Iran - Andrew Burke [220]
HAMMAM-E VAKIL
After years as one of the most popular traditional restaurants in Iran, the Hammam-e Vakil (Taleqani St) was closed because the kitchen was damaging this classic old building. Shame. In early 2008 it reopened as a modest carpet museum, but its future remained uncertain. If it is open in some form, it’s worth popping in for a look at the classic old bathhouse.
The Bazaars
Shiraz’s ancient trading district is comprised of several bazaars dating from different periods. The finest and most famous is the Bazar-e Vakil (Vakil Bazaar; dawn-dusk Sat-Thu), a cruciform structure commissioned by Karim Khan as part of his plan to make Shiraz into a great trading centre. The wide vaulted brick avenues are masterpieces of Zand architecture, with the design ensuring the interior remains cool in summer and warm in winter. Today, it’s home to almost 200 stores selling carpets, handicrafts, spices and clothes and is one of the most atmospheric bazaars in Iran, especially in the early evening when it is fantastically photogenic. As usual, it’s best explored by wandering without concern for time or direction, soaking up the atmosphere in the maze of lanes leading off the main thoroughfares.
Chances are you’ll stumble across Serai Mushir, off the southern end of the main bazaar lane coming from Zand. This tastefully restored two-storey caravanserai is a pleasant place to gather your breath and do a bit of souvenir shopping.
On the north side of Zand is the less touristy but still pleasingly proportioned Bazar-e Nou (New Bazaar), built during the Qajar era.
Martyr’s Mosque
One of the largest ancient mosques in Iran, the rectangular courtyard of the Martyr’s Mosque (Masjed-e Shohada; Ahmadi Sq; Fri) covers more than 11,000 sq metres. Founded at the start of the 13th century, the mosque has been partially rebuilt many times and now has very little in the way of tiling or other decorations, though it does boast some impressive barrel vaulting. It lives under acres of unsightly corrugated fibreglass and is only open on Fridays, when it is still used for prayer. Entry is through a gate off Ahmadi Sq.
Aramgah-e Shah-e Cheragh
Sayyed Mir Ahmad, one of Imam Reza’s 17 brothers, was hunted down and killed by the caliphate on this site in AD 835. His remains are housed at the glittering Aramgah-e Shah-e Cheragh (Mausoleum of King of the Light; 222 2158; Ahmadi Sq; variable, often 24hr). A mausoleum was first erected over the grave during the 12th century but most of what you see dates from the late-Qajar period and the Islamic Republic; expansion is ongoing.
The expansive courtyard is a great place to sit and take in the bulbous blue-tiled dome and dazzling gold-topped minarets while discreetly observing the pious at what is one of the holiest Shiite sights in Iran. In the shrine itself, countless minute mirror tiles reflect the passion within.
In theory, however, non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the shrine. Enforcement seems to be mixed, but if you are polite and in a small group you should be fine. Women must wear a chador, which can be borrowed from the entrance. Cameras are forbidden inside the shrine but permitted in the courtyard.
Hidden away in the northwestern corner of the courtyard is a small museum housing some highly prized old Qurans that have been on the site for centuries. When we visited, however, it was closed for repairs.
In the southeastern corner is the Bogh’e-ye Sayyed Mir Mohammad (Mausoleum of Sayyed Mir