Walk Across Shiraz
If you are interested in walking around, you will enjoy some sightseeing excursion in Shiraz. It takes half a day and you visit seven major sites.
Near Arg-e Karimkhan, there is a small park and a street, which is in fact the roof of an underpass for cars driving under the Zand Quarters. On the other side of this street and almost at the south of the citadel, there is a mall and an elegant octagonal building inside a garden called Nazar. This mansion used to be called Kolah Farangi (foreign hat) building, because it resembled what people used to know as foreign hat. It has been converted into Pars Museum. Karimkhan used to meet foreign and domestic dignitaries who came to his court for official visits. At present, exhibitions of exquisite Qur’ans, beautiful paintings and handicrafts beckon visitors to spend some time there to appreciate Iranian arts.
When you are taking your tour to Iran, you rarely come across such a thing as an old and huge citadel in the center of a city. This is a rectangular brick fortress with a bastion at all its corners in the northeast of Shahrdari Square. Karimkhan used to live here and ruled from this citadel. Its stronghold appearance may make you think of anything but a presidential palace, but it has actually been such a building inside for him. Karimkhan’s residence has got a decorative panel of glazed tiles on top of its eastern entrance depicting Rostam, the protagonist of Shahnameh, the epic poems of Ferdowsi, the Iranian poet of 10th and 11th centuries. It resembles the fight with demonic forces. Inside, you will find a garden with orange trees and four major sections in the middle of each wing. In addition, there is a private bath at the southeast of this large courtyard that is worth a visit.
Walking along the fences of Nazar Garden toward east and a little before the main entrance to the bazaar, on the right-hand side, you will see a relatively broad street leading to the entrance of Vakil Mosque. From afar, it invites you to a colorful celebration of striking glazed tiles bearing beautiful floral patterns. After passing across a wide-open courtyard, you will enter the southern columned hall hidden behind the tall entrance portal. This hall is lined with pillars set in a precise order. They are so monochromatic that you will immediately notice the tiled ceiling leading you from the entrance to the prayer niche.
This public bath is located a few meters to the west of Vakil Mosque. You will find the interesting architectural features of Zand Era as well as tasteful decorations in it. Wax statues of people from all walks of life living during that period tell you more about life in 18th-century Iran.You will learn about different parts of a typical public bath as it used to be. This bath was converted into a restaurant and then an exhibition of Persian rugs. Eventually, it was decided to use it as a museum in which the traditional bath ambiance is introduced.
Go back to the main street where you were walking from Pars Museum toward east and walk a bit further in the same direction to get to the main entrance of the bazaar. You will reach a point where on both the northern and southern sides of the street, you will find the entrance to Shiraz Bazaar. Which one is more exotic for most visitors? The southern street is. It has got very colorful shops and an aromatic atmosphere, thanks to the herbal shops at the beginning of the passageway. The northern side is where most local people go for shopping. It has its own charm. If your time allows, you may want to explore this one for shopping at reasonable prices. You will be amazed by the fascinating high-arched ceilings of Vakil Bazaar in the southern section. Soon after entering, you can see a dome with a junction underneath. It gives you an idea of the passageways crossing the main one offering similar items, workshops and warehouses. Proceed to the end of this passageway and you will see dozens of fabric stores selling glittering materials. Usually, Qashqai nomads go to Shiraz to buy their traditional dress. At the end, turn left and walk less than 10 meters to find an entrance on the left that leads to the astonishing set of stores offering Iranian traditional handicrafts from carpets to enamel works and from inlaid woodwork’s to copper items.
Qavam House (also widely called “Narenjestan e Ghavam”) is a traditional and historical house in Shiraz, Iran. It is at walking distance from the Khan Madrassa.
It was built between 1879 and 1886[1] by Mirza Ibrahim Khan. The Qavam family were merchants originally from Qazvin. But they soon became active in the government during the Zand dynasty, followed by the Qajar, and Pahlavi dynasty as well.
The Nasir ol Molk Mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque, is a traditional mosque in Shiraz, Iran. It is located at the district of Gowad-e-Arabān, near Šāh Čerāq Mosque. The mosque includes extensive colored glass in its facade, and displays other traditional elements such as the Panj Kāse (“five concaved”) design. It is named in popular culture as the Pink Mosque, due to the usage of considerable pink color tiles for its interior design.
Entrance Payment
Tour Guide