Isfahan is a city in central Iran, south of Tehran and is the capital of Esfahan Province. The Persians call it "Nesf-e-Jahan", meaning "Half The World". Due to its beautiful hand-painted tiling and magnificent public square, it is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. An ancient town and capital of Persia from 1598 to 1722, it was long noted for its fine carpets and silver filigree. Today, textile and steel mills take their place. Its architecture, tree-lined boulevards and relaxed pace make it one of the highlights of Iran.

 

Naqsh-e Jahan Square also known as shah square or imam square-1602. The square contains two mosques, a palace, and the bazaar. The square is the largest historical public square in the world after Tiananmen Square in Beijing and it is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The square is surrounded by buildings from the Safavid era. This a very popular place for locals to picnic on Friday and holiday evenings.

 

The stunning mosques of Isfahan are among the most beautiful and interesting in the world.

• Imam Mosque (fka Shah Mosque before Iran's Revolution), In Naghsh-i Jahan Square. Built during the Safavid period, it is an excellent example of Islamic architecture of Iran, and regarded as one of the masterpieces of Persian Architecture. It is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its splendor is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-colour mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions. edit

• Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque- one of the architectural masterpieces of Safavid Iranian architecture, this mosque is considered to be the most beautiful in Iran. Built in 1602 by Shah Abbas I.= and designed by his chief architect, Sheikh Bahai. The mosque was designed to be a private mosque for the royal family and therefore it does not have any minarets. There is a tunnel from the mosque to the Royal Palace, across the square.

• Hakim Mosque - one of the oldest mosques in Isfahan. Built by Shah Abbas II between 1656 and 1662. Located on the site of a 10th century mosque. The portal was covered in mud until it was discovered in 1956.

• Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan. Started in AD842, this is the first Islamic building to adapt the four-courtyard layout of Sassanid palaces

In some parks, you can simply obtain a carpet and tea from the park warden, and have a picnic on the grass! You will find families gather in these parks, and bring barbecues and cook freshly made kebabs, which smell (and taste) delicious.

 

Visit one of the tea-houses in the bazaar or under one of the bridges.

 

There are many coffee shops in Isfahan. Most of the are located around Vank church.