ESFAHAN

Esfahan Isfahan or ancient Aspadana 32 40N 51 38E is and has been the capital of the province of Esfahan since 900 years. The city is located on a high at the foot of the Zagros mountains. The average elevation of the Province is 1,475 m and that of the city 1,570 m above sea level, giving purity to the air under the brilliant blue sky and often violet-hued mountains when there is no traffic jam in the main streets. The present population of the province amounts to 3,774,204 (1992 census). City of Esfahan itself has a population of 1,159,102 (1992 census).

The most famous Persian description of the city of Esfahan is Esfahan nesf-e Jahan (Esfahan is half the world), which the Esfahanis coined in the 16th century to express the city’s grandeur. You may well agree that it has a ring of truth even today. Knight Jean Chardin, who lived in Esfahan between 1673 and 1677, more than three centuries ago, writes:

"The city of Esfahan, including its outskirts, is one of the largest towns in the world…The bazaars are always so crowded that those riding on horseback send their footmen ahead to clear the way because there are hundreds of places where people are on top of each other.

"What is admirable in so large a city with so many inhabitants is the abundance and opulence which reigns despite the absence of sea or of a navigable river. Everything without exception is drawn there by animals, including incredibly heavy loads on camels’ backs. But what seems unbelievable is that the city obtains most of its food, except livestock, from an area of not more than ten leagues around it. The area contains no less than fifteen hundred villages; one must admit that most of its surroundings are incomparably beautiful and fertile.

"Although there is extreme heat and cold, the cold does not last longer than three months. It snows in winter, but rarely. Rain usually falls in March and April, probably because of vapor from melting snow. A west wind blows throughout the summer, it starts when the sun sets and it is so cold at night that you often need to wear a fur lined coat. Spring starts in February, the weather becomes balmy and admirably beautiful."

A noteworthy town in Sassanian times, Esfahan passed to the Arabs in the mid 7th century and served as a provincial capital. In the 11th century it was captured by the Seljuk Turks, who made it (1051) the capital of their empire. In the early 13th century Esfahan was taken by the Mongols. Tamerlane conquered the city in 1388 and, after its inhabitants rebelled, slaughtered nearly 70,000 persons in revenge; it is said that he built a large hill with the skulls of the dead. Esfahan, chosen and designed capital under Shah Abbas I ( 1598), was reconstituted with so many new mosques, fine palaces, and bridges (masterpieces of world architecture), avenues and parks that even European travelers wrote rapturously of its beauties. At its zenith, under the Safavid dynasty in the 17th century, Esfahan had a population of about 600,000, making it one of the world’s great cities of the time. However, the city declined rapidly it was captured (1723) by the Afghans, who massacred most of its inhabitants. Russian troops occupied Esfahan in 1916.

In addition to being one of the finest art cities of the world and rich in history, Esfahan is also one of Iran’s largest industrial, agricultural, and handicrafts production centers: Esfahan Steelworks started production in 1971 and is planned to double its present output of 1,900,000 tons in the coming years and make Iran self-sufficient as regards steel production. It has long been known for its fine carpets, hand-printed textiles, and metalwork, chiefly filigree. It has modern textile mills, oil refineries, and power plants.

Esfahan has pleasant weather for most of the year, but it can get rather cold in winter. Try not to visit around Now Ruz as finding accommodation here then can be a hellish ordeal. The main street, Chahar Bagh, runs north-south right through the main part of the city. If you use this to orient yourself, you can’t go far wrong, although Chahar Bagh does change its name slightly from north to south. Most of the main sights and the hotels are within easy walking distance, and it’s a pleasure to wander along the tree-lined avenues. There are a few out-lying sights that are most easily visited by hired taxi. Much of the city has been modernized over recent years and will continue to be so – plans are being executed to knock down the intrusive row of shops along the north side of Chahar Bagh in order to open the park behind to the street, and much has been done to preserve the city’s historic buildings since the end of Iraq-Iran War.

The Zayandeh Rud river watering gardens and fields with its numerous tributaries along its 360-km course, flows from west to east through the city, and divides off New Julfa and some other suburbs from the main part of the city, but most of the main attractions are to the north of the river. The river originates from Kuhrang on the slopes of Zard Kuh-e Bakhtiari, and waters a network of channels carrying water to the houses and gardens all over the city. That is why Esfahan enjoys such a pleasant climate and temperate weather even in summer. Construction of three tunnels at Kuhrang for the diversion of part of water from Karun River to Zayandeh Rud, has considerably added to the amount of water reaching Esfahan and its plains nowadays.

The historic sites of Esfahan are among the world’s very rare monuments of which one can say that the more you look at them the more they fascinate and surprise you. That is why when you leave the town you have the feeling that you should have stayed much longer. Esfahan is full of reminiscences: some are engraved on the walls of the palaces but the visitor hardly notices them, fascinated as he is by the unreal blue color of an ornament, by the elegance of a wooden column hewn out of cedar wood, by a thin ray of light filtering through a hole in the keystone and shining upon the inner facing of an enormous copula decorated with stars and arabesques. Here, beauty has assumed unknown aspects.

Esfahan has been an exceptionally attractive city for tourists from all over the world. The excellent upkeep of its famous monuments contributes to its continued significance and popularity among visitors.

Abundance of water and fertile soil has given Esfahan many cereals and bean products and much fruit, such as melons, apples, and pomegranates. The almond and cherry orchards of Najafabad (in the suburbs of Esfahan) well repay a visit in early spring.

Chahar Bagh Avenue

Built in 1597 AD in the reign of Shah Abbas I and lined on both sides with Safavid royal palaces such as the Abbas Abad, Jahan Nama (a circular building), Setareh, Nastaran, etc, once it was one of the most beautiful streets in the world. Nowadays, all palaces, with the exception of Hasht Behesht Palace from the period of Shah Suleiman, have been replaced by modern shops and residential buildings. It is 5 km long and 47 m wide, and divided into the following three sections: 1) Chahar Bagh-e Bala (Upper Chahar Bagh), from Azadi Square (Darvazeh Shiraz) to Sio Seh Pol (Allahverdi Khan Bridge), 2,200 m; 2) Chahar bagh-e Abbasi, from Sio Seh Pol to Imam Hossein Square (Darvazeh Dowlat), 1,400 m; 3) and Chahar Bagh-e Pa’in, from Imam Hossein Square to Shohada Square, 1,500 m.

Literally, the name Chahar Bagh means Four Gardens. The reason is that originally there were four gardens each with two buildings on both sides of the avenue. The area of the gardens varied from 40,000 to 80,000 square meters. Additionally, four rows of tall plane trees had been planted along the avenue and on both sides of the central stone paved promenade decorated with waterfalls and flower beds. Chahar Bagh Avenue is the only street running north-to-south and dividing the town into roughly two equal areas to the east and west. It leads to Tehran Highway on the north and Shiraz Road on the south, through New Julfa.

MADRASEHS

Madraseh-ye Emami

Located in Baba Qassem Alley in Hatef Street, just to the north of the Friday Mosque, and next to the Mausoleum of Baba Qassem, stands the Madraseh-ye Emami, one of Esfahan’s most ancient and highly respected madrasehs, also built in honor of Baba Qassem. It is a two-story building with relatively limited use of glazed tile, and inscription in Kuffic on top of the gateway, wherein the color of the natural brick plays an important role in the decorations. Another inscription gives the 1324 AD as the construction date of the moment, when Ali Muzaffar had been the ruler.

