Visiting Shiraz: Discovering the Cultural Heart of Iran

Shiraz, located in the Fars Province, is one of the most beautiful historical and cultural cities of Iran and is known as the cultural heart of Iran. According to archaeological research, the history of this city dates back 7,000 years. If you travel to this city as a tourist, it is better to allocate several days to visit all the tourist attractions, as this city has a great number of cultural and tourist attractions, and we will mention the most important ones below.

Famous Historical Gardens of Shiraz

The magnificent historical gardens in the city of Shiraz are usually accompanied by palaces and beautiful museums within them. In a separate section, we introduce museums. In the following, we will introduce the most important gardens of Shiraz.

Afif-Abad Gaden

Currently housing a royal palace, a weapons museum, and a charming traditional tea house.

Eram Garden

This garden features a splendid Qajar-era mansion and is adorned with citrus trees and beautiful cypress trees.

Nazar Garden

The architecture of the Nazar Garden mansion is a beautiful octagonal structure that was built by the order of Karim Khan. It served as a venue for hosting official ceremonies of the Shah.

Narenjestan-e Qavam Garden

This garden, also known as Qavam House, showcases the architecture of an Iranian garden and belongs to the Qajar period. It is adorned with exquisite mirror work and European-style paintings. Adjacent to this garden is the historical Zinat al-Molk House, known for its stunning plasterwork and mirror works.

Among other ancient gardens in Shiraz, we can mention:

Delgosha Garden, Takht Garden, Haft-tanan Garden (Tomb of the Seven Mystics)

Museums of Shiraz

If you are interested in visiting museums in Shiraz, here are some important museums in the city:

Persepolis Museum

Located within the Persepolis complex, it houses Elamite inscriptions, gold and silver jewelry, ancient instrument, and more.

Afif-Abad Military Museum

Situated inside Afif-Abad Garden, this two-story museum showcases a collection of cold and hot weapons, including firearms used by Iranian kings during the Qajar and Pahlavi eras. The second floor houses the Ethnology Museum.

Pars Museum

Located in Bagh-e Nazar (Nazar Garden), this beautiful museum displays inscriptions from the Medes and pre-Islamic periods, gold and silver coins, the sword of Karim Khan Zand, and many other valuable artifacts.

Narenjestan-e Ghavam Museum

In Narenjestan-e Ghavam Garden, you can visit this magnificent museum with exquisite mirror work, plasterwork, brickwork, and woodwork.

Garmabeh Museum

By visiting this museum, you can learn about the customs, bathing rituals, clothing, and culture of the people of Shiraz in the past.

Other notable and interesting museums in Shiraz include Shah Cheragh Museum (housing artifacts from pre-Islamic and post-Islamic periods such as precious Qur’ans, manuscripts, and ancient coins), The stone and gem of the sea of ​​light Museum(exhibiting rare and semi-precious stones and gems), Music Museum (featuring Iranian musical instruments, audio-visual archives, musical compositions, and handwritten notes of music masters), and Water Museum (displaying various models of water structures from different historical periods).

Historical Mausoleums of Famous Figures in Shiraz

Here are some historical mausoleums of famous individuals in the city of Shiraz:

Hafeziyeh (Tomb of Hafez)

This mausoleum is the final resting place of the renowned Iranian poet, Hafez, who lived in the 14th century. This great poet is very popular among Iranians.

It is interesting to know that many people seek fortunes by randomly opening Hafez’s poetry book. This mausoleum is located in the southern part of the “Quran Gate”.

Sa’diyeh (Tomb of Sa’di)

Sa’di is another prominent Iranian poet who lived in the 13th century. His mausoleum is known as Sa’diyeh.

Khaju’s Mausoleum

This mausoleum belongs to the great 14th-century poet, Khaju Kermani.

Other ancient sites in Shiraz include:

Masjed-e Vakil (Vakil Mosque)

This mosque is a Two porch mosque dating back to the 18th century. It features exquisite architectural elements, including beautiful tiles and stone columns.

