Naqsh-e Rostam
A tour to Persepolis should include a visit to the nearby rock tombs and reliefs of Naqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab. The former consists of four massive tombs built into the face of a cliff, an appropriately ostentatious final resting place for four Achaemenid kings. Below you will see some stone reliefs depicting various Sassanian […]
Nasir ol-Mulk Mosque
Not far from Shah-e Cheragh, the Nasir ol-Mulk Mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque, is one of Shiraz’s most famous buildings. The Qajar-era mosque, completed in 1888, is celebrated for its delightfully colourful interiors. The stained-glass windows, intricately painted tiles and arches, and innumerable Persian carpets create a mesmerizing, kaleidoscopic aesthetic which can’t fail […]
Pasargad
The final stop on your day-trip outside the city should be Pasargadae, an Achaemenid political center that predates Persepolis. Another 50 kilometers north of its more famous successor, it’s not the most convenient of destinations, but the striking solemnity of Cyrus the Great’s ancient tomb, now surrounded by inhospitably harsh terrain, justifies the effort. The […]
Shah Cheraq Mausoleum
The Shah-e Cheragh (‘King of Light’) mausoleum is the picturesque resting place of two of the martyred brothers of Ali Reza, the 8th Shia Imam. Although killed in the 9th century, the present-day burial site has been considerably developed since the Qajar era. The central courtyard has a fountain at its center, and the shrine […]