Madraseh-ye Mulla Abdollah

Located in bazaar, and used for prayers as well as the teaching sessions of Mulla Abdollah, this madraseh is one of the oldest buildings of Safavid period built during the reign of Shah Abbas I, and deserves particular attention on account of its antiquity, beautiful tile works, and the two-storied chambers around the central courtyard. A stone tablet in the ivan of the madraseh gives the year 1677 as the endowment (waqf) date of the building. Another inscription frieze on top of the gateway of the madraseh set in Thulth characters on an azure brick background, is indicative of repairs made during the reign of Fath Ali Shah Qajar.

Madraseh-ye Chahr Bagh

Present-day Madraseh-ye Elmieh Emam Ja’far Sadeq to the west of Abbasi Hotel on Shahid Ayatollah Madani Street and to the south of Bazaar-e Honar, was previously called Madraseh-ye Madar-e Shah (Theological School of the Shah’s Mother). This is a seminary constructed (1706-14) at the expense of the mother of the last Safavid King, Sultan Hossein (1694-1724) who, after taking refuge in this very building, was put to death by the Afghan invaders. It is a Madraseh and a mosque at the same time. In order to finance the construction of the school, the Shah’s mother got a large caravansary built nearby (recently rebuilt as the most famous luxury hotel in Iran, Abbasi Hotel), the income of which wen to the Madraseh. The Madraseh is a noble and handsome building, outshining any contemporary in Islam.

Before going in, the visitor is stuck by a monumental recessed portal covered with mosaic faience which leads from the still beautiful garden boulevard or the famous Chahar Bagh Avenue, into a stately garden court. The name of the founder of Madraseh, i.e. Shah Sultan Hossein, has been inscribed in mosaic tile, bearing the date 1710 AD. The monument has a superb silver-plated door with an inscription in verse. The narthex of the Madraseh, with a stone trough in the center, is particularly remarkable for its architectural merits, tile works, and an inscription dated 1707 AD.

The court facades consist of two-storied open arcades or student cells on all four sides, and the four usual vaulted ivans. The two minarets of the Madraseh are among the loveliest in Iran, but as usual the most sumptuous decoration is that of the southern ivan. The prayer-room contains a magnificent minbar or Islamic pulpit, made of a single marble. Several inscriptions have been found in the prayer-hall and the domed hall, on the minarets, as well as in the northern, southern, and eastern ivans. The sanctuary, modeled after the Masjid-e Imam, has a gracefully contoured dome. This is perhaps the last great building of Iran.

MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES

Museum of Natural History

Located in Ostandari Street, formerly called Talar-e Taimuri (Timurid Hall), and used as the Officers Club until the victory of the Islamic Revolution, this palatial building is a Timurid epoch monument. Incorporated in the city by the Municipality of Esfahan in March 1989 as an endowment to an Esfahani university professor named Dr Ja’farian to promote the study of natural science and related subjects, the museum consists of seven halls. It maintains exhibitions in all branches of natural history, including anthropology and ecology. As a result of the wide explorations and program of research of its initiator in a period of 37 years, the museum has acquired specimens and data of great value. Among the facilities for study are an extension library, illustrated lectures, publications, programs for young people, co-operation with city schools and universities.

An eleventh-century inscription in verse and a valuable stone-trough in the garden area can be seen in addition to the entrance ivan with its brick stalactite and stucco decorates of remarkable value.

Imam Khomeini Art Gallery

Inaugurated in May 1996, this modern three-story gallery of the art loving people, artists, and artisans of Esfahan on Feiz Street to the south of Khaju Bridge occupies a total area of 1,800 square meters. It is affiliated with the Institution for the Compilation and Dissemination of the Works of Imam Khomeini, the late founder and leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In addition to housing the works of the late Imam Khomeini, the gallery consists of an amphitheater for holding assemblies and screening plays in the basement, a book shop, a periodic gallery for the display of Iranian and foreign art works relating to Imam Khomeini, and a museum in the first floor for the preservation of his works, letters, personal belongings of him an his son Haj Ahmad, and some loose leaves of his manuscripts.

Imam Square

Called Maidan-e Shah (the King’s Square) until the downfall of Pahlavi regime, this huge open square measures 510 m long and 165 m wide, with an area of more than eighty thousand square meters, twice as large as Moscow’s Red Square. Shah Abbas built the square in 1612 not over the Esfahan of his predecessors, but on virgin ground where there used to be another square called Naqsh-e Jahan (Image of the World), to extend the city and create a new axis for development. One of the largest squares in the world and a majestic example of city planning, it was intended as a polo ground, the Shah’s court having a grandstand view from the Ali Qapu. Many of the most interesting sights in Esfahan are clustered around the square, and it is a place you just keep coming back to.

Once the heart of Safavid Capital and scene of maneuvers, processions, games, and especially polo (the original goal posts of which are still in place at the far end of the square), the Maidan is surrounded by two-storied arcades which focus on the recessed portal of the Masjid-e Imam to the south. At the north end of the square, opposite the mosque, is the royal caravansary and bazaar, at the middle of the west side is the palace of Ali Qapu – the seat of the then Safavid government – and facing it, across the square, is the private oratory of Shah Abbas, the Mosque of Sheikh Lutfollah. Except for intersections near the entrance to the bazaar on the west and east and an insignificant modern street in the southwest corner, the square is closed by four high walls painted in creamy white with blue outlining the repeated arches. One architectural feature interrupts the uniformity of each side. Traffic is now limited to a small stretch from east to west on the north of the square.

According to Chardin, in the evening "one saw on the square charlatans, puppet-shows, thimble-riggers, verse and prose story-tellers, even preachers and tents full of prostitutes. But, alas, times have changed." Shops line the square: many specialize in brass work and there is some interesting stuff among the gimcrack souvenirs and postcards. Times are hard and tourists are scarce, but you’ll still need all your bargaining skills. Friday always attracts a larger number of Muslim worshippers who are well worth of watching.

Bazaar and Qaisarieh Portal

The entrance to the bazaar (also known as the Great Bazaar, bazaar-e bozorg) is a majestic gateway in keeping with the dimensions of the square, called Qaisarieh. Facing the Imam Square on its northern end, it is roughly contemporary with Masjid-e Imam (built in 1619). The gateway to the bazaar is decorated with tile work mosaic, its main motif representing Sagittarius, Esfahan’s astrological sign, shown here as a chimera. You can use it as an access road to Masjid-e Jom’eh (Friday Mosque). The paintings and frescoes on top of the Portal depict battle scenes of Shah Abbas the Great with Uzbeks.

Esfahan’s bazaar is a real labyrinth of domed streets which stretch into the old town. The standard plan for bazaar, called the Chahar-su (four directions), consisted of two passageways intersecting each other at right angles, covered by a dome at right angles, covered by a dome at the crossing. Small apertures in the vaulted roof let in sufficient light yet kept out the intense heat of summer and retained warmth in winter. This bazaar was a center of commercial and civic activity. Here, public opinion was made expressed and social intercourse flourished, and the bazaar itself was the handsomest bazaar of all. Orchestras played on the upper galleries at sunset when the Qaisarieh was built.

One is tempted to describe the bazaar as "the real Esfahan", because it is one of the biggest and most lively bazaars anywhere in the Middle East. There are something like 5 km of paths to stroll through, so leave plenty of time. As you wander you will find shops that sell almost every imaginable item, not to mention mosques, tea shops, bathhouses, and even gardens. Like most Iranian bazaars, part of this one is loosely divided into several interconnected corridors, each specializing in a particular trade or product, with samovar-makers, shoe makers, dyers, carpet dealers and goldsmiths all having their own quarters.

Bazaar-e Honar

Dating back to Safavid period, this beautiful vaulted bazaar is located on the north side of the Madraseh-ye Emam Ja’far-e Sadiq (formerly Chahar Bagh School, Sultani School, and Madrasehye Madar-e Shah). Originally, the bazaar was named Bazaarcheh-ye Boland (High-Vaulted Bazaar), Bazar-e Shahi, or Bazaar-e Sultani. Three hundred meters long, it was recently renovated and will provide any tourist with an unforgettable shopping tour.

