We arrived at our hotel in Esfahan just in time to celebrate No Ruz (Persian New Year) which was at 8:27 pm on 20 March. Women are not allowed to sing or dance in public.
No Ruz display at the hotel – equivalent to our Christmas tree
Esfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Square is the second largest square in the world after Beijing’s Tiananmen Square
Note the horse polo goal markers
The square was surrounded by some of Esfahan’s main sights
The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque
The Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is also known as the Ladies’ Mosque because it was built for the ladies of the harem with the prayer hall in the basement beneath the ground floor
The Imam Mosque
The Imam Mosque was called the Shah Mosque before the Iranian Revolution
The friendly English speaking Shiite cleric
The Qeysarieh entrance from the square to the Bazaar-e Bozorg
Frescoes at the Ali Qapu Palace
Outside the square, there were still plenty of attractions to visit
The Hakim Mosque
An ancient mosque crumbling away quietly in the background
The Jameh Mosque
The Madraseh-ye Chahar Bagh (a Quranic school)
Across the river in Jolfa, Esfahan’s Armenian Quarter, we found the Vank “Cathedral” – the focal point for the Armenian Church in Iran
Inside the building were frescoes featuring scenes from the Bible and the lives of saints next to Islamic tiles
Armenian version of Mary, Jesus and angel
Esfahan had several famous bridges but unfortunately the Zayandeh River was dry
The historic Si-o-Seh Bridge or Bridge of 33 Arches
Note the hejab policewoman on the right with the badge sewn onto her black chador
The Khaju Bridge
In the bazaar we spotted more great Persian carpets - Lotfollah Mosque dome design
Gombud dome design
Tree of life prayer rug
Zoroastrian fire temple design
The Chehel Sotoon Palace a pavilion set in the middle of a walled Persian Garden with a long rectangular pool at its front and rear
Inside the palace were some beautiful frescoes depicting battle scenes and receptions for Indian and Turkish kings
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