The Top 10 Historical Sites to Visit in Iran

The Iranian architecture comes with the rich history of the country, and together with the utopian landscape, they inspire a rich Persian culture. Ornamental tiles and clever engineering masterpieces reflect the power of Iranian architecture throughout the centuries. With twenty UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iran, you will never be faced with a lack of sights. There are mosques to wonder at and cities to surf in. In short, the magnitude and diversity of Iranian historical architecture is amazing. Here is a list of these historical places in Iran to visit , included in Iran travel tour packages.

inside of Nasir-al-Mulk Mosque of Shiraz

Nasir-al-Mulk Mosque of Shiraz

A mosque like a jewelry box and one of the great historical places to visit in Iran, this architectural masterpiece of the nineteenth century, apart from its vivid patterns, beautiful windows, owes its reputation to its exceptional tilework. In fact, its pseudonym, the Pink Mosque, is ironically the right name for it. Its rose-colored tiles and amazingly ornate windows make the interior more attractive. The mosque has two non-identical northern and southern porches, and the northern porch is more beautiful than the souther one. The northern porch has three half arches on three sides and runs from the fourth to the courtyard. The porch has 4 pavilions, and the middle roof is beautified with Iranian muqarnas (also known as Ahoopay) work. The southern porch has two minarets and there is a rectangular stone pond with a fountain in the courtyard.

Persepolis Shiraz

Persepolis, Shiraz

This ancient city was the capital of the Achaemenid dynasty and a telling example of the period’s architecture. These ancient remains bear testimony to the presence of this city since 515 BC. Massive buildings and gigantic sculptures show the ancient Persians’ veneration of Iranian culture. In 518 BCE, the construction of Persepolis began as the new Achaemenid capital in Persia. The founder of Persepolis was Dariush the Great, after whom his son Xerxes and his grandson Artaxerxes the first added to the expansion of the complex. Much of the available knowledge of the Achaemenid background and their culture is available due to stone inscriptions in these palaces and on the walls around the area. The historians believe that Alexander the Great, Macedonian commander in the 330 BC, attacked Iran, set fire to Persepolis, and probably destroyed a great deal of Achaemenid books, art, and artifacts. However, the ruins of this place are still under construction, and archaeologists confirm the signs of fire and invasion. You shouldn’t miss Perspolis as one the most important historical places in Iran to visit.

Shah Cheragh Shiraz

Shah Cheragh, Shiraz

Shah Cheragh is the name of a mosque and a tomb in Shiraz, which, according to the Shiite beliefs, Ahmed b. Musa Kazem, the eldest son of Musa Kazem and also Muhammad b. Musa, are buried in. The latter was traveling to Khorasan to join his brother when he was killed by the people of Ma’mun, the Abbassid Calipha. Now a funerary monument and mosque in Shiraz belongs to them; the tombstone on the outside of this place is covered with glass tiles that reflects the light in all directions. This 14th-century shrine has been rebuilt over and over again for reasons such as earthquake and structural damage, but none of these interventions will affect the sensation that you get when you arrive.

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque Isfahan

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Isfahan

The mosque is known as a masterpiece of the Safavid architecture from the 17th century and its reputation is owed to its amazing tile-work, its sophisticated structure, and the parts that make its encompassed feeling of purity manifest in light and color. As one of the popular historical places to visit in Iran, it is included in Iran travel tour packages.

Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse Kashan

Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse, Kashan

The public and traditional bathhouse, built in the sixteenth century, gives an insight into the everyday life of the ancient Persians; it is decorated with turquoise and tiles of gold and its artistic painting offers a unique look. This place has a large dressing room and a hot water room. Today, It welcomes domestic and foreign tourists as a museum.

Eram Garden Shiraz

Eram Garden, Shiraz

A quiet place built in the 13th century, the Eram Palace lies in the paradisiacal garden. It is as if the garden was built earlier than the palace in the 11th century. This subtle and tranquil legacy has a three-story structure that is built in such a way that it can convey the maximum flow of air to the lower floors. Imagine the colorful tiles next to the magnificent gardens of this building, all over the place.

Yazd Market

Yazd Market

Throughout many years, combined with its desert environment, Yazd has been transformed into a single architectural masterwork of Persian culture. Its historic center, which includes the Yazd market, is made of clay and has a unique system of wind turbines and air conditioning systems. Of the historical places in Iran to visit , Yazd is definitely a must-see.

Jameh Mosque of Isfahan

Jameh Mosque of Isfahan

This pleasant mosque, which is said to be the oldest shrine in Iran, has been under continuous reconstruction during the seventh to twentieth centuries. Since 2012, it has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been constructed in the form of a four-door architecture with four opposing faces.

arg bam kerman

Arg Bam, Kerman

This ancient city located in Kerman is another UNESCO World Heritage site in Iran. Bam is the largest brick building in the world, dating back to 2000 years ago and the time of the Parthian Empire. It has gone through many hard times, including a massive earthquake in 2003, but it has still remained a magnificent monument.

golestan palace tehran

Golestan Palace, Tehran

Golestan Palace is a legacy of the Monarchy of the Qajar Dynasty. All of this is filled with royal gardens and buildings and a collection of Iranian art from the 18th and 19th centuries. Unfortunately, many of the buildings in this place were destroyed by Reza Shah between 1925 and 1945, because he felt that the old architecture was preventing the modernization of Iran.