MOSQUES OF ESFAHAN

Before going into details on the mosques of Esfahan, we remind you that you there are two hundred mosques in the modern city of Esfahan. Chardin, a dependable observer according to Arthur Upham Pope, reports that in 1666 Esfahan had 162 mosques, 48 schools, (madrasehs), 182 caravansaries, and 173 bath houses. Visits to some of them are therefore not superfluous all the more since particularly the Friday, Sheikh Lutfollah, and Imam (Shah) Mosques differ considerably from each other in many respects.

Friday Mosque

The Friday Mosque (or Masjid-e Jom’eh), a world cultural heritage, and roughly 45 minutes from the Imam Square on foot through the Qaisarieh Bazaar to the north of the Square, is the most ancient and in some ways the most interesting building in the city, and hence in Iran. It was built late in the 11th and early 12th century as a focus for the town. Changes and additions were made in subsequent periods. Therefore, it is a landmark in the evolution of Iranian sacred architecture during a period of one thousand years. It must be noted that the Mosque was partially demolished in Iraqi air raids, and repaired immediately thereafter.
If you have in mind to visit the mosques of Esfahan, as a first step, we recommend you to find your way to this Mosque (on Hatef Street, and near Qiam Square to the northwest of Imam Square) and study it at length, for it is a protype of Iranian mosques. It is not as immediately attractive to the external eye as the complex of Maidan-e Imam except for the tile work of fifteenth century in the great courtyard and mehrab of Olijaitu, but the complex harmony of its components makes of it a palimpsest both meaningful in its details and aesthetically pleasing in their super-imposition.

The Mosque has the largest courtyard in Iran: 65 m by 76 m. In the center, a fine marble pool with generously festooned edges reflects in its calm waters the image of the four ivans. Every architectural age of Iran (except the most decadent) can be observed and studied here.

The following description from an Iranian source by Dr. Lutfollah Honarfar, gives you a short sketch of the most interesting details of the complex, assuming that the present entrance is on the east.

A large prayer hall, with thick round columns and plaster decorations which belongs to Dailamite period.
Chehel-sotuni (Forty-columned) structures around the Gonbad (dome), which also belong to the Seljuk period.
Gonbad-e Khajeh Mezam ol-Molk (the then Vizier of Malak Shah, according to the Kuffic inscription of the dome) in the southern side of the courtyard, which is one of the Seljuk monuments dating from 1072-92 AD.
Chehel-sotuni (Forty –columned) structures around the Gonbad, from a period after the reign of Malak Shah.
Chehel-sotuni (Forty-columned) structures to the west of this same side, which belong to the period of Shah Abbas I.
Suffeh-ye Saheb to the south, is a 12th century structure with later additions, internal and external decorations (of Safavid period); and its two minarets as well as the roof comprising of large pendentives belong to Aq Qoyunlu period (15th century).
The marble plinths and some of the raised mosaic tile work of the lower porch as well as the tile work on the arched two-story facades all around the courtyard, date from the period of Ouzun Hassan.
Eastern ivan, Ivan-e Shagrid, which belongs to Seljuk period. However, its decorations are from the 14th century, and has further been repaired under the Safavid Shah Suleiman.
To the east of this ivan can be seen the Suffeh-ye Omar ibn-e Abd ol-Aziz, of the period of Al-e Muzaffar, which was decorated in the 14th century. The most recent additions to the mosque are the inscription and tablets from the period of Ashraf the Afghan.
The western ivan, Suffeh-ye Ostad, is a sixth-century structure with enameled brick decorations belonging to the Safvid period. It was repaired and decorated, and certain inscriptions and Kuffic tablets were added to it during the reign of the Safavid Shah Sultan Hossein.
To the north of the western ivan there is a small shabestan which belongs to the period of Oljaitu, the Muslim Mongol Ilkhan in Iran. This contains a marvelous plaster-work prayer niche, one of the most wonderful pieces of stucco work in the country. The central inscription gives the names of Oljaitu and his learned minister Mohammad Savi.
To the west of the above shabestan and the Oljatu Mosque there is a large winter gallery from the period of the Timurid Sultan Mohammad ibn-e Baisonghor son of Shahrokh. Here, the architectural and building style as well as the shiny transparent blocks placed into the roof at intervals to act as lamps and lighten the interior, are unique and well worth seeing.
The northern ivan (Suffeh-ye Darvish) and the adjoining hypostyle hall are of the 12th century AD, and have later been repaired and decorated under the Safavid Shah Suleiman. Facade tile work is a recent renovation measure taken in 1957-57, according to contemporaneous inscription.
Further forty columns (chehel sotuni) on the north and both sides of the northern ivan from the 13th century AD, the most interesting of which are those to the east.

Gonbad-e Taj ol-Molk to the north of the mosque, which is also called Gonbad-e Khaki (earthern cupola) and which, according to its Kuffic inscription, dates back to 1088 AD and is a Seljuk monument.

Sheikh Lutfollah Mosque

Sheikh Lutfollah Mosque, a masterpiece of architecture and tile work, is a beautiful religious building wherein the visitor’s spirituality rather than to distract him from it. This small mosque (began in 1602 and completed in 1619, taking a total of 18 years) on the eastern side of the square, was built by Shah Abbas in honor of the great Lebanese Sheikh Lutfollah, who was sort of Islamic Billy Graham of his time.

As the Safavid kings were determined to foster Shi’ism, many of the sheikhs and religious leaders from all over Iran (e.g. Bahrain, then part of Iran) and Lebanon, among them Sheikh Lutfollah from a family of learned doctors of Emami sect living in Jebel Amel, left their native lands for Esfahan and Iran. Here, the Sheikh was much honored and provided with the Mosque and School of Sheikh Lutfollah for his lectures and services. He was a close friend of Sheikh Baha od-Din Mohammad Ameli (known as Sheikh Bahai), a famous scientist of Safavid period with significant roles in the design and development of Esfahan.

In order to face Mecca the great domed chamber stands at forty-five degrees to the Maidan, though from the portal this is not noticeable. The enormous dome is supported by walls 170 cm thick, and its solidity is transmuted into lightness – one would even say fragility – by two features of the utmost tact and daring: a huge aperture and several high windows to trap the maximum amount of natural light, and steadily-decreasing concentric ellipses of midnight blue with delicate white arabesques vanishing to all or nothing in the center of the dome.

The mosque also differs from all others in several respects. While turquoise, blue and pink predominate in the motifs on the facade, elsewhere, particularly on the dome, both inside and outside, the main color is yellow. The mosque has no courtyard nor minaret, since it was not a place for public worship. It was more of a private oratory than a mosque. The chamber itself marks the final perfection of the dome-on-square plan, now simplified and suave as required by the growing refinement of the period. What was in ground plan just a square, and could have been a monotonous cube, has been developed into a rich and highly dramatic paneled domed octagon, with contrasting treatment of the diagonal and cardinal elements.

The exterior surface of the dome is decorated with floral motifs and various arabesque designs, and bears a fine inscription in Thulth style of white mosaic tiles set on a background of azure. The inner tile work of prayer hall comprises matchless mosaic tiles and enameled brick friezes, mosaic tile inscriptions, turquoise-colored cable moldings and lattice windows of tile. The variety of designs and motifs, and variegated color combinations, orange and azure particularly outstanding, endow this unique prayer hall with astounding beauty and magnificence.

