Dubbed ‘a masterpiece of creative genius’ the Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System, of the Khuzestan province, is the pumping-heart that turned this expansive semi-desert land into urban residences, farms and orchards. Dating back to the time of Darius the Great, 5th century BC, this ancient collection of dams, bridges, basins, mills are a testament to the...
Soltaniyeh, the capital of the ancient Mongol Ilkhanid Dynasty
The modern day city of Shush in the Khuzestan province is where lies, what used to be, one of the most important cities of the ancient Near East, the city of Susa. It sits in the lower Zagros Mountains, between Dez and Karkheh rivers and 250 kilometers east of the great Tigris River. The city...
Drifting through the rich mystical land of Iran, the Sufi spiritual tradition of the Safavid Dynasty still flows strongly in the Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble complex. Founded, in northwestern Iran, early 14th century and finished late 18th century this sacred spiritual den was built as a microcosmic city; with a mosque, school,...
Dominating all of its surrounding landscape near the ancient city of Gorgan, the 1000 year old Gonbad-e Qabus Tower stands tall; magnificently representing the Ziyarid Dynasty’s timeworn civilization. Also known as Gonbad-e Kavus, this 53 meter tall tower, made of entirely of fired brick, is the tomb of, ibn Voshmgir, the Ziyarid ruler and writer...
The Legendary Age-old City of Persepolis The might metropolis of Persepolis, an enormous archive of Persian texts, bas-relief carvings, palaces, halls and tombs of the ancient empire’s royalty, is the legendary ceremonial capital of the great Achaemenid Empire. It is among the world’s greatest archaeological site of no equivalence. Carved on the southern face of...
Dating all the way back to the 7th century, located in the most northern corner of Iran near the border of Armenia, stand three of the oldest and most historic monasteries of the Armenian Christian faith: St. Thaddeus, St. Stepanos and the Chapel of Dzordzor. These historic marvels of traditional Armenian art and architecture are...
One of the seldom remaining corners of the world that is still the home to semi-nomadic people, the ancient village of Meymand is a relatively self-contained habitat in the valley of Iran’s central mountains, in the province of Kerman. Truly a place of wonder, the villagers have a very unique and interesting lifestyle that changes...
South-east of Iran at 1060 meters above sea level, between the Lut Desert and the Jebal Barez Mountains, rests the ancient city of Bam. What is now a mostly modern city in the province of Kerman, used to be a key trade hub of the Silk Road. It was the connection between Central Asia, the...
Standing high in the mountains, along the ancient Persian-Mesopotamian trade route, is the epic story of the battles of Darius the Great (Darius I). Carved 100 meters high on a limestone cliff, this giant 15 by 25 meter bas-relief depicts Darius the Great accompanied by two of his royal guards; triumphing over and stepping on...