The Wondrous Attractions of Iran

a Floliday Datiation Friàm Square sfahan Isfahan contains same af the warld s most beautiful Islamic manu- ments. The city s mament of glary came in the 17th century when the tawn was made the capital of the Safavid empire by Shah Abbas the Great. At this lime same af the most stunning Islamic architec- ture in the warld was created buildings that, amungst ather things, served as the inspiralian for the Taj Mahal. The Imam (Shah) Square is he glary of he city and contains he exquisite Masjid-e- Imam (Shah Musque), the Sheikh Lafulah Masque with its stunning colaured kiles, the Ali Qapu Palace, and the Qaisarrieh Bazaar ane af the most exolic in the Middle East. Persepalis 02 Persepalis is ane of the warld s most magnificent archaeolagical sites. Knawn as Parsa la the ancient Persians, this sile was the cer- emonial capilal of Iran s Achaemenian kings fram the time of Darius the Great (reign 521 la 485) for mare than 200 destruction by Alexander the Great in 330 B.C. Each Spring the representatives fram he subject natians af the Persian empire gathered al Persepolis la pay hamage and bring tribute ta the King of Kings. The existing remains cansist of enarmaus stane calumns with elaborate bases; strange capitals representing balh pawerful and mythical beasts: stane daor and windaw jambs: and facades and with Fine bas-relief s. years until its staircases, many Bridgės of Isfahän 03 Isfahan alsa boasts same of the mast beautiful bridges in the warld, them the Khajau, the Siu-se-Pal and Shahrestan, the aldest amang af the Isfahan bridges. The bridges span the Zayandeh River which separates Isfahan fram the suburb of New Julfa. A walk alung the Zayandeh Riuer in the late afternaan, crassing the bridges as you is one of the mast memarable Iran travel experiences. go, Old City FYazid 04 Sandwiched between lwa deserts, this isalated uasis tuwn affers the uisitar ane of the best examples of traditianal Iranian mudbrick architecture, and is an undaubled highlight af any uisit ta Iran. Yazd has always been an imporlant commercial centre an the caravan trail between Western and Eastern Iran and hame la a praminent Zora- astrian community. The legacy of this rich mix is unforgeltable, and includes Zuroastrian Tawers of Silence : the distinclive Wind Towers or badgirs which duminate the skyline: and same very beautiful Islamic architecture. National Müseumş Fehran 05 The highlight uf a uisit ta the Iranian capital is the upportunity ta explare several af its excellent museums, including: the superb Archaeulagical museum, with its pre-histaric and Islamic sectians: the Abguineh Glass Museum: the Carpet and Reza Abbassi Callig- raphy museums; and the stunning State dewels of Iran which hauses ane of the mast fabulaus callectians of treasures in the world. Bişitürn 06 Bisilun is ane of the most famous sites in Near Eastern archaeulagy. Here, an a smoothed rack face high up an a cliff is a relief shawing Darius the Great (reign 521 ta 485) facing a line af rayal prisan- ers with his faat an the bady af his principal oppanent. A trilingual inscription in Old Persian, Akkadian, and Elamite, tells he dramatic stury of Darius cansalidatian af pawer al the start of his reign, and was the Raselta Stane that led la the decipherment of cuneiform script in the 19th century. Chiogha Zanbil 07 The great Elamite ziggurał af Chogha Zanbil is anather UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Built by Untash Gal, King af Elam araund 1250 B.C., the temple and tamb camplex which ance rose ta 174 feet aver 5 platforms, was the facal paint of his city of Dur Untashi, and dedicated ta the great qod Inshushinak. The lawn was devastated by the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal in 640 B.C and abandaned. Taday, Chagha Zanbil is ane af the mast camplete ziggurals sur viu- ing in the warld, and ils remaining 2.5 levels are undeniably impres- sive. TCUK 3517 ATOL TRAVEL CENTER ECTED RE-DEFINING THE WORLD OF TRAVEL UK.co.uk 0207 612 7222 [email protected] JATA Source : http://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/iran-holidays/top-ten-sites