15 Best Places to Visit and Things to Do in Isfahan

Isfahan is an ancient city and the capital of Isfahan Province. It seems like a living museum with inhabitants. Isfahan is full of the historical monuments, paintings, and artifacts. It is famous for its Persian–Islamic architecture and handicrafts such as Vitreous enamel, Kalamkari and Khatam-kari etc. Iranians believe Isfahan is the center of art. Isfahan is located in the center of Iran and neighbors Yazd, a UNESCO world heritage city. Isfahan is Iran's third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad. There is an expression in Persian which says “Isfahan, nesfe jahan” which means Isfahan is Half of the World. Isfahan is regarded as a popular and main tourist destination in Iran and is usually included in any tour to Iran. Isfahan homes many UNESCO world heritage site and here, we intend to introduce top tourist attractions in Isfahan: 

Imam Square or Naqsh-e Jahan Square

Imam Square or Naqsh-e Jahan square is one of the most wonderful and historical tourist sites in Isfahan. Naqsh-e Jahan means image of the world in Persian. It is one of the largest and the most beautiful squares in the world which is about 160 meters wide and about 508 meters long. It dates back to the Safavid era and was constructed during the reign of Shah Abbas the Great in the early 16th century, about 400 years ago. It was used for holding festivities, polo and the military parades. There are still two stone gates of the polo in the north and south of the square. In the middle of the square, there is no car but some carriages giving ride to people around the square. When you are there, it seems like you are walking in the middle of Shah Abbas era and feeling the power of Persian empire in Safavid dynasty. Imam Square includes four historic monuments on each side: Masjed-e Shah or Imam Mosque on the southern side, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque on the eastern side, Ali Qapu Palace on the western side and the Grand Bazaar on the Northern side of the square. The Naghsh-e Jahan square was registered as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979 and visited by many tourists every year.

Imam Mosque or Masjed-e Shah 

Imam Mosque or Shah Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques in the world which was built under the command of Shah Abbas I. and was completed by his successors. The building of the Masjed-e Shah is affluent of blue patterned mosaic tiles, which are hand-painted, and an enormous dome with the height of 52 meters. Masjed-e Shah is considered a masterpiece of the 16th century and perfectly exhibits Safavid Era and Islamic architecture. One of the interesting features of this mosque is that the sound echoes just under the center of the enormous dome. Shah Mosque was registered as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is another masterpiece of the Safavid era and one of the most interesting mosques of the world, located in Naqsh-e Jahan Square on the eastern side of the square. The mosque was built by Shah Abbas the Great and it has no minarets and courtyards which are the main parts and usual for the other Iranian mosques. Since Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque was used as a private place for the royal family to worship and acted also as a women's sanctuary or Harem. In Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, you can see the role of mixture of color and light in the Persian Safavid architecture. The color of dome changes from grey to yellow and to gold through the day with the sun’s movement. 

Ali Qapu Palace

  One of the other must-see places in Isfahan is Ali Qapu Palace or as Iranians called it Kakh-e Ali Qapu which means High Gateway. Aali Qapu is a unique example of the architecture of a palace in the Safavid era. Ali Qapu is founded by Shah Abbas I. The palace has five floors and Shah Abbas П developed the palace and ordered to build a music room on top of the building. On the sixth floor and in the music room, the ruler listened to music played for him while he was watching polo at the square in. Inside the palace, the first part of the stairs was built of blue tiles and the yellow tiles are used for the other part to show that different rulers expanded the palace. The palace is also decorated with magnificent paintings and works of stucco most of which were faded away, unfortunately. 

Old Qeysarieh Bazaar

Qeysarieh Bazaar or Shahi Bazaar is one of the most famous of historical Bazaars in Iran. Qeysarieh is actually the main part of the Grand Bazaar in Isfahan and Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Qaisarieh Bazaar was constructed on the north part of Imam Square in Safavid era. Now Qaisarieh Bazaar is the main supplier of handicrafts in Isfahan. There are many beautiful and unique paintings from the Safavid era all around it. There is a dome in the middle of the bazaar, a caravanserai in two floors with 148 Hojreh (small shop) in the west and a minaret, the caravanserai was used as a place to trade different goods in the past. The entrance of the bazaar which is known as Qaisarieh Portal is a majestic gateway decorated with spectacular paintings and tiles works. There are two platforms in both sides of the entrance used by the goldsmiths to render their goods in the past which currently act as to sit and take a rest before entering the bazaar if you are tired after a wander around the Naqsh-e Jahan Square. 

The Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar or Bazar-e Bozorg of Isfahan is one of the oldest and longest bazaars in the middle east. It has a beautiful architecture, a maze of lanes, caravanserai, historical schools with lots of and lots of small store selling different kinds of goods. You can find whatever you want or need, even if you don't buy anything you can enjoy the active atmosphere governing the bazaar where you can feel the active life. Bazar-e Bozorg Isfahan is a great place to see local jewelry, dishes, carpets etc. The Grand Bazaar consists of some Char- Su (four directions or semi-junctions) and each direction also includes some other lanes with stores. In each lane there are Hojrehs (small shops) selling particular goods like carpets, shoes, spices, gold, silver, handicrafts, etc. 

Kakh-e Chehel Sotoun Garden

The Chehel Sotun means forty columns and it seems that the building in the garden should have 40 columns, but is that true? There are twenty wooden columns in the entrance of the building of the palace and just in front of these columns, there is a large pond full of water which reflects the building. The reflection of these columns in the pool make them seem forty and that is why the garden was called Chehel Sotoon. Chehel Sotoun Palace, which is a large garden with a magnificent building in the middle, was constructed by Shah Abbas the Great, later some changes were added to it by Shah Abbas II. Chehel Sotoun Garden is one of the nine Persian Gardens which registered in the UNESCO world heritage sites. The Safavid King visited ambassadors and figures from other countries in its reception halls. The glory of the Safavid art can be seen through the paintings on the wall and ceiling. Do not miss visiting these masterpieces.

Si-o-se pol Bridge 

The Si-o-se pol which is another name of Alla Verdi Khan Bridge means in Persian 33 Bridge. The bridge which is constructed over Zayandeh River includes32 small bridges and a main bridge over the whole width of the river. 

Another name of this bridge is Allah-Verdi Khan Bridge because it was constructed by Allah-Verdi Khan under the commission of Shah Abbas I. Si-o-se pol Bridge is located over Zayandeh-roud River which passes through Isfahan city. The Bridge is about 300 meters long and 14 meters wide and includes two levels. The lower level contains 32 arches and in the upper level, every two arches is constructed above one arch in the lower level. Si-o-se Pol Bridge is regarded as the largest construction on water in Iran. It is recommended to visit Siose pol in the afternoon near sunset. You can take scenic photos at sunset.

Khaju Bridge 

Khaju Bridge or Shahi Bridge is built in Safavid era over Zayande-rood River by Shah Abbas II.  It is a great architectural construction. The bridge was constructed in four floors and 23 arches and it is decorated with tile works and paintings. Archaeologists believe it was built over the pre-existing ruined bridge in order to connect Khaju and the Darvaze-ye Hasan Abad neighborhoods to Takht-e Foulad and Rah-e Shiraz. The bridge is also known as Shah Bridge (King bridge) as well as Hasanbeik Bridge.

Hasht Behesht Palace

Hasht Bihisht means Eight Paradises or Eight Heavens in Persian. Hasht Behesht Palace was constructed in the later period of the Safavid dynasty by Shah Soleiman (Shah Safi II). The king used Hasht Behesht Palace as a place for resting and hunting. Hasht Behesht Palace as well as Chehel Sotoun Palace are two of the 40 monuments left from the Safavid era in Isfahan. It is smaller than Chehel Sotoun Palace but as beautiful as it. The building of Hasht Behesht Palace is located in the center of a heavenly garden with the same name: Hasht Behesht Garden. The building is in an octagonal shape and has two main entrances. There are large balconies in Four larger sides with tall wooden columns under them. The architecture is amazing with beautiful decorated ceilings and paintings.