The tile ornamentations of the interior surface of the prayer hall dome are composed of lozenge and arabesque motifs of truly amazing details. The mehrab is decorated with mosaic tiles and stalactites, all of the highest artistic value, and the name of the architect, Ostad Mohammad Reza Esfahani, son of Ostad Hossein, builder of Esfahan, is given in two tablets installed inside it.

Imam Mosque

Imam Mosque (Masjid-e Jam’e Abbasi), also called Masjid-e Shah (Royal Mosque) before the victory of Islamic Revolution, is one of the finest and the most stunning buildings in the world. The Mosque, began in 1612 during the reign of Shah Abbas I and , despite the Shah’s impatience, under construction until 1638, represents the culmination of a thousand years of mosque building and a magnificent example of architecture, stone carving, and tile work in Iran, with a majesty and splendor that places it among the world’s greatest buildings.

The outer recessed portal faces north, as required by the placement of the Maidan, but since the axis of the mosque itself and that of the mehrab must be in the direction of Mecca (hence northeast to southwest), an awkward adjustment was necessary to avoid a sense of dislocation.

The portal, almost a building in itself and understood as an aspect of the Maidan rather than of the mosque, forms a welcoming embrace, inviting and guiding the throngs outside into the refuge, security and the renewal the mosque provides. In fact, it is the most thrilling example of human artifice that could be imagined. Its height amounts to 30 m, the flanking minarets are 42 m tall – with the sanctuary minarets higher still, 48 m. The two panels which flank the actual entrance within the recess carry the design of a prayer rug, a reminder of the mosque’s essential purpose.

A mosaic tile inscription by Ali Reza Abbasi can be seen on the main portal of the mosque, which is dated 1616 AD (completion date of the portal). Below this, there is still another inscription which gives the name of the builder as Ali Akbar Esfahani, and that of the construction supervisor as Muhib Ali Beigallah. Several other inscriptions can also be seen on the portal and in the narthex of the mosque.

However, Shah Abbas needed a showplace, just as he needed the Sheikh Lutfollah Mosque for private meditation, and he built this whole gigantic structure, with two seminaries in the few years from 1612 until his death in 1629, the year of the great copula’s completion.

Through the outer portal one enters a noble vestibule, which is a usual feature. Octagonal, it has no particular direction; it can therefore serve as a pivot on which the axis of the building is turned, the gateway to another world of splendor and concentrated power.

Of the classical four ivans the west ivan has a wide porch surmounted by a goldasteh (minaret). The south ivan (also the largest) open to reveal a great prayer hall surmounted by a double cupola 38 m high on the inside and 52 m on the outside (leaving a 12-meter empty space which serves as an extraordinary "echo chamber", since a speaker in the mehrab can be distinctly heard in all other parts of the mosque), its surface decoration being he most sumptuous richness, a floral design in gold, yellow and white spiraling on a deep blue ground. In the center of the great prayer hall look out for a few black paving stones underneath the dome, which when stamped upon create seven clear echoes.

The fact that sound is equally carried to all parts of the dome chamber and cloisters on each side as well as to the courtyard and the lateral porches, indicates that four centuries ago, Iranian architects were able to produce buildings provided with acoustics not inferior to those of any modern building.

Great jasper and marble bowls like fonts each made of solid stone block, can be seen near the portal gate, under the western and eastern domes, and in the cloisters on both sides of he great southern prayer hall. These are unique in terms of delicacy and care with which they were made. They used to be filled, on various occasions, with water or sherbet to quench the thirst of worshipping throngs in summer.

To the east and west of the mosque there are two theological colleges. Two long seminaries at the back are suitably studious in their architectural tranquility. The dome, elegant and sensitive in contour, slightly bulbous, set on a high drum, is simple, of remarkably clean and expressive outline uncluttered by any supplementary constructions.

In the school building to the southwest of the courtyard there is a piece of stone which acts as a sundial attributed to Sheikh Bahai, the famous scientist and mathematician of the period of Shah Abbas. It indicates noon in Esfahan throughout the year.

According to A U Pope, both the ground plan and the structure of the building reflect the doctrinal simplicity of Islam. Circulation and communication are everywhere facilitated, nowhere impeded. The common floor level is at no place broken by steps, railing or screens. The walls merge into their garden-like floriation or open onto real and natural gardens. Because of the concentration of the bearing load on octagonal stone columns, wide vistas open up and voids are at maximum. The ornamentation is wholly traditional repeating the Iranian motif of appeal for fertility and abundance. Almost the entire surface of the building is covered with enamel tile. A vast display of floral wealth, abstract and imaginative, emphasizes the Persian poetic passion for flowers, as well as the appeal for a continuance of an abundant life. The best time to photograph is about 11 a.m. when the sun is overhead.

Hakim Mosque

Located at the end of dyers bazaar, past Golbarg Street, Hakim Mosque was founded by Hakim Mohammad Davud the royal physician to the court of Shah Abbas II in the 12th century, and rebuilt in 1645. It possesses remarkbale tile decorations, a variety of ornamental designs, and many beautiful inscriptions, all of which combine to make it one of Esfahan’s important historical monuments.

MAUSOLEUMS

Mausoleum of Baba Qassem

Located to the north of the Friday Mosque, is the Mausoleum of Baba Qassem (Aramgah-e Baba Ghassem, an Iranian theologian) built in 1340 AD by a theological student named Suleiman ibn el-Hassan Talut Damghani in memory of his teacher. The entrance gateway is decorated with attractive stalactite ornamentation’s, beautiful tiles and an inscription executed by the well-known calligrapher Mohammed Reza Imami in 1634, the date when the renovation works of the site were completed. The pyramidal brick cupola of the mausoleum, with attractive mosaic tile decorations, ranks among Esfahan’s most remarkable historic remains. Inside the mausoleum, under the cupola, there are numerous inscription friezes on a background of turquoise-colored tiles. An inscription in white Thulth characters set on an azure tile background, is seen on the crescent above the mehrab, which gives the name the person by whose order it was built.

Tomb of Harun Velayat

The construction of Harun Velayat or Harunieh, is compose of a cupola, a tomb-box, two courtyards and two portals beautifully ornamented with mosaic tiles delicate scrolls, and complex designs. It was erected in 1523 AD, in the reign of the Safavid king Shah Ismail I, by the order of one of his reputed military commanders name Dormish Khan, and repaired under other sovereigns of the same dynasty. Innumerable inscriptions in different calligraphic styles, set on mosaic tile background, including the inscription of its ancient stone trough, are found in this monument. Some lines of verse from Safavid and Qajar periods can also be seen in the mausoleum and the porch. The superb tile-decorated cupola of the monument also bears an inscription in Kuffic around its base.

Mausoleum of Shahshahan

As a famous mausoleum, this is the burial-place of a mystic named Shah Ala’od-Din Mohammad who lived in the 15th century AD and was killed by the Timurid king Shahrokh, according to the inscriptions found there. The original building is of Timurid period and has later been repaired under the Safavids. Its tile work plaster ornamentation’s, as well as the interior stucco inscriptions (in Persian and Arabic) are very remarkable as regards their magnificence and charm. The cupola of the mausoleum has been reconstructed in recent years and is planned to be decorated with tile work in near future. It has an ivan and a carved door bearing the date 1446 AD. The latest repair of the mausoleum was carried out during the reign of Safavid Shah Abbas I in 1604 AD, according to a plaster inscription inside the mausoleum.

