Isfahan Half the World :

Isfahan, a major city in central Iran, was the splendid capital of the Seljuq and Safavid dynasties whose legacies established Iran (formerly Persia) as the cultural heart of the eastern Islamic world in terms of language (Persian), art, and architecture. The Safavid period (1502 1736) was particularly decisive for shaping the city, whose beauty was so great that world travelers purportedly dubbed it "Half the World," which, according to the proud 17th-century historian Iskandar Munshi, was because "they only describe half of Isfahan."
Historians credit the Safavids with being the first rulers to lay a foundation for a national consciousness in Iran, a land populated by diverse ethnic and linguistic groups. They established Shiite Islam as the state religion, promoted Sufism, and instituted state capitalism to support wide-ranging political and social goals. Commerce was so important to the Safavid polity that its most powerful dynast, Shah Abbas I (reign 1588-1629), effectively re-routed the Silk Road through Isfahan so that his empire would enjoy a trading monopoly. By the seventeenth century, Isfahan attracted not only European merchants but also missionaries and mercenaries, as it became a religiously tolerant hub of mercantile and diplomatic activity. The city fabric is significant as an embodiment of this religious, commercial, and political unity, and was exceptional in the early modern Islamic world.
Isfahan's artisan tradition spans the greatness of ancient Persia and the golden age of the seventeenth century Safavid dynasty.
Isfahan embodies the greatness of ancient Persia. Located in virtually the middle of Iran, the city was once the capital of the Persian kingdom, a lush green oasis surrounded by vast deserts of sand and salt. It was said that Isfahan nesf-e jehan (Isfahan is half the world).
Isfahan's golden age began in the late seventeenth century under the Safavid dynasty. The city had been an important trading center, but establishing it as the national capital was no easy task. The first monarchs had to drive out the Mongols, and Shah Abbas the Great (r. 1588-1629) was Isfahan's champion. He expelled the Ottomans and constructed the awe-inspiring Imam (Prophet) Mosque, completed in 1638. His successors continued to build magnificent palaces, mosques, and schools. They established a flourishing tradition of support for the decorative arts, notably calligraphy and miniature painting, and Isfahan's era of glory lasted into the nineteenth century.
Bisected by the Zayandeh River, Isfahan is today the showpiece of a nation slowly beginning to welcome Western visitors. A casual stroll can lead the stranger to diverse and unexpected discoveries. There are parks, historical bridges crossing the river, tearooms where patrons smoke traditional water pipes, monuments and landmarks adorned by ubiquitous pale blue tiles, a Zoroastrian Tower of Silence, and a dozen active churches that have served the city's large Armenian community since the seventeenth century. The heart of the modern city is Imam Khomeini Square. Formerly a royal polo ground, it encompasses twenty acres and is second in size only to Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Two magnificent mosques and madrassas (religious schools), a pavilioned seven-story palace, and the Grand Bazaar border the square, eloquent testimony to the former capital's eminence in religion, culture, government, and trade.

Source : traveltoisfahan

Isfahan Geography :

The city is geographically located at 32°38′N 51°29′E, in the lush Zayandeh Rud plain, at the foothills of the Zagros mountain range. The city enjoys a temperate climate and regular seasons. No obstacle exists as far as 90 km north of Isfahan and cool northern winds blow from this direction. Isfahan is located on the main north-south and east-west routes crossing Iran. It is situated at 1590 meters above sea level. It receives an average of 355 mm of rain per year, making it similar to Denver, Colorado in terms of altitude and precipitation. The temperature ranges between 2 and 28 degrees Celsius. The record high temperature was 42 degrees Celsius and the record low was −19 degrees Celsius.
The southern and western approaches of Isfahan are mountainous and it is bordered northward and eastward by fertile plains. Thus, Isfahan's climate is varied and occasionally rainy, with a precipitation average varying between 100 and 150 mm.
Isfahan was once one of the largest cities in the world. It flourished from 1050 to 1722, particularly in the 16th century under the Safavid dynasty, when it was the capital of Persia. Even today, the city retains much of its past glory. It is famous for its Islamic architecture, with many beautiful boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, mosques, and minarets. This led to the proverb Esfahān nesf-e jahān ast: "Esfahan is half of the world".
Of all Iranian cities, Isfahan is perhaps the most popular for tourists.

Historical sites :

Squares and Streets

• Naqsh-e Jahan Square also known as "Shah Square" or "Imam Square" - 1602.
• Meydan Kohne (Old Square)
• Shahshahan Square
• Chaharbagh Boulevard - 1596.
• Chaharbagh-e-khajou Boulevard

Palaces

• Ali Qapu (The Royal Palace) - Early 17th Century.
• Talar Ashraf (The Palace of Ashraf) - 1650.
• Hasht-Behesht (The Palace of Eight Paradises) - 1669.
• Chehel Sotoun (The Palace of Forty Columns) - 1647.

Madressa (religious schools)

• Madreseye Sadr.
• Madreseye Imam Jafar Sadegh
• Madreseye Khajoo.

Mosques

• Shah Mosque (it is called "Imam Mosque" after Iran's Revolution)
• Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque
• Jame Mosque

Caravanserais

• Shah Carvanserai

Bridges

• Pol-e Shahrestan (The Shahrestan Bridge) - 11th Century.
• Pol-e Khaju (Khaju Bridge) - 1650.
• Si-o-Seh Pol (The Bridge of 33 Arches) - 1602.
• Pