Isfahan Travel Attractions

Esfahan embraces Persian art, architecture and handicrafts and depicts the capital of the Safavid dynasty.

Isfahan, Safavid Dynasty Glory

Discover the eminence of Isfahan travel attractions in urban characteristics. Isfahan fascinates travellers with streets covered with tall trees, leafy sidewalks and unifying and coherent structures. Travel highlights of Isfahan are pavilions, citadels, mansions, bathes and sacred places.

Isfahan proves that Persian architecture is a formation of a conscious act. Gratify yourself with Isfahan’s picturesque views of Perso-Islamic architectural beauties. Satisfy your expectations from decoration, artefacts, paintings and fine arts of Persian art.

Isfahan is a collection of mementoes from the Sassanid dynasty to the present era of Iran. Esfahan shines with its delightful, stunning domes looking like turquoise jewels scattered all around the city. Isfahan calls to take you on the tour of wonders in the alleys of history. Isfahan is the narration of turquoise ceilings, delightful plaster-moulding vaults, and eye-catching walls. Esfahan embraces mystics art, dazzling mirrors, and windows with colourful glasses.

Isfahan Art Center (UNESCO Heritage)

Naqsh-e Jahan Square or Median-e Emam is a prominent historical complex in Iran. The eye-catching square hosts many tourists who travel to Esfahan to visit the historical attractions. Travelers enjoy the pleasure of watching the sunset and the square’s beauties.

Naqsh-e Jahan Square (Median Emam) is a masterwork of chief architect Sheikh Bahaee. Median Emam includes Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque with genius interior and exterior dome decoration. Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque was a royal mosque for Shah Abbas Safavid.

Shah Mosque (Imam Mosque) depicts Persian architecture in the Islamic era in Naqsh-e Jahan Square. Imam Mosque consists of iwans, domes, tilling and supreme engineering of a voice echoing. Ali Qapu Palace is a gallery of art in terms of music, painting and decoration in an acoustic structure.

Safavid King Mosque (UNESCO Heritage)

In Naghsh Jahan Square in Isfahan, a mosque shines like a turquoise jewel. Shah Mosque (Imam Mosque) is one of the masterpieces of Islamic art and a must-see Isfahan travel attraction. Watching Imam Mosque from a distance, from the entrance of this collection, can hold your breath in your chest.

Shah Mosque is one of the masterpieces of Sheikh Baha’i and an Isfahan architectural highlight. The Safavid empire built the mosque around the time of the Renaissance. Stunning tiles catch travellers’ eyes and inspire tourists by combining colours and designs.

Under the Shah Mosque’s arch, thousands of voices have made their way into history. This sound reflection is the most incredible feature of the dome’s structure. The dome arch makes the voice echo, so Moazzens call Adhan without a loudspeaker to all worshipers throughout the courtyard.

Naqsh-e Jahan Palace (UNESCO Heritage)

Ali Qapu pavilion is a must-see Isfahan travel attraction and one of the most attractive examples of Safavid architecture. The plan of the building is such that it disrupts the viewer’s mental calculations. The difference in appearance with changing the angle is one of these wonders.

Ali Qapu pavilion from the front and the main view is an old two-story building with several columns in front. But the picture from the back is different, in which you will see five floors. As well, from the sides, the building looks like three floors. Listening to melodious songs gives you the joy and desire that takes you to the peak of ecstasy and liberation.

As a reason, Safavid kings would dedicate a specific room for music and dance in Ali Qapu palace. Kings’ music passion is clear in the decoration of the Music Hall in the Palace. The shapes of bowls and musical instruments curved all around the hall to echo the sound of the music. Such a room depicts Safavid Kings spending evenings with their family and guests.

Isfahan Golden Dome (UNESCO Heritage)

Take a walk through a monument of spiritual shapes that tell you about light, truth, and greenness. Art is a concept imbued with words, senses, and colours to depict the depth of human thought. A functional mode is a visual language to talk about the beliefs that words cannot interpret. Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is a delightful monument including no minarets with the dazzling minimal design of dome tiles.

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque embraces extraordinary architecture, tiling, and design as an Isfahan travel attraction. The mosque is an Isfahan architectural highlight and manifestation of Safavid art. Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in front of the mansion of Ali Qapu and the eastern side of the Naqsh-e Jahan Sq.

Isfahan Coppersmith Handicraft (UNESCO Heritage)

From ancient times, hand-made copper utensils among Persian handicrafts. We can say that coppersmith handicrafts are the mother of many handicrafts of Isfahan. Today, they often prefer to cook their food with copper utensils or use copper objects. Isfahan coppersmith bazaar is the centre for such art and an eye-catching travel attraction.

Ghalamzani, engraving art is a superb handicraft masterpiece that converts raw metals into invaluable souvenirs. In Ghalamzani, artists carve the surface of cooper objects to shape decorative ones. Let’s visit the blacksmiths’ bazaar or the Section (Rasteh) of blacksmiths in the grand bazaar of Isfahan.