IMAMZADEHS

Darb-e Imam

Completed in 1453 according to an inscription inside its cupola, the imamzadeh has been built over the tombs of two descendants of Imams, known as Ibrahim Tabatabai and Zain ol-Abedin. It is unusual in having two domes, but its fame is mainly due to the quality of enameled tiles covering the main ivan, cupolas, three courtyards, two portals, a gallery, an arcade, a tombchamber, two imamzadehs, and the resting-place of Jahanshah Aq Qoyunlu’s mother. As far as the excellent architecture, mosaic tile work, and plaster inscription friezes are concerned, the monument enjoys the highest historical fame, and is considered a worthy rival of its contemporaneous the Blue Mosque in Tabriz. Its inscription in Thulth characters and the fine mosaic tile decorations of its portal stand among the most valuable artistic achievements of the period. Extensive repairs have been carried out in the monument under the Safavids, particularly Shah Suleiman and Shah Sultan Hossein. A great number of Safavid dignitaries are also buried in and around the Imamzadeh.

Imamzadeh Ja’far

Situated in the east of the great bazaar, near Harunieh Street and opposite Imamzadeh Ismail, stands this exquisite building of the 14th century AD (1324, Timurid period), which is also called the Ja’farieh Mausoleum. It is the resting place of Ja’far ibn-Mortaza, a famous religious personality of the period. There are two inscription friezes along the exterior corner of the edifice, which is an octagonal structure covered with a cupola, and seems to have had a pyramidal covering in its earlier state, now disappeared. Of the twin exterior inscriptions, one is in Kuffic and the other in Thulth calligraphic style, executed on a background of azure faience tile. There is also a tablet on the entrance portal in white Thulth characters set on a faience tile background. Inside the tomb, there is the usual tomb-stone, which bears the inscription comprising the name and titles of the deceased. It was restored in the 1950s.

Imamzadeh Ismail

The original construction of the complex of the Imamzadeh, its minaret and mosque belongs to Seljuk and early Safavid periods. Under the Safavids, the complex was expanded by the addition of other structures such as the mausoleum, porches, and a courtyard. In its present state, the monument consists of a very old mosque, a gallery, a portal, a beautiful large dome, the courtyard, the mausoleums of the Imamzadeh and Sha’ya, a prayer hall, an ivan, a sanctuary, the tomb-stone of the daughter of the Safavid Shah Ismail, a magnificent door, tomb of Qazi Safi od-Din Mohammad, several stone troughs, and a series of decorative tile works, stucco ornaments, a superb tile tablet, and numerous historic inscriptions from the Safavid period.

PALACES OF ESFAHAN

Palace of Chehel Sutun

The Esfahan palaces, particularly those which have survived, are exceedingly modest in comparison to the royal halls of the Sassanians or Mongols. The Chehel Sutun Palace, inside a garden with an area of 67,000 square meters, was built as an official court and a reception hall by Shah Abbas II (1647 AD). Nowadays it is located to the south of Sepah Street and continues the old talar, or columnar porch. At its simplest it is only a roof-high porch constituting the facade. When attached to a royal building, it provides a huge outdoor reception hall, and is susceptible to lavish embellishments which have included mirror plated columns, panels and stalactites, and polychrome mosaic ceilings.

The name means The Forty Columns, although there are actually 18. A reflecting pool (110x16m) is provided to see the other 18. A more mundane explanation is that 40 was once used synonymously with many in Persian, and still is in some quarters.

In 1721 Bishop Barnabas of Esfahan described the Chehel Sutun talar as follows: "The palace where the King held his reception is not a room or covered hall, but a very large open porch, handsome and more majestic than that of St. Peter’s, though not so big. It is completely full of large and small mirrors, marvelously interlaced, and some pictures with fine frames. There are in it 24 (actually 18) columns…covered with small pieces of looking-glass like the whole porch…" It must be added that each column is made out of a single tall plane trunk covered with a thin layer of painted wood, adorned with glass and painting.

Walls of the main hall of Chehel Sutun are decorated with six remarkable wall paintings, four of which belong to the Safavid period, as follows, starting from the western wing, opposite the main gate:

The scene of reception in honor of Vali Mohammad Khan the King of Turkistan in1611, by Shah Abbas I;
Battle of Chaldoran against the Ottomans in 1514 in which the Iranians fought without fire-arms, under Shah Ismail I;
Shah Tahmasb I, grandfather of Shah Abbas I, receiving King Humayun of India;
Shah Ismail I fighting against Sheibak Khan the Uzbek;
Shah Abbas II entertaining Nader Mohammad Khan, king of Turkistan;
The sixth large painting, which is more recent, depicts Nader Shah’s victory against the Indian army in 1747, at Karnal.
Some of the other smaller paintings are in celebration of the joy of living, still others from Safavid and Qajar periods depict foreign personalities. In the chambers along the ivan, too, there are paintings and superb ornamental designs.

The paintings of the Chehel Sutun Palace have been created in mainly two styles: 1) Iranian style, or magnification with scenes of miniatures used until then in decorating books; and 2) Foreign or European style, which became prevalent because of Iran’s connections with Europe. The paintings of the main hall are in the first style, while those of the northern colonnade are in the latter.

Portal of Darb-e Kushk

The mosaic-tile decorated portal of Darb-e Kushk is the only remaining relic of a construction the rest of which has disappeared. It has, therefore, been removed to the Chehel Sutun Palace, to be duly preserved there. This valuable portal possesses an inscription in Thulth script containing the name of Rostam Bahador Khan Aq Quynlu and the date 1496 AD.

Palace of Ali Qapu

In the Safavid period, this Sublime Gate (the literal translation of its name) made by the order of Shah Abbas I, led from the west side of the present Maidan-e Imam to park the Shah called Naqshe Jahan, the Image of the World. The Palace, of the early 17th century AD and the center of government, was made into the first skyscraper of Iran with a marvelous view over the public Maidan and city to the front and the Shah’s pleasure gardens at the back. It was located right at the entrance to the Safavid palaces which stretched from the Maidan to the Chahar Bagh Avenue.

Forty eight meters high from the ground level, with an imposing portal, it is six floors tall, each decorated in its own way, accessible by two difficult spiral staircases, and square in plan. All the little rooms have points of interest, but it is on the talar of the second floor that you will saunter and gaze around you at the wonders of Sheikh Lutfollah’s Mosque opposite, the Imam Mosque to the right, the northern perspective of the square, and the children playing in the green area to the back.

The lofty ivan of the third story has 18 wooden columns, a carved panel ceiling with gilded decorations and mirrors, and a large marble and copper basin, belong to the reign of Shah Abbas II. The play of water from fountains round the basin formed a nice-looking frame for those in the square. The Safavid kings and their foreign guests used to watch the polo games, fireworks, and the military shows going on in the square below.

On the sixth-floor, niches shaped like bowls or high-stemmed flasks are dug into the wall. Their purpose is not only decorative but also acoustical, since here was a music room. Actually, this is the largest hall of the palace and was allocated for the Shah’s official reception or pleasure hours when musicians played and singers of high repute assembled there to entertain the sovereign and his guests or favorites.

Many of the beautiful murals and mosaics which once decorated the many small rooms, corridors and stairways have been destroyed, partly in the Qajar period and as a result of natural causes in recent years. The paintings and sculptures are still being used as models by the miniatures and engravers now working in the bazaar.

Many small rooms for private entertainment have fireplaces and are open on one side, evidencing the Persian technique of bringing the out-of-doors into their houses, regardless of their social status.

The building has been repaired under the Safavid Shah Sultan Hossein, and a number of its frescoes belong to his reign. An inscription on the portal is indicative of repairs made there in 1854 AD.

Hasht Behesht Palace

The historic building called Hasht Behesht (Eight Paradises) represents residential palaces used in the later period of the Safavid dynasty, and was built during the reign of Shah Suleiman (1669 AD). Already a government property, the palace was originally surrounded by a vast garden and hundreds of similar buildings, also named Hasht Behesht, of which nothing remains except this interesting and beautiful palace.

