Mashhad, Iran's holiest city, is the
capital of Khorasan province. Mashhad is
located 850 kilometers North East of
Tehran and has population of over 2
million. The name means the burial place
of a martyr. Back in the 9th century
A.D., Imam Reza was poisoned and
martyred in the city. He was the eighth
Imam (head spiritual leader) of Shi'ate
Islam. His holy position made his tomb a
sacred place for pilgrims to worship.
Millions of people pay pilgrimage to the
holy shrine, undoubtedly the largest and
most magnificent of its kind, every
year. There are plenty of priceless
objects and unique manuscripts in the
shrine's library.
Mashhad is a tourist city with many
hotels of various categories as well as
a great number of guesthouses for the
pilgrims who come to this city from the
other parts of the country everyday by
tens of flights, trains and buses.
Before he died, the city was known as
Sanabad, a small village in the north of
Persia. After his death, pilgrims came
and ended up staying in Mashhad. The
village grew into a small city because
of his shrine. Sunni Muslim forces
sacked the city, followed by the Mongols
in the 13th century. The shrine was
badly damaged and, after time, rebuilt.
In the 16th century, three Safavid
Dynasty rulers established Shi'ite Islam
for the whole territory. The shrine was
restored and enlarged. These rulers made
pilgrimages to the site and since then
it has become the most holy Shi'ite
pilgrimage in Iran.
The mosque and ivan of Gowhar Shad rank
among the most beautiful historic
structures of the 15th century A.D.
Iran. The founder of the mosque is
Gowhar Shad, wife of the Taimurid
Shahrokh.
It is a four-ivan Masjid with two
tile-decorated minarets flanking its
main ivan. Upon the front of the ivan,
there is a stately inscription
containing the name of Shahrokh Bahadur
and the date 1418 A.D. A part of the
inscription is by the Taimurid prince,
Bysonghor Mirza and is exceedingly
remarkable as a calligraphic
achievement. The rest is from the
Safavid period and has been attributed
to Mohammed Reza Imami. The Gowhar Shad
structures are masterpieces of
archeological skill and tile decoration.
Tomb of Nader Shah
The city's climatic condition is varied
with very cold winters, pleasant
springs, usually mild summers and
beautiful autumns. The magnificent holy
shrine of Imam Reza and the historical
and artistic complex attached to it
including the courtyards, porticos and
porches, the Goharshad Mosque (of
Timurid period) as well as its rich
museum and library are the most
significant sights to be seen by any
visitor and pilgrim.
There is a magnificent golden dome over
the shrine's building; surrounded by
several porches. The Grand Gohaharshad
Mosque is located to the south of the
shrine, the museum and the tomb of
Sheikh Bahaee to the southeast and
Parizad and Balasar Schools to the west.
Other than a number of large beautiful
parks, the other sights tomb of Nader
Shah of Afsharid Dynasty, Kooh Sangi
pool. There are also some sights outside
the city. Tomb of Khajeh Morad
kilometers from Mashhad along the road
to Tehran, the tomb of Khajeh Rabi'
located 6 kilometers north of the city
where there are some inscriptions by the
renowned Safavid calligrapher Reza
Abbasi, and the tomb of Khajeh Abasalt
in a distance of 20 kilometers from
Mashhad along the road to Neishabour,
(the three personalities were the
disciples of Imam Reza).
Among the other sights are the tomb of
the great poet Ferdowsi in Tous, 24
kilometers away from Mashhad; and the
summer resorts at Torghabeh, Torogh,
Akhlomod, Zoshk and Shandiz.
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