Other historic holy sites in this city worth visiting include Shah Cheragh Shrine (the mausoleum of Imam Reza’s brother, a revered figure among Shia Muslims), Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, and Jame Mosque of Atigh.

Quran Gate

Located at the entrance of Shiraz, this historical gate has a large Quran (the holy book of Muslims) placed on top of it.

Vakil Bazaar

One of the oldest bazaars in Iran, dating back to the Zand dynasty, known for its remarkable architecture. Saraye Moshir is one of the famous and spectacular sections in this market.

Vakil Bath (Hamam-e Vakil)

This historical monument belongs to the Zand era and currently houses a carpet and textile museum.

Agha Baba Khan School (Vakil School)

This historical school is located near Vakil Bazaar and has been dedicated to the education of religious scholars.

Introduction to the Most Important Historical Sites around Shiraz

Outside the city of Shiraz, you can also visit magnificent historical attractions. Here is a brief introduction to each of them:

Persepolis Complex

This magnificent complex, built during the Achaemenid era, is one of the most important tourist attractions in Iran and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is actually the largest ancient structure in Iran.

Naqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab are also located near Persepolis and have the stone reliefs and carvings that can captivate any viewer. It’s worth noting that the architecture of the Naqsh Rajab is inspired by Greek style.

Bishapur Ancient City

It’s interesting to know that near Shiraz, you can see the remains of an ancient city built by Roman captives and engineers during the Sassanian era. Exploring the ancient architecture of this city would require a full day. In the vicinity of this city, there is a remarkable cave known as the Shapur Cave, which contains a large statue of Shapur, one of the Sassanian kings.

Pasargadae Complex

This city, also known as “Parseh”, is located near Shiraz. It houses valuable ancient artifacts such as the Tomb of Cyrus the Great and the Tomb of Cambyses, both belonging to the Achaemenid kings. The Private Palace, The Audience Palace and other Historical palace also found here.

Introduction to the Most Important Caravanserais in Shiraz:

Among the caravanserais in Shiraz, the most notable ones include Bid Zard Caravanserai, Bajgah Caravanserai, and Khan Zeniyan Caravanserai. If you are interested in seeing caravanserai architecture, it’s worth noting that Khan Zeniyan Caravanserai is the largest historical caravanserai in Shiraz, which offers a fascinating experience for visitors.

The most important souvenirs of Shiraz

The beautiful city of Shiraz is not only famous for its magnificent historical sites but also for its delicious souvenirs and culinary delights. Here are a few tasty treats from Shiraz that can be used as gifts and souvenirs:

Masghati Shiraz

A type of delicious pastry made primarily from starch and pistachios.

Kak Shiraz

A local pastry flavored with cinnamon, powdered pistachios, sesame, and powdered sugar.

Badaam Sukhteh

A delicious roasted almond confection made by boiling almonds in thick sugar syrup. It has a long shelf life.

Ranginak

One of the most famous and nutritious desserts in Shiraz, made with dates, walnuts, pistachios, and coconut powder.

Nan-e Fasa or Kamaj

 A local bread of Shiraz made with ginger powder, cardamom, saffron, and sesame seeds.

In addition to delicious food, you can choose Shiraz handicrafts as souvenirs. Among these handicrafts, we can mention silverware, Giveh (an ancient traditional Iranian Shoes), Felt, types of traditional rugs, beautiful pottery, etc.

To travel to Shiraz, you can choose either land or air transportation. By air, it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to fly from Tehran, the capital of Iran, to Shiraz. Shiraz also has an international airport with flights to Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, Istanbul, Sharjah, and Muscat. You can also travel by train from Tehran to Shiraz.

It’s worth mentioning that the best seasons to visit Shiraz are spring and autumn when the city is incredibly beautiful and has a more moderate climate that can easily enchant anyone. Interestingly, Shiraz is also known as the city of lovers. We eagerly await your visit to the city of Shiraz.