Located inside the former Bagh-e Bolbol (Nightingale’s Garden) to the north of Bazaarcheh-ye Boland (Bazaar-e Honar) and east of Chahar Bagh Avenue, this two-story palace owes its fame, apart from its architectural and decorative merits, to the lavish use of marble slabs, stalactite vault decorations, excellent tile works dotted with scenes of animals (birds, beasts of prey, and reptiles) covering the building on the outside. Structurally, it consists of a Shah Neshim ( Royal Parlor), a verandah, numerous rooms, and ivans richly decorated with gilded frescoes.

The magnificent Raja’i Park was built by the Esfahan municipality around the palace during the recent years, which has developed into a very popular promenade used by the Esfahans.

MINARETS OF ESFAHAN

Menar-e Junban

The historic mausoleum called Menar-e Junban (The Shaking Minaret) from the Mongol period and 6 km to the west of Esfahan, consists of the tombstone of Amu Abdollah Karladani (bearing the date 1316 AD) and two shaking minarets each soaring high on either side of the mausoleum ivan, as the main attraction of the place. If you climb up the very narrow stairway to the top of one of these minarets and lean hard against the wall it will start to sway back and forth, and so will its twin, and the whole ivan decorated with polygonal azure tiles. Although by no means unique in this respect, the Shaking Minarets of Esfahan are probably the most famous of their kind. The site is open from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Oshtorjan Jam’e Mosque and Minarets

There is a magnificent 14th century mosque in Oshtorjan village 30 km to the southwest of Esfahan, by the same name, which also has shaking minarets like the twin shaking minarets (above), which were certainly built by the same architect (Fakhr od-Din Oshtorjani). However, two-thirds of these minarets have now disappeared. On the portal, inside the mosque, its mehrab, and northern ivan, a number of inscriptions and tablets have been placed, giving the names of owners, architect, the first four caliphs, as well as the master tile workers.

Sareban Minaret

Sareban (Camel Driver) Minaret rising 54 m above the ground, and attracting your attention even 200 meters further on, is located in the north of Jubareh (Jewish ghetto) of Esfahan, and is one of the most beautiful Seljuk structures. A flight of 135 steps runs through the minaret to the top, and three inscription bands in Kuffic and Thulth calligraphy on an enameled tile background, adorn it externally. Built somewhere between 1130-1155 AD, it is beautifully decorated with mosaics and brick works and the whole town can easily be seen from its higher levels.

Barsian Minaret and Mosque

A Seljuk monument dating back to 1097 AD, the mosque has a 35 m high minaret and a brick copula of 1421 AD. Twelfth-century brick masonry reaches its perfection in this building which was completed during the reign of Sutlan Borkyaregh, older son of Malak Shah, who had shifted the Iranian capital to Esfahan.

Sin Minaret and Mosque

Twenty four km to the north of Esfahan, it is a Seljuk monument and was built by Mohammad ibn-e Hossein (1131 AD), according to an inscription frieze. The minaret of the mosque, its exquisite cupola, stalactite and brick and stucco decorations, were built by Abughaleb Yahya three years later, according to an inscription of the same date.

Ali Minaret and Mosque

The 40-m high minaret and Ali Mosque, both of Seljuk period (probably of 13th century AD), are located in the northeastern part of the town, near Qiam Square. It is built entirely of brick, and bear four inscription friezes in Kuffic, one of which is in brick and the rest in enameled blue tiles. The mosque itself has been repaired more than once during the Safavid period (1522 AD). The portal inscription is in Thulth calligraphy by Shams od-Din Tabrizi, totally in gold characters. It architecture, superb ornamentation, numerous ivans, impressive prayer hall, brick copula with stalactite decorations inside, beautiful tile works, and versatile styles used in its inscriptions, make it one of the most important and rarest monuments of Esfahan.

Domenar –e Dar oz-Ziafeh

Domenar-e Dar oz-Ziafeh (literally meaning the Two Minarets of the Reception Hall), are two beautiful minarets of baked brick, decorated with stalactites of colorful mosaic tiles, surmounted by a covering of turquoise tiles on a chequered brick background, standing on either side of a portal. Few words of their half-demolished inscription can still be read. As the name indicates. The minarets seem to have been part of a much grander structure belonging to a certain ruler of the 14th century.

ATASHGAH

The fine historic site and remains comprising thick sun-dried walls and a group of other ruins on top of a single rocky mountain, is 8 km to the west of Esfahan on Esfahan-Najafabad road. According to early Islamic historians, it has been one of the most famous and the most active fire-temples of the city during the Sassanian reign. The Temple had originally been erected inside a fort and rampart where the sacred fire should have been kept glowing for centuries to come. As experienced by those who have climbed the mound, it is possible with only moderate difficulty and minor damage to the skin and footwear to climb all the way up there from the road, making your way under a barbed wire fence surrounding the mud-brick remains, from where you can get a marvelous view back to the city, winding silvery Zayandeh Rud, and the surrounding green plain. In ancient times, the Temple and the area surrounding the mound were called Marbin or Mehrbin (meaning a place from where the sun can be seen), and Shahr-e Ardashir. Even the westernmost bridge connecting northern banks to the southern banks of Zayandeh Rud used to be called Marbin for at least 15 centuries of Islamic history.

BRIDGES OF ESFAHAN

The city of Esfahan occupies both banks of Zayandeh Rud, and although only the northern part draws the tourists, the presence of river, running eastward right through the city is a most favorable feature. Trees and gardens (now mainly renovated into parks and promenades) line its shores, and the many ancient beautiful bridges carry heavy traffic to the modern plants and factories on the south bank.

Pol-e Shahrestan

Shahrestan Bridge, about 3 km east of the Pol-e Khaju and to the south of Jay Bus Terminal and the old town, is the oldest bridge built before the Safavid period of Iranian history. Although of slightly harder access, it is well worth visiting, and the walk is pleasant. Once it stood isolated like an old gray mule put out to grass. Most of its present stone and brick structure is believed to date from the 12th century. It can be reached both from the left and right banks. The structure, named after a neighboring Shahrestan village to the north, is a fine arched bridge, slightly incurvated with arches of varying sizes. Its massive abutment dates back to the Sassanian period; however, its arches and small spans show indications of early Islamic architecture. It is 100 m long and 4.6 m wide, with 11 spans and 12 gigantic stone abutments. It is not open to traffic. It was repaired during the Seljuk period. The landscape is very peaceful with clumps of poplar trees and pebbles rolling on the bed of the river which is fast running in this particular spot. Just before sunset is a very good time to visit or photograph it.

Sio Seh Pol

The most important north-south avenue of Esfahan is Chahar Bagh (Four Gardens), and the bridge used by this large highway is the famous Sio Seh Pol (Bridge of Thirty Three Arches, also called Allahverdi Khan Bridge, after the architect who built it). He commenced the structural works in 1602 by the order of Shah Abbas the Great. He was also the king’s Army Commander-in-Chief. The bridge is an extraordinary structure: 300 meters in length and 14 meters in width, serving both as bridge and dam (it is no longer used by traffic). It connects the Chahar Bagh with Armenian settlement of New Julfa. Traditionally a number of Christian and Islamic ceremonies used to be held on both sides of this bridge.

Khaju Bridge

The historic bridges of modern Esfahan are of course Safavid, like the Maidan. Each bridge coincides with a straight avenue running through the city from north to south. The best-known is the 132-m long Pol-e Khaju (Khaju Bridge), some 1.5 km downstream (east) of Sio Seh Pol, which is slightly smaller but even more attractive, with two levels of terraces overlooking the river. From bank to bank, and on the foundations of an earlier structure by the order of Shah Abbas II in 1650 AD, this magnificent bridge has been constructed with two purposes in mind: to be used both as a roadway and a dam (by means of sluices, the level of the river may be raised or lowered at will). The original purpose of this dam was to form an artificial lake for some distance upstream, in front of the numerous palace buildings and kiosks that stood on either side of the river. It is now used to raise the level of the river sufficiently to fill irrigation canals on either side.

