Mashhad
Table of Contents: Culture and History / Travel to Mashhad, visa requirements By air By train By car / Mashhad attractions and sightseeing / Shopping, Mashhad souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging More from Khorasan: Mashhad More from Iran: Azerbaijan (Iran), Fars, Isfahan (province), Kerman (province), Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kish Island, Lorestan, Mazandaran, Qom, Qom (province), Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd (province) More from Middle East: Bahrain, Dead Sea, Empty Quarter, Golan Heights, Holy Land, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Levant, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen More from Asia: Caucasus, Central Asia, East Asia, Middle East, Southeast Asia |
Almost everything about Mashhad relates to its role as the holiest city in Iran, even its name (literally: burial place of the martyr). As the capital of Iran's Khorasan province, Mashhad's year-round cool temperatures and fascinating insights into the Shi'ite heartland have much to offer visitors.
Culture and History
Mashhad started life out as Sanabad, a village pitstop for trade caravans headed towards Turkmenistan. But in the ninth century, the eighth Shi'ite Imam Ali Bin Moosa Al Reza, the great grand son of Imam Ali who was the cousin & son in law of Prophet Mohammad was poisoned by the jealous caliph of the time. Imam Reza was buried in Mashhad, and his shrine became the holiest site to the shi'ite muslims after the Holy Kaaba in Saudi Arabia.
Over the next thousand years, the shrine complex was levelled, ransacked and rebuilt a number of times depending on the ruling army of the day. Today the Shrine is the most imprtant place in the city and in the whole of Iran.
The love & respect for the Imam in this city is so immense that every person, taxidriver, shopkeeper, whoever he is, will go out of the way and help any newcomer who wants to visit the holy Shrine and is seeking any assistance.
Also keep in mind that city is very conservative by western standard in so many ways. Dress code for wemen is very strict and a self encompassing chador is a must for any lady. In the vicinity of the shrine even men with shorts, if there are any, will get stern looks from the locals. Respect the dress code and then be assured of any help if required.
Photography inside the holy Shrine is not permissible as all visitors will be frisked at the various gates leading to the Shrine. Their are seperate entry gates for ladies & Gents.
Travel to Mashhad, visa requirements
Gonabad is 260km from Mashhad. There are two roads to Tehran about 900km east of Mashhad.
- Mashhad International Airport (Shahid Hashemi Nejad Airport) (IATA: MHD) (ICAO: OIMM)
- Mashhad is also reachable by train.
By air
One of the route to reach Mashhad is from Kish Island. Kish Air flies three times per week from Kish Island to Mashhad. The flight takes around 2 hours, the planes Tupolev TU-154M & McDonnell MD 83 are quite old, and gives a scary feeling. But the plane crew is decent and converse in good english.The return ticket will cost USD 120 can be bought from travel agencies in Kish (Near Kish Air head office)
By train
By car
Mashhad attractions and sightseeing
- Imam Reza Shrine Complex Shrine to the eighth Imam of Shia Islam. Complex includes a library and Ghoharshad mosque.
- Nader Shah Park & Mausoleum Monument to t he founder of Afshar dynasty (1736 - 1747)
- Ferdowsi Park & Mausoleum
- Gombade Sabz Mausoleum
- Torghabe, Sightseeing, village restaurants
- Shandiz,village restaurants
Shopping, Mashhad souvenirs
Mashhad has three large bazaars. Interesting things to buy include Khorassan crafts, fur-cloak, jewelry, perfume, saffron, and religious souvenirs.
- Bazaar-e Reza (or Bazaar-e Bozorg) two stories height and one of the main shopping centres in the town.
- Sara-ye Bazaar-e Reza Mostly a fabric and textile bazaar.
- Kuwaiti Bazaar, om th 17th Shahrivar Square.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Iranian cuisine is one of the best in the world. They do not eat spicy food but even then their food is very tasty. Chello Kebab is a very popular dish as well as Bakhtiari Kebab. Their are also different kinds of breads available. So eating will be a assured good and affordable experience in Mashhad
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
Mashhad attracts huge number of visitors specially during the summer months, so be sure to make travel reservations in advance. Mashhad can also be very cold during winters, hence heavy woolens are required during winters. Even in summers nights are pretty cold and requires light woolens.
Five-star hotels in the city are: Pars Hotel [1] and Homa Hotel. There are also couple of good hotels near the Imam Ali Bin Moosa Al Reza Shrine, namely Khayyam Hotel, Ghadir International to name a few. The Shrine is 10 min. walk from the Khayyam Hotel and the rent for double bedroom with attached bath is around 35-40 USD.
More from Khorasan: Mashhad More from Iran: Azerbaijan (Iran), Fars, Isfahan (province), Kerman (province), Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kish Island, Lorestan, Mazandaran, Qom, Qom (province), Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd (province) More from Middle East: Bahrain, Dead Sea, Empty Quarter, Golan Heights, Holy Land, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Levant, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen More from Asia: Caucasus, Central Asia, East Asia, Middle East, Southeast Asia |
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