Qom

Qom (Persian: قم) is a holy city between Tehran and Isfahan. Qom is near Tehran, which the distance is as far as 120 kilometers.

Culture and History

Qom is one of the holiest cities in Iran and the middle East and is entrenched in centuries of history. It is considered to be the "Jewel of Iran". The famous thing about Qom is the Fatima È Massummeh Shrine which is a highly respected shrine and a very clean place. Non-Muslims are allowed entry to the city , but they are not allowed entry in the holy shrine unless with a Muslim companion or guide.

Qom is the main city for religous studies in Iran. Hozeye-Elmiye-Qom is the largest Theology school in Iran. Right now many Senior ranking clerics of Shia Islam live in Qom.

Travel to Qom - Visa Requirements

By air

The nearest and most easily accessible international airport is Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport (IATA: IKA, ICAO: OIIE), which is due to replace the older Mehrabad International Airport (IATA: THR, ICAO: OIII).

By train

There are train routes which take you from Tehran and other nearby cities such as Arak, Yazd and Isfahan.

• Qom train station, ☎ +98/(0)251/6617141(+98/(0)251/4417151).  

By car

Driving from Tehran might be a reasonable option, however, if you're worried about driving in Iran you can reserve a private bus to take you to Qom. After all, it is much safer to travel by private buses.

Tours and Getting around Qom

There is a pretty impressive bus and taxi system, which has many bus routes to Tehran and other cities. It is very cheap to travel by local buses in Qom. Private tour buses are generally much more expensive.

Qom tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Jamkaran Mosque, [1]. The mosque is reserved for Muslims only. 

• Mar'ashi Najafi Library. Library has over 500,000 handwritten texts 

• Shrine of Fatima-al-Massumeh. The Holy Shrine is the burial place of "Fatema È Massumeh". Women must wear a chador to enter. 

• Howzeh lake: Rich in natural spring water which is said to purify the heart.

• Feyze seminary: The place which devout Muslims gather up to meet and hear speeches from the religious leaders.

Qom city tours

Qom souvenirs and shopping

Qom has many carpet and sweet (candy) shops. Qom is famous for it's "sohan," a flat sweet biscuit made of pistachios and saffron. "Gaz", a nougat candy is also available. Qom is also known for the unique and beautiful silk rugs which are famous worldwide for their unique silk and patterns. Naturally, as one of Islam's holy cities there are numerous religious shops which sell religious books, versions of the Koran and compact discs.

Qom Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

There are lots of places to eat in Qom which range from old style Persian restaurants to international restaurants. Persian restaurants offer a more authentic cultural atmosphere than international restaurants.

Qom nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

In Qom, there are various cafes and fruit juice shops. Pomegranate juice is popular and is said to heal the sick. In the winter when it snows, hot chocolate and Persian tea (Chai) are available.

Qom cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

• Qom International Hotel, Helal Ahmar Street(Motahary SQ). Qom International Hotel is a four star hotel and is one of Qom's more well-known hotels. 

Respect

Qom is one of the holiest cities in Iran and the Middle East, and as such be aware that Islamic customs and values are more likely to be important here than elsewhere in Iran. Don't let this worry you at all, just ensure that you are respectful of religious and cultural practices and that you are dressed appropriately and modestly.

Get out

If you feel like visiting another quintessential Persian city, a few hundred kilometers away, you can visit Yazd which is an beautiful ancient city. Isfahan is another option and is a very beautiful city and is considered to be one of the oldest and most historic cities in the world.

This page was last edited by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Omid Hatami, Arif Ali Zaidi, Andrew Haggard and Tom Holland, Wikitravel user(s) The Yeti, Episteme and Andy2000, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license