But its most fascinating features are the pavilions set into the 12-meter width called Shah Neshin (Royal Parlors) and once decorated with faience and inscriptions. The famous tea-house under the bridge is currently closed but may be reopened soon: this used to be one of the most atmospheric places in Iran to sit and drink tea or smoke the ghalian (hubble bubble), surrounded by slumbering Esfahan manhood.

Sa’adat Abad Bridge

Between the Khaju and Sio Seh Pol Bridges, there are two bridges on the river. The one which is nearer to Khaju Bridge is a canal bridge (Pol-e Ju-i) crossing the river slantwise. Being a narrow bridge not used for public transportation, it is 147 meters long and about 4 m wide, which was originally used to connect the royal gardens on both banks of the river, and has twenty one arches. Built during the Safavid period (Shah Abbas II), a narrow water brook (50 cm wide and 50 cm deep) passed from its top, which does not exist today.

NEW JULFA

New Julfa on the southern bank of Zaynadeh Rud, was founded by Shah Abbas as a settlement for the Armenians of the Old Julfa on the Araxes, who were thus rescued from the dangers of Turkish attack and brought to set an example of industry to the inhabitants of the Shah’s new capital. He gave the immigrant Armenians special privileges and formal guarantees concerning their religious freedoms. Until relatively recently, all European residents were compelled to live in this suburb.

Vank Cathedral

The beautiful All Savior’s Cathedral in New Julfa, locally known as the Vank Cathedral, at the far eastern end of Khaghani Street, is open to visitors from 8 am to noon and 2 to 5 PM, Monday to Saturday. Begun in 1606, at the time of arrival of Armenian immigrants to Esfahan, it was completed between 1655 and 1664 under the supervision of Archbishop David, with the encouragement of the Safavid rulers, and is the historic focal point of the Armenian church in Iran, although it has to a certain extent been supplanted by the recent Armenian cathedral in Tehran. Prior to its completion there was a small church which served as the center of Gregorian Christianity in Persia. Over the foundations of that small church was built the magnificent high altar of the Cathedral. The exterior of the church is unexciting, but the interior is richly, if rather tastelessly, decorated with oil paintings of people sacred to the Armenians, and shows the mixtures of styles – Islamic Persian and Christian European – that characterizes most churches in Iran. The altar is named after St. Joseph of Arimathia, the relics of whom are preserved within the altar. The soaring walls and splendid arches and the domes of the building are intended to glorify the Creator. From the tiled lower portions of the walls to the ceiling are horizontally covered with oil paintings and gilded carvings in representation of the God’s revelation throughout the Old and New Testaments.

It would not be out of place here to enumerate the paintings, that would bring delight to all art lovers:

THE DOME
This represents the story of Creation in 8 episodes from Adam to his expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the death of Abel.

TOP ROW
Moving left from the northeast wall window and gradually passing right, are represented the Flood, Noah disembarking from the Ark, the Tower of Babel in construction, the destruction of the Tower, Hesse’s blossomed rod and the genealogy of Jesus, the apparition of Daniel, the stoning of St. Stephen and the Church symbolizing a ship of salvation.

TYPOLOGICAL ROW
Starts from the right of the altar and on two are depicted the following:
Abraham entertaining the three Angels and the Annunciation;
Joseph reading the Moon and the Stars, and the Angel appearing to the Shepherds of Bethlehem;
Hagar and Ismail being expelled, and the Nativity;
Melchisedek worshipping Abraham, the worship of the Magi;
The persecution of the Israelites by the Egyptians, the massacre of the Innocents of the Bethlehem;
The Israelites bringing offerings to Moses, the presentation of the Christ to the Temple;
Coronation of Saul (Savough), Christ at the age of 12 in the Temple;
The Ark being carried across the River Jordan, the Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan;
Baleam’s Ass, the temptation of Christ;
Angels guiding Lot from Sodom;
Moses showing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, the Transfiguration;
The Ark being brought into Jersusalem, the entry of Christ into Jerusalem;
The Golden Calf, the purge of the Temple;
Elisha healing in the waters of Jericoh, the washing of the feet;
The Passover, the Last Supper;
Shimei cursing David, the betrayal of Christ by Judas;
The Judgement of Solomon, Christ before Caiaphas;
Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, the scourging of Christ;
Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, Christ falsely accused and condemned to Crucifixion;
The brazen serpent, the Crucifixion;
Joseph being lowered into the pit, the descent from the Cross;
Jonah and the whale, the entombment of Christ;
The crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites, the Resurrection of Christ;
The sacrifice of Isaac, the Ascension;
Moses striking water from the rock, Pentecost; and
The burning bush, the Assumption.

LOWER ROW
Represents a series of evangelical events in wall paintings. Commencing from the right Altar:

The parable of the beam and the splinter, the blind leading the blind, Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Christ, "Do not approach me", doubting Thomas, the stoning of St Stephen, the Sacrament of the church. In the same row are depicted the tortures being undergone by St. Gregory the illuminator as narrated by Agatangeghos the historian. At the end row of paintings there is a group of other biblical events depicted, such as the resurrection from death of Lazar the Adultress, the rising from bed of the paralytic, the assumption of the Virgin Mary.

The belfry faces the main entrance. There is a small museum (originally built in 1930, and moved to the present day premises in 1971) where you might be able to find a guidebook on New Julfa in English, or someone who speaks English, as most educated Armenians do. There are as many as 13 other churches in New Julfa as well. Two famous ones are the Holy Mother of God and the Bethlehem. The Cathedral’s Press was founded in 1636 and was one of the first in the Middle East to print the Book of Psalms in 1638. During its 350 years of operation the Cathedral’s Press has printed about 500 books and thousands of pamphlet.

The Cathedral’s Library with more than 25,000 books in Armenian and most European languages, is used as a reference and research library by the clergy and the interested scholars.

Parks of Esfahan

Esfahan has a good number of beautifully designed parks in addition to its traditional gardens and promenades. The following is a short listing of the main parks:Bustan-e Sa’di southwest of Pol-e Felezi (Steel Bridge).
Bustan-e Mellat, between the Steel Bridge and Sio Se Pol.
Bustan-e Ayeneh Khaneh, between the Khaju Bridge and Sio Se Pol.
Bustan-e Sahel, east of Khaju Bridge.
Bustan-e Zayandeh Rud, northwest of the Steel Bridge.
Bustan-e Kudak, northeast of the Steel Bridge.

EXCURSIONS AROUND ESFAHAN

The Mosque and Minaret of Gaz

Located in Gaz village 18 km to the north of Esfahan, these structures belong to the Seljuk period. It is said that the mosque has been built on the site of an ancient fire-temple. The dimension of the mosque’s prayer hall and the stucco decorations of its mihrab are particularly interesting. The mosque itself is a four-ivan structure and has been repaired under Shah Ismail I and other Safavid sovereigns. A stone tablet dated 1674 AD and two stone troughs are seen in the mosque. The mosque’s minaret, decorated with fine brickworks, has no inscription giving its date of construction.

There is an interesting caravansary in the vicinity of the complex from the Shah Abbas I period (1587-1629 AD), which considered as a typical model of such constructions. It possesses a high, tile-decorated portal, as well as a spacious courtyard and four brick towers built at four corners of the court. The rooms of the caravansary open on to the tow-storied ivans.

