Isfahan the City of Love and Light

Isfahan, cultural capital of Iran, is one of the most important cities in the Middle East. Also Isfahan is the second most visited city in Iran after Shiraz.

Isfahan Travel Guide

Your comprehensive guide to find things to do in Isfahan including attractions and sightseeing, activities, tours, restaurants and hotels in Isfahan. We plan your trip to Isfahan with useful visitor information. In this travel guide, we will provide you helpful advice on trip information to help you make the most of your travel to Isfahan, Iran.

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Isfahan Half of the World

Before traveling to Isfahan, Persa Serv suggest you read about Isfahan’s history and it’ profile. The history of Isfahan dates back to the the Elamite civilisation (2700 – 1600 BC). 

Sagittarius the astrological sign and the horoscope of Isfahan

Little is known of Isfahan’s ancient history, but the Ateshkadeh-ye Isfahan (Isfahan Fire Temple) and pillars of the Shahrestan Bridge, both from the Sassanid period, attest to its longevity.

The Fire temple of Isfahan, Sassanid era (224 to 651 AD)

The Buyid period saw an explosion of construction and by the late 10th century the walled city of Isfahan was home to dozens of mosques and hundreds of wealthy homes. In 1047 the Seljuks made Esfahan their capital and during the next 180 years it was adorned with the magnificently geometric Seljuk style of architecture, several prominent parts of which remain.

The first Islamic building that adapted the four-courtyard layout of Sassanid palaces to Islamic religious architecture

The Mongols put an end to that, and it wasn’t until the glorious reign of the Safavid Shah Abbas I (also revered as Shah Abbas the Great), which began in 1587, that Esfahan was again Iran’s premier city. After moving the capital from Qazvin to Isfahan, Abbas set about transforming it into a city worthy of an empire at its peak. His legacy is the incomparable Imam Sq and artistic advances – particularly in carpet weaving – that were celebrated and envied as far away as Europe.

Vank Cathedral (17th Century AD), Julfa, Isfahan

Subsequent Safavid rulers also contributed to Isfahan’s skyline, but little more than a century after Abbas’ death the dynasty was finished and the capital transferred first to Shiraz and later Tehran (Lonely Planet).

Chehel Sotoun Palace, 17 Century AD, Isfahan

Travel to Isfahan

During your travel to Isfahan, visiting Chehel Sotoun Palace (World Heritage Site), Naqsh-e Jahan Square (World Heritage Site), Atiq Jameh Mosque (World Heritage Site), Music Museum, Vank Cathedral, Sheikh Lotfullah Mosque, and Khajou Bridge are a must.

The Shah Mosque, (17th Century AD), Isfahan