Isfahan's Heritage: Sheikh Bahaei Hammam

The Mysterious Bath and Its Candle!

Lots of interesting stories have been told about Sheikh Bahaei Public Bath; but the one that is more famous than all others is the story of its candle, the candle that never went out.

Isfahan's Heritage: The Maqsoud Beyk Mosque

The Shah’s Beloved Calligrapher!

Much has been said on the fame and glory of Mir Emad, but there is a story that explains the cause of Shah Abbas’s estrangement from the renowned calligrapher.

Isfahan's Heritage: Dar ul-Batikh

The Dagger that Hit the Heart of an Empire!

During the reign of the Seljuks, circa one thousand years ago, Isfahan was the capital of a great empire, which spread from Transoxiana to the Mediterranean banks.

Isfahan's Heritage: Rehnan Hammam

Bathing for Every Occasion!

There have been four platforms in Rehnan Hammam (Rehnan Traditional Bath), and each of them had a special title.

Isfahan's Heritage: Jahan-Nama Palace

The Lady’s Pretext

Lady Ozma, the sister of Zell-e Soltan, complained to the king that Jahan Nama Palace overlooks my residence in Hasht Behesht Palace.

Isfahan's Heritage: The Sheikh-ul-Islam House

The Princess’s Wedding Gift

The Sheikh-ul-Islam Historic House was a gift from Shah Abbas II to his daughter, Sarv-Ghad Khanum, on the occasion of her marriage to Mohaghegh-e Sabzevari, who was a famous scholar of the Safavid period.

Isfahan's Heritage: The Khajou Bridge

A Bridge Full of Stories!

The Shahi Bridge or the Khajou Bridge was built during the reign of Shah Abbas II and most probably on the ruins of the old Hassan Beyk Bridge.

Isfahan's Heritage: The Qeysarie Gate

The Lost Plunder

On top of the Qeysarie Gate, a hole can be seen, which is the empty place of a clock made by an English man named ‘Fasty’ for Shah Abbas I.

Foreign Travel Writers in Isfahan: Jean-Baptiste Tavernier

Muharram Ambience in Naqsh-e Jahan Square

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who was in Isfahan at the beginning of Shah Suleiman’s rule, described the atmosphere of Muharram in Naqsh-e Jahan Square, in his traveloque.

Isfahan's Intangible Heritage: Traditional Games

The Ball and the Royal Field

Naqsh-e Jahan Square, with its vast dimensions, was the best place to play chogan. Another game called qapoq-andazi was also played in that field.

The Figures of Isfahan: Haj Mohammad-Hussein Kazeruni

He Left the Mortal World…

Haj Mohammad-Hussein Kazeruni was one of the merchants of the late Qajar and early Pahlavi periods, known as the second richest man in Isfahan.