Isfahan
Isfahan
Half the world
8 highlights · tap a pinIran's showpiece and Safavid capital of Shah Abbas I, built around one of the world's largest squares, threaded by the Zayandeh River and its arched bridges, ringed by turquoise domes, covered bazaars and the Armenian quarter of New Jolfa.
Next 5 days
Top places to see
- 1
Naqsh-e Jahan (Imam) Square
UNESCO 1979One of the world's largest squares; the Safavid 'pattern of the world'. UNESCO 1979; frames four Safavid masterpieces.
- 2
Imam (Shah) Mosque
17th-c. royal mosque with iconic tiled dome and acoustic vault.
- 3
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
Jewel-box royal oratory (1603-1619), no minaret/courtyard; color-shifting dome.
- 4
Ali Qapu Palace
Six-storey Safavid pavilion with cut-plaster music hall and terrace over the square.
- 5
Masjed-e Jameh (Friday Mosque)
UNESCO 2012Living catalogue of Iranian mosque architecture from the Seljuks on.
- 6
Si-o-se-pol (Bridge of 33 Arches)
Longest bridge on the Zayandeh River; evening social promenade.
- 7
Khaju Bridge
Safavid bridge-dam-pavilion where locals sing under the arches at dusk.
- 8
Chehel Sotoun Palace & Garden
UNESCO 2011'Forty Columns' pavilion with Safavid fresco halls; UNESCO Persian Garden component.
- 9
Vank Cathedral, New Jolfa
17th-c. Armenian cathedral fusing Islamic tilework with Christian frescoes.
- 10
Grand Bazaar (Qeysarieh)
Vaulted Safavid bazaar off the square; qalamkar, miniature, enamel, metalwork.
Where to stay in Isfahan
From $3 a night, our service included