Tag Archives: Ancient Persia

The four Iwans of the Jameh Mosque of Esfahan

At the first encounter, there is a courtyard of the Friday Mosque in Esfahan is composed of four prayer halls or Iwans, the east and west are similar in hight and frame but the west is more colorful. The north and south are much larger and both compete for who is fairest.  Each iwan designContinue reading “The four Iwans of the Jameh Mosque of Esfahan”

Kharanaq: Please don’t shake the Minerat

Ancient Kharanaq is like a scene out of an old western with tumbleweed and the only signs of life are  some lonely donkeys and feral kitties.  The townspeople have moved into new housing just meters away. The town itself is filled with winding covered passageways with rooms branching off of them. It’s easy to loseContinue reading “Kharanaq: Please don’t shake the Minerat”

First visit to a real Zoroastrian Fire temple in Yazd (Part 2)

The next stop was a short one to see a flame that burns in the honor of the highest deity in the Zoroastrian religion Ahura Mazda – the lord of Light and Wisdom The fire found inside this temple in Yazd has been burning continuously since 470 AD.  It came to this simple building in 1932.Continue reading “First visit to a real Zoroastrian Fire temple in Yazd (Part 2)”

First visit to a real Zoroastrian Tower of Silence in Yazd (Part 1)

It was hard leaving the chill environment of the Zein-o-din but the journey north continued. Our next destination was Yazd known to be the center of Zoroastrianism. We of course had a few Zorastrian highlights to see before the end of the day. These included the ancient burial platform called the Tower of Silence onContinue reading “First visit to a real Zoroastrian Tower of Silence in Yazd (Part 1)”

A few stops along the roadway to the Zein-o-din

This was our first day on the road since my husband and I landed in Shiraz just four days prior.  We had visited Persepolis and now we were heading to Cyrus the Great’s burial site and his capital Pasargadae.  After that, we continued on to see the Beehive Ice House structure that was once aContinue reading “A few stops along the roadway to the Zein-o-din”

Good times…when the Zand Dynasty made Shiraz Persia’s Capital

The fortress known as Karim Khani Citadel today shows signs of age.  There’s a tilting tower, missing columns and a Qu’ran missing.  It’s almost 300 years old so all of this isn’t unexpected.  The structure was the main residential palace of Karim Khan-e-Zand and his dynasty and later in the mid 20th century home to prisonersContinue reading “Good times…when the Zand Dynasty made Shiraz Persia’s Capital”

Ancient Persian Propaganda at Bishapur

The Shapur City or Bishapur is a city built by a defeated Roman Army and their Emperor Valerian. Shapur had many reliefs carved depicting his greatest victories in the battlefield and can still be seen along the sides of the Tang-e Chowgan gorge and under the graves entrances at Naqsh-e Rustam. Shapur is easy toContinue reading “Ancient Persian Propaganda at Bishapur”

Pasargadae: How Alexander the Great and UNESCO saved it

Pasargadae looks pretty barren today and its simple remains says nothing of how great of a leader Cyprus was to Persia.  The limestone tomb contained a golden coffin which rested on top of a table also made of gold.   Tall trees, flower beds, pools and waterways encircled the resting place of Cyprus the Great.Continue reading “Pasargadae: How Alexander the Great and UNESCO saved it”

Persepolis and a few “Great” Leaders

Persepolis is an amazing vision and one has to imagine what it must have looked like before Alexander the Great buried most of it to the ground. There are many theories Alexander did this despite the fact that he did admire Cyrus the Great and didn’t destroy his burial grounds. He even went so farContinue reading “Persepolis and a few “Great” Leaders”