Vank Cathedral

Vank Cathedral or the Holy Savior Cathedral also known as the Church of the Saintly Sisters is located in Armenian neighborhood of Isfahan, New Julfa. Vank means monastery or convent in the Armenian language. Shah Abbas П devoted it to the Armenian who were deported after the Ottoman War. Vank Cathedra is a Christian building and its architecture is completely different from other buildings in Isfahan. The murals show Jesus Christ’s life from the birth to the ascension.  The church has a large courtyard which includes a museum that displays the Armenian life style. Vank Cathedral is considered as a good example of co-existence and multiculturalism of different religons’ followers in a society.

Jame Mosque of Isfahan or Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan 

The Jameh Mosque or Friday Mosque is situated in the historic district of Isfahan. It is an active mosque and a real museum of Iranian-Islamic architecture. Here, you can see the architectural styles of different dynasties over more than a thousand years of Islamic art. Masjed-e Jame Mosque is a good example of Iranian-Islamic architecture during 12 centuries of the Abbasid, Buyid, Seljuq, Ilkhanid, Muzzafarid, Timurid and Safavid eras. There are two brick domes in front of each other, on the northern and the southern side of the mosque. Today, Jāmeh Mosque of Isfahan includes various parts such as Nizam al-Mulk Dome, Taj al-Molk Dome, the courtyard with four iwans around it, the Shabestans, Mozafari School, and Sultan Uljeitu Mihrab each one representing the Islamic architecture in a particular period. Masjed-e Jameh is registered in the UNESCO world heritage site list.

Monar Jonban or Shaking Minarets in Isfahan

Monar Jonban, meaning the swinging minaret in Persian, is one of the most important  mausoleums and monuments in Isfahan. Some believe the iwan dates back to Ilkhanid era and the minarets were added to it later, at the end of Safavid era. Here, you can find the tomb of Amu Abdoullah Ebne Mohammad, a mystic figure who died in 1316 AD. Manar Jonban includes two minarets which are about 17 meters high from the ground level (about 7.5 meters from the roof of the building) and 9 meters wide. The mechanism of the shaking minarets is that when one of the minarets is shaking, not only the other one but the building swings. You can make the minarets shake pushing it by your hand. Shaking minarets are considered one of the masterpieces in terms of intelligent architecture. The building is constructed in Mongolian style and has one iwan. The roof is decorated with beautiful blue and turquoise tiles.

Atashgah - Zoroastrian Fire Temple

Atashgah or The Fire temple of Isfahan is one of the historical monuments dating back to the era before Sassanid period, the pre-Islamic Iranian empire. It is situated on a hill, about 210 meters high, on a mountain with the same name Atashgah Mountain and you can reach the top only on foot. There is a disagreement among archaeologists about the usage of Atashgah. Some believe that it was a place where Zoroastrians had prayed there and also some regarded it as a military castle. Previously it was called Dezh-e Mehrbin or Atashkade-ye Mehrbin after a village near it called Mehrbin and Atashgah is still called Marbin Fortress. 

Most of the Zoroastrian Fire Temple is ruined and the current structure includes an adobe foundation with 7 large windows and an entrance and an octagonal room. It is said Zoroastrian priests kept the sacred fire burning in this room. Atashgah was registered as an Iran National Monument in 1951.  

 Takht-e Foulad 

 Takht-e Foulad is a historical ceremony dating back to at least 800 years ago to the Ilkhanid era. It is said that Joshua, the Jewish prophet, had been buried there. Takht-e foolad was known as Baba Rokn ed-Din mausoleum or Lessan ol-Arz ceremony previously, but since Safavid era it is known as Takhte Foulad. There had been mausoleum of many famous personalities from the Ilkhanid era from which only the Baba Rokn ed-Din Mausoleum is remained unfortunately and it is considered the oldest structure in Takht-e Foulad. Moreover, there were 8 mausoleums from Safavid era all have been destroyed. Currently, there are 20 structures from the Qajar era and 17 from the Pahlavi era in the cemetery.

In addition to these majestic monuments, Isfahan is famous for Gaz and Sohan which are available in every sweet store. Do not miss taking these souvenirs home.
To learn more about the souvenirs in Isfahan, read the Iranian Souvenirs article.