CONVERGENCE SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016

Travel
Nasir al-Mulk Mosque
Tomb of Hafez
SOAK IN THESE SIGHTS
Nasir al-Mulk Mosque
From the outside, the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque located in the
city of Shiraz seems like a fairly traditional house of worship
but it's hiding a gorgeously colourful secret. If you want hints,
the mosque is also known as the 'Mosque of Colour' and the
'Pink Mosque'. Built between 1876 and 1888, it is one of a
handful of mosques in the world with stained glass windows.
Apart from being adorned by glass, it has patterned carpets,
bright ceiling and pink and yellow flower tiles which create a
stunning effect when the sun shines through the windows. A
plethora of hues awaits you even as you tilt your head upwards
towards the ceilings.
Persepolis
Persepolis
Persepolis was the seat of government of the Achaemenid
Empire, though it was designed primarily to be a showplace
and spectacular centre for the receptions and festivals of the
kings and their empire. Today, for many visitors, Persepolis is
the overriding reason to come to Iran. A short drive from
Shiraz, Persepolis is also known as the First Persian Empire,
from the 6th to 4th centuries BC. The vast spread of deserted
columns, stairways and gateways is truly a magnificent sight.
Tomb of Hafez
Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muammad āfe-e Shīrāzī is known as the
man behind some of the greatest masterpieces of Persian
literature. Considered as one of the greatest Iranian poets,
very little is known of the man nicknamed 'Hafez', a title given
to those who have the holy book memorised by heart. It is
believed that Hafez is a 14th century poet who was born, lived
and died in the city of Shiraz. Though living a poor life due
to the loss of his father, he managed to become quite well
educated and being fluent in both Arabic and Persian. His
work consists of almost 1,000 poems of which over 500 are
sonnets. Twenty years after his death, a tomb, the Hafezieh,
was erected to honor Hafez in the Musalla Gardens in Shiraz.
NAQSH-E JAHAN Square
Isfahan's Naqsh-e
Jahan Square , also
known as Imam
Square, denotes
unrivalled beauty
and splendour. The
second biggest
square in the world
with its lush gardens
and fountains, it
also houses bustling
bazaars, extravagant
series of palaces, mosques, and Islamic architecture. In the
bazaars you can purchase handmade Persian rugs, ornaments,
china, and glassware.
Naqsh-e Jahan Square
Valiasr Street
The Valiasr Street in Tehran is reportedly the longest street in
the Middle East and one of the longest in the world. It's full
of American-style fast food outlets and the street to go for
some serious shopping. While the shops offer a wide selection
of quality goods, local items can be bought in the many
bazaars. Purchases
may include handcarved
woodwork,
carpets, rugs, silks,
leather goods,
mats, tablecloths,
gold, silver, glass
and ceramics.
Bargaining is
customary.
Valiasr Street
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