Mausoleum of Pir-Bakran

Located in Pir-Bakran 30 km to the southwest of Esfahan, the tomb of Pir-Bakran, together with a gallery and courtyard date back to the 14th century AD, and have been constructed in the reign of the Mongol Illkhan Olijaitu. This complex of structures bears two dates, namely 1303 and 1312 AD, and possesses excellent stucco decorations and tile work inscriptions in Thulth and Kuffic styles, and a series of inscriptional plaster works add considerably to the grandeur and charm of this monument. The mausoleum is that of an eighth-century pious man, Mohammad ibn-e Bakran, and consists of a gallery, a courtyard, a portal, and the tomb itself. The name of the constructor and decorator of this superb building, given in the inscription, is Mohammad Naqqash (the painter), and his work ranks among the masterpieces of the decorative art in Iran. The cemetery of the Jews of Esfahan can be seen in front of this complex. The Shrine of Esther Khatun is visited by the Jews of the region.

Jam’e Mosque of Na’in

As a famous historic monument of Iran and also known as the Alavian Mosque, the Jam’e Mosque of Na’in is a construction of the 10th century AD. Architecturally, the crescent-like arches of the mosque bear close resemblance to those of the Tarikhaneh Mosque in Damghan and the Jam’e Mosque of Nairiz in Fars province. The monument possesses eleven arcades with semi-circular vaults, the one in the middle being wider than the rest. Upon the walls, the vaults, and the pillars, there are various octagonal and other geometric decorations worked in plaster moldings, which are particularly worthy of note for their simple charm and their deep setting. This last point supports the opinion that the monument is one of the early Islamic structures. The Jam’e Mosque of Na’in is also famous for its manbar and a wooden door, both of which are beautifully carved and both rank among Iran’s historic relics of considerable artistic value. Upon the manbar there is an inscription in Naskh style, carved on a floral background and dated 1311 AD, which is the date of the donation, by Jamal od-Din Malik ot-Tojjar, of the manbar. Further, a panel inscription on the door of the mosque, bears the date 1469 AD, which is that of reparations in the monument.

ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS

ACCESS AND DISTANCES:

424 km to Tehran, on the north; 480 km to Shiraz and 420 km to Persepolis, both on the south; 659 km to Kerman and 320 km to Yazd, both on the southeast; 108 km to Shahr-e Kurd, on the southwest; 180 km to Ardestan, 200 km to Kashan, and 308 km to Qum, all on the northeast.

ACCIDENTS:

282222, 288888
AIR AGENT:

Iran Air Office No 1, opposite the Abbasi Hotel 221045.

Iran Air Office No 2, on the east side of Chahar Bagh Ave, corner of Seyed Ali Khan st 227778.
Iran Air Office No 3, Next to the northern gate of Esfahan University 245821.

Iran Tour & Travel Company, next to the main Iran Air Office 23010.
Asseman Air, on the east side of Ferdowsi Street 223974, 227717.

AIRPORT:

The airport is some 20 km to the east northeast of Esfahan, and connected to it by buses and taxis. Airport bus goes to and from Enghelab-e Eslami Square. Airport Office: 51014.

Airport Information: 51017.

Flight information 313313.

Iran Air Ticket Offices:

Iran Air, Ayatollah Madani St 221045
Iran Air, Chahar Bagh Ave 227778
Iran Air, Ayeneh Khaneh Blvd 615821
Asseman Ticket Offices:

Airport Office 255014

Airport Information 251017
Airport Traffic 82200
BANKS AND EXCHANGE OFFICES:

Bank Melli Iran, Sepah Street, northwest corner of Imam Square 220038 226482

Bank Saderat Iran, Chahar Bagh Aven, Darvazeh Dowlat 30081-2.

Bank Saderat Iran, Imam Square 223954, 226022.

Bank Sepah (central), Sepaah Street 220823.

Iran Arz Exchange Office, Jahanguir Qashqa’i Crossroads 61874.

Markazi Exchange Office, Apadana Crossroads, Ghodss Bldg 617514.

Sepahan Exchange Office, No 127, Nazar-e Sharghi Street 249225.
BUS TERMINAL:

Kaveh Street, about two km to the north of Shohada Square. Here you can get buses to nearly all major towns of Iran. There is also a more or less weekly direct service with Cooperative Bus Company No 1 to Istanbul.

1. Jay Terminal 510003
Kaveh Terminal 413605, 414375
Soffeh Terminal 688441-2

Zayandeh Rud Terminal 759182-3
CITY DIALING CODE NUMBER:

The dialing code for Esfahan is 031.

DRUG STORE (24-HOUR):

Ali Asghar 222148.

Edalat, Chahar Bagh-e Bala Ave 244606

Emdad, Ferdowsi Ave 227713-4

Esfahan, Amadegah St 223511.

Hakim Shafa 265846

Kushesh, Sheikh Bahai Ave 234494

Markazi, Masjid-e Seyed St 230036

Sajjad 224197

EMERGENCIES:

115,275555

Esfahan Clinic 230015

Jorjani Clinic 255996

Sepahan Clinic 613082
FIRE STATION:

224444
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE:

Ostandari, on the west side of Dastgheib Street 222651-6.
Farmandari, in Motahari Street, 260085-6.

MEDICAL SERVICES:

There are several hospitals in Esfahan. The former Anglican Hospital is next to the Church of St. Luke in Abbas Abad Street. Some of the hospitals are as follows:

Askaryeh 250041-9
Feiz 259031-5
Hazrat-e Qa’em 616001-9
Sadoghi 282031-7
Shahid Beheshti 267001-3
MUNICIPALITY:

On the east side of Imam Hossein Sq (Darvazeh Dowlat) 229021-9.

POLICE:

Khorshid Street, off Imam Hossein Sq (Darvazeh Dowlat) 113, 114, 228666, 688888.

POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS:

The main post office: on Neshat Street, southeast of Imam Square. The central telegraph office: on Dastgheib Street. As elsewhere in the provinces, international calls are difficult to make, and it’s worth paying a little extra to call from one of the larger hotels.

RAILWAY STATION:

Ticket Office: east side of Enghelab-e Eslami Square 224425.

Information 687010-12
There are three express trains a week from Esfahan to Tehran, but most people prefer to go by bus or plane.

RESTAURANTS:

Esfahan, like many other places in Iran, has its own special delicacy: Beryani. This is ground lamb fried in its own grease, topped with seasoning and spices. You may like other popular Iranian dishes, particularly Chelo Kabab, delicious as anywhere. Another famous delicacy of Esfahan is Gaz (nougat), a chewy white candy with pistachios and almonds. You can eat in one of the following places:

Abbasi Hotel

Ali Qapu Hotel.

Azadi Hotel

Kowsar Hotel
Maharajah Restaurant
Now Bahar Eating Hall
Piruzi Hotel (Mehmansara).
TAXI:

A shared taxi can be hired anywhere in the town, or hire a private one for 4500 Rials an hour within the city limits. Hiring one for a few hours is definately a good idea if you want to visit some of the outlying sights, and it’s worth considering even for a tour of the main sights within the city. Here is a short listing of some taxi agents:

Ali Qapu 233332.
Arya, Chahar Bagh-e Bala Ave, Nazar Intersection 617710.
Esfahan, Sharif Vaghefi St 255555
Iman, Mahdieh St 239035
Iran 245751
Khaghani, Khaghani St 240366
Kowsar, 292947
Laleh, Zeinabeih St 250936
Oghab, Mirfendereski St 610234
Samaan 228900
Sassan 225054

Shahab, Piruzi Sq 619982
Wireless Taxi 215050
TOURIST MAP:

Available in English and Persian.

TOURIST OFFICE:

Shahid Madani Street, at its intersection with Chahar Bagh Avenue 221555, 27667.