What is Isfahan famous for?

What is Isfahan famous for? Isfahan city is famous for “Half of the World” in the Iranian culture; it is an excursion and ancient city that is located in the center of Iran.

Isfahan city has been registered by UNESCO as a historical heritage, due to the existence of national monuments.

In the old times, this city was also known by the names Sepahan, Safahan, Safavian, Partak, etc. Each place in this province has its own beauty.

According to the moderate climate and many historical and excursion centers, it is considered a cultural and economic center of Iran.

This article has been dedicated to the historical, cultural, and natural attractions of Isfahan that made this province famous in the world; so tune on!

Read more: Isfahan or Shiraz

What is Isfahan famous for?

Isfahan; Half of the world

Many Iranian and foreign tourists know Isfahan by the famous phrase “Half of the World”, but they don’t know what is the reason for this nomination.

In the distant past, Isfahan was famous for the title of “Half of the World” in the Iran and world;

the existence of more than 6000 national monuments with the antiquity of hundreds and thousands of years, alongside pristine, natural regions can be a good reason for giving this title from the world’s perspective to this valuable area of Iran land and also caused that this point of the country became a tourism hub of Iran and become famous as “Half of the world”.

Isfahan as a Valuable heritage

The historical monuments and incomparable variety of handicrafts that are transferred downward from the previous centuries in the different regions and cities of this province and today,

• it is at our disposal as a valuable heritage,
• and had transformed Isfahan into an artistic, historical, and natural museum that visiting from it,
• is visitors dream who are in love of culture all over the world.

The monuments of our ancestries in this point of our country are the result of historical and cultural existence that the antiquity of most of them returns to the third millennium BC.

In the following, we explain about some of the most valuable heritages that made Isfahan famous.

Historical Attractions of Isfahan:  

1- Historical Mosques of Isfahan

“Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque” is one of the most beautiful historical monuments of Isfahan that attracts every visitor.

“Grand Mosque of Isfahan” is a complex of buildings and artworks which belongs to the periods after Islam that shows a part of architectural developments of Islamic periods of Iran’s history for a thousand years.

“Aljayto Mihrab” which is located in this mosque is one of the masterpieces of plaster-molding art.

“Imam Mosque” is the most important mosque of the Safavid period, in terms of glory, architecture, and decorations.

2– Historical Bridges

Si-o-Se Pol Bridge (Allah Verdi Khan) is one of the architectural masterpieces and bridge-making of Iran and the world that is located in Isfahan.

This bridge has about 300 meters in length and 14 meters in width and was built under the supervision of famous King Abbas I, named Allah Verdi Khan in the 1005 A.H.

In the Safavid period, the ceremony of “Abrizan or Abpashan” of Armenians was done besides this bridge. 

Khaju Bridge (Shahi): The tiling decorations and the drawings of the stalls of this bridge are one of the interesting parts of it. This bridge was built by the command of King Abbas II.

3– Fireplaces and Churches

“Hacoup Church” is the first church that Armenians built in the Jolfa, but the most famous historical church of Jolfa, in terms of architecture and drawing decorations is “Sen Sour Church” which is famous to “Vank Cathedral” and was built in 1065 A.D.

The most important historical church of Jolfa from the period of king Abbas I is the “Bidkham or Beyt Al-lahm Church” which is located beside Maryam Church.

“Kouh Sangi Fireplace” is the oldest heritage of Isfahan and the remains of it is seen in the Kouh Sangi.

All of the churches in this category: Isfahan church

4– Historical Castles

“Chehel Sotoun Palace” is one of the buildings that Isfahan which is known as the “half of the world”, owes an important part of its fame to it.

“Hasht Behesht Palace” is a sample of the last kings of Safavid castles.

“Ali Qapu Palace” is a unique example and one of the wonders of the architecture of Safavid castles. This monument was built under the command of king Abbas I.

5– Minarets

The old minarets with unique architectures are the other historical attractions of Isfahan province. “Jonban Minaret” is also one of the examples of the Mongol period that whose tiling is remembered from that period.

“Golpayegan Minaret” is also one of the highest minarets of the Seljuk period that belongs to 5th-century A.H.

6- Historical Houses

Historical houses are the other sights of Isfahan province that are rarely found in other regions of Iran.

“Vasigh Ansari House” was built about 150 years ago and it is considered of the prettiest houses of the Qajar period. Totally, there are many houses and palaces in the Isfahan and each of them is important in terms of architecture and history.

7- Natural attractions of Isfahan:

– River:

Zayanderood is the most important river in the center of the Iran plateau. This river emanates from the northeast front of Zard Kouh- e Bakhtiari and flows till Gavkhouni. This river became famous to Zayanderood due to the many boiling springs from the source to the estuary.

– Mountain:

Soffeh Mountain is located southwest of Isfahan. The existence of a historical castle, named “Dez” in the center of the mountain has caused many tourists to visit this mountain. 

Traditional Foods that made Isfahan famous:

– Beryan

Beryan is one of the local foods of Isfahan province. Many people make ready themselves for tasty and famous Biryani.

“Beryani” is one the most famous foods of Isfahan and fewer people are found that are going to Isfahan and don’t try its unique taste.

The popularity of Biryani is to the extent that not only Isfahani people, but also other people of Iran or even foreigners know this food. 

– Khoresht Mast

One of the famous desserts of Isfahan is the Khoresht Mast.

This strew is different and has a unique taste and appearance. It has yellow-colored and its taste is a combination of sweet and sour.

– Ash shole ghalamkar

The origin of Ashe Shele Ghalamkar is in Isfahan and the main ingredients in the production of it, are mung bean and meat.

FAQ

Conclusion

Almost everyone knows Isfahan with its Si-o-Se Pol and Ali Qapu.

If you want to travel to this city, it’s good to have useful information about the tourist places of it.

Isfahan has numerous historical, cultural, and natural attractions that are summed up in this article and therefore, many famous places were not mentioned

What is your opinion about this article? Would it be exhaustive?

Can you add other places that made Isfahan famous? Have you ever visited these pretty, national places?

Describe what you feel when you were there? Share your views, please.