Isfahan Persian Garden (UNESCO Heritage)

Speaking of paradise, it reminds us of the small garden of Chehel Sotun (40 pillars). Sheikh Baha’i a prominent Persian architect engineered the building. Chehel Sotun‘s interior design shows artistic masterpieces of paintings and Persian architecture. The paintings narrate stories of Safavid and Afsharid kins wars.

The Isfahan oil-coloured wall paintings depict the victories of the Persians in wars with the Ottomans and Indians. Esfahan royal paradise is home to art, culture, history and Iranian Majesties.

Isfahan Red Village

Abyaneh village lets travellers experience one of the ancient rural areas close to the central desert of Iran. The rural area clarifies historical customs and traditions with its characteristic language and colourful clothing. Abyaneh village presents distinctive reddish adobe buildings.

There is one of the ancient Zoroastrians’ fire temples in narrow pathways that directs you to the fruitful gardens. This magnificent village, as the living museum, is between Kashan and Isfahan Province.

Isfahan Oldest Mosque (UNESCO Heritage)

Monuments around the world include a part of the history of a nation within. It seems like they are here to carry their stories within its pillars and walls. Now a question arises what if each part of a building belongs to a specific period? What would happen if the historical periods are together like puzzle pieces?

Isfahan Jame Mosque (Masjed-e Jame Isfahan) is an example of such a monument. A monument with a basement belonging to ancient Persia. Isfahan Jameh Mosque is an altar with grandeur for the Mongol ruler Uljaytu. Masjed-e Jame Isfahan is the remains of a fire, even narrations of a house of worship for Zoroastrians. Isfahan Jameh Mosque’s magnificent turquoise dome is in the south of Isfahan city, near Imam Ali Square. Isfahan Jameh Mosque is a unique holy place for the renovation and reconstruction of one of the oldest mosques in Iran.

Armenian Cathedral

Vank Cathedral with fascinating paintings and a mosque-like dome shines as Isfahan architectural highlights. Armenians who Shah Abbas Safavid forced to move to Isfahan constructed the cathedral. Vank Cathedral is as old as the Armenians’ presence in Iran.

The cathedral includes a dome in Islamic style to declare friendship with local people about 400 years ago. Vank Cathedral is in the southern part of Isfahan city in the Armenian region of Jolfa. The interior of this architectural masterpiece embraces delightful stunning frescos and gilded carvings. It includes a wainscot of magnificent tile work too.

Persian Architectural Heritage

Khaju Bridge is one of the most eye-catching historical monuments of Isfahan. Shah Abbas II built Khaju Bridge during the period of the Safavid empire on the Zayanderud river.

The architectural, tiling and painting style of the Khaju bridge is a global masterpiece and an Isfahan travel attraction. As well, walking on Khaju is one of the most enjoyable tourist activities in the evening and early at night.

Isfahan Paradise

Hasht Behesht Palace was a royal pavilion with glamorous paintings, woodwork, mirror-work and tilling. The two-story mansion used to be the most attractive palace in the world. Shah Suleiman Safavid built Hasht Behesht Palace in 1701 A.D. in the middle of a large garden.

Isfahan royal garden is a great example of a Persian garden too. Hasht Behesht Palace embraces a green atmosphere, a picturesque pond, lovely sidewalks and a pleasant ambience. The palace presents the artistic approaches of Safavid empire kings.

Isfahan Brilliant Street

Chaharbagh Abbasi Street is one of the most significant streets and passages of Isfahan. It embraces high historical monuments such as Naqsh-e Jahan, Si-O-Se-Pol bridge, and Chehel Sotoon Palace. Chaharbagh Street contains a pleasant atmosphere, in spring, especially in April and May.
Also, Chaharbagh Abbasi is one of the most charming autumn scenes of Isfahan’s travel attractions. Chaharbagh architecture during Safavid undoubtedly proves one of the brilliant artistic periods of post-Islamic Iran.

Isfahan Sassanid Glory

Izadkhast Castle is an adobe structure from the reign of the Sassanid empire. The complex includes a fortress, fire temple, caravansary, bathroom and the city of Izadkhast. Izadkhast castle is on a large rock and contains little houses with narrow alleys.

The complex renovation happened after the Arab conquest of Iran by constructing a mosque over the fire temple. As well, Safavid added a caravansary and bridge to make Izadkhast livable till the Qajar dynasty.

Isfahan Shaking Building

Monar Jonban (shaking minarets) is one of the most magnificent monuments west of Isfahan. The monar is an architectural masterpiece as a result of minarets’ oscillation. Monar Jonban is also a shrine for a mystic of Sufism “Amu Abdollah Soqla” in the eighth century AH. The monar includes a domed roof, plus two minarets that Safavid added to it later. Monar Jonban is an unbelievable structure and an Isfahan travel attraction since the Ilkhanate era.

The building contains two 17m minarets, and surprisingly by shaking one of the minarets, the other one moves. Travellers notice different parts of the minarets, such as bells and water containers, to perceive the vibrations well.