns. It's a city for walking , getting lost in the bazaar, dozing in beautiful gardens and meeting people.
The famous half-rhyme Isfahan nesf-é jahan (Isfahan is half the world) was coined in the 16th century to express the city's grandeur. There's so much to see that you'll probably have to ration your time and concentrate on must-sees such as the Emam Mosque, a magnificent building completely covered in Seaman's trademark pale blue mosaics; Emam Khomeini Square, one of the largest town squares in the world; the Chehel Sotun Museum & Park, a marvelous 17th century pavilion and a great place for a picnic; and the Van Cathedral, the historic focal point of the Armenian church in Iran. Taking tea in one of the teahouses under the bridges is also an essential part of the Isfahan experience.
Isfahan is about 400km (250mi) south of Tehran. Several flights make the trip daily. There are buses, usually overnight, to Tehran, Shiraz and other domestic cities, as well as to Istanbul. The express train between Isfahan and Tehran might be a preferable alternative to sitting all night on the bus.

YAZD

One of the oldest cities of Iran, with desert architecture, an important Zoroastrian center since Sassanian time that has kept Fire Temple and Dakhmehs ( Towers of Silence) , a prosperous city standing at the cross - roads of the most important caravan routes from central Asia and India to the south and West has the name of Yazd . Marco polo, who came here on his way to China in 1212, called it " The Good and Noble City of Yazd " .

KERMAN

Kerman is situated at the edge of Lut Desert and was built in the third century A.D. by Ardeshir the 1st. .Great Friday Mosque , Bazaar , Ganj - Ali Khan Bath and Museum , Jabalieh and Green Domes, traditional refrigerators, in addition the Tomb of the great Sufi leader Shah Nematollah Vali are the most important tourism attractions in Kerman : A city which is also renowned for carpet, cupper, pistachio and marble.


BAM

Bam is a pleasant town where the eucalypts are likely to make any Aussie homesick, and the date palms clearly indicate a desert oasis. But it's the incredible ancient city which makes Bam truly special. Although some of the surviving structures must have been built before the 12th century, most of the remains dates back to the Safavid period (1502-1722) . Up to 13,000 people once lived in this 6 sq km (2 sq mi) city until it was abandoned following an Afghan invasion in 1722. The city was abandoned again in about 1810 after bloodthirsty invaders from Shiraz popped in, and then was used as an army barracks until the 1930s. It is now completely deserted.
Numerous steep and narrow stairways lead to the pinnacles of the outer clay wall which almost circles the entire city. From the wall you can see the curved ice house, which housed enormous chunks of ice in winter, melting to become drinking water in summer. The inner citadel dominated the town - the extraordinary echo in the garrison is thought to be a deliberate, ancient loudspeaker system.

Bam is in south-eastern Iran. The bus from Tehran, 1260km (780mi) away, takes about 21 hours, so you might consider flying. There are two flights a week between Tehran and Bam, and more frequent flights between Tehran and Kerman, which is about three hours north-west of Bam by bus or shared taxi.

MASHHAD

As the first holy city, Mashhad is of extreme significance to the Shiite world. This , of course, is due to the glory of Imam Reza's shrine which is highly remarkable for its religious, architectural and historical notions, so that approximately 2 million pilgrims from all corners of the Shiite world annually come to visit this very sacred place.






TABRIZ

In northwest Iran near the Turkish border this ancient capital of Armenia (founded in the 3rd century BC) is now a sprawling industrial city surrounded by mountains. Famed for its calligraphy and bookmaking in the 13th century Tabriz was well placed on trade routes and played an important role in Iran’s history.
The city (pop. 1 089 000) is home to the Azeri Turks ,Iran’s largest minority group. While there visit the ruined 14th-century Ali Shah Mosque (its walls are 85 ft/26 m high) the 13th-century Blue Mosque (beautiful mosaic works) and the Jame Mosque. In the nearby city of Ardabil (pop. 150 000) lies the Shaikh Safi Tomb where the world’s most valuable carpet was discovered (it’s now in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum). Huge Daryacheh ye Oroumieh (Lake Uremia) which lies west of Tabriz is noted for its healing salt water and medicinal mud. A full day is needed to see Tabriz. 465 mil /750 km from Tehran.