Iran (Persia) is an old ancient country with so many tourist attractions in various cities from north to south and east to west. Although after the Iranian revolution in 1979 and following that, the Iran-Iraq war, Iran’s tourism was challenged for a while. But because of diverse and beautiful tourist attractions, Iran found its place somehow.
In any season, you can find a proper destination in Iran to trip to. Like if it’s summer, you could choose Iran’s northwest cities such as East and West Azerbaijan or nearby cities to experience gentle weather. And if it’s winter, there are cities in the south and southwest where the weather isn’t that cold. And of course, Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf such as Kish Island or Qeshm Island are some of the best destinations to travel in winter times.
Besides this, a variety of spectacular places in Iran, helps tourists to find a suitable place to visit at any time. As told many times, Iran is a cultural country which has more than 20 places on the world cultural heritage list. So this country is a really good place for cultural tourists. Iran also has lots of ancient monuments and tombs which attract so many ancient lovers.
According to what Iranian officials and reputable agencies announced, Iran had about 4.9 million tourists in 2016 and ranked as the fifth popular destination in the Middle East. In 2016 Iran had more tourists than Qatar, Lebanon, and Jordan. These facts show that despite any current political and economic conditions that this country is struggling with, Iran tourist attractions are destinations for millions of people around the world annually.
And as the statistics show, this amount is increasing every year. It also worth to mention that Iran is the 10th country in the world with 23 sites in terms of World Heritage Sites and chose to be one of the most important countries by UNESCO.
In this article, we’re going to introduce some of the best Iran tourist attractions and must-visit places in the country.
Persepolis (Takht-e Jamshid) in Shiraz
Persepolis which also called Parseh is one of the greatest tourist attractions in Iran. Persepolis was more kind of a ceremonial capital of the first Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire) during 550 to 330 BCE. Takht-e Jamshid is located in the northeast of the city of Shiraz (Fars Province).
Although most parts of this site were destroyed in the past millenniums, the whole monument is still recognizable.
Persepolis which is somehow like a small city is one of the most important symbols of Ancient Iran. It represents the power and glory of the Persian Empire and its majesty. Persepolis is not only an ancient monument but also a cultural place to learn about history. In 1979 Persepolis was registered as the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Eram Garden (Garden of Paradise) in Shiraz
Our second tourist attraction of Iran in this list is also situated in Shiraz. The Eram Garden or Garden of Paradise is a traditional Persian garden which has so many exclusive Iranian elements. This beautiful place has the famous Qavam House or better to call “Narenjestan-e-Ghavam” in it. This mansion was built by Mirza Ibrahim Khan in 1886 for Qavam family.
Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan
Isfahan also is known as Half the World (Nesf-e Jahan) includes multiple attractions such as Naqsh-e Jahan Square which also called Imam Square (Meidan-e Emam). This big square attracts so many tourists from different countries. Naqsh-e Jahan Square is one of the main cultural symbols and historical sites of Iran. It also is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites since 1979. The whole construction took nearly 27 years to build from 1958 to 1629.
This square is surrounded by other historical buildings. There is the Ali Qapu Palace on the west side of the square, Shah Mosque on the southern side, Allah Mosque on the eastern side and Qeysarie Gate on the northern side which leads to the Isfahan Grand Bazaar. All of these sites are historical places.
Horse and buggy are one of the symbolic things in this square. People can use these carriages to explore around the square and see the beauties of the city.
The Historical Houses in Kashan
If you’re interested in old and traditional mansions, Kashan can give you lots of places to visit. Kashan is an architectural city placed in the north of Isfahan province. Kashan is home to more than 20 old monuments and places.
There are a series of old mansions known as The Historical Houses of Kashan which consist some old and traditional buildings of Iranian architecture such as Tabatabaeis House, Bagh-e Fin, Abbasi House, Boroujerdi House, etc.
The Golestan Palace in Tehran
The Golestan Palace (Kakh-e Golestan) is an old and historic monument in Tehran. This beautiful palace consists of imperial buildings from Qajar Dynasty, gardens and many collections of Iranian ancient crafts. These remarkable items turned this palace to a great destination for Iranian and foreign tourists.
The Golestan Palace initially was built during the Safavid era in the early 15th century and has been completed in the past centuries by several dynasties such as Safavid dynasty, Zand dynasty, Qajar dynasty, and Pahlavi era. Marble Throne (Takht-e Marmar) is one of the most prominent parts of this palace. The Golestan Palace became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.
Nasir al Molk Mosque in Shiraz
The Nasir al Molk Mosque (Also called Nasir Ol Molk) which became famous for its stained glasses, is another example of Iranian unique architecture in building religious and holy places. The Nasir Ol Molk Mosque is located near to the Shah Cheragh Shrine. This Mosque was built by the order of Mirza Hasan Ali Nasir al Molk, who was one of the elders of the Qajar Dynasty in 1876. The construction of this mosque took more than 10 years. Thanks to the stained glasses, the indoor enclosure of the mosque is colorful during the day. The windows reflect the sunlight and create a colorful landscape.
Rudkhan Castle in Gilan
Rudkhan Castle is a remarkable fortress in the south of Fuman city in Gilan province. It was built by Talysh people to prevent Arab invaders from passing to the city. This place was a strategic place to hold enemies and push them back. Although after invasions of Arabs, this fortress was almost destroyed, but later, it was rebuilt again by Seljuq Dynasty once again.
The fortress is located on the mountains and surrounded by green woods and often with foggy weathers during autumns or winters. The remains of this beautiful fortress are now one of the best Iran tourist attractions.
You can visit magnificent tourist’s attractions in Iran by registering in one of the Iran tours in Iran tour Packages Page in Iran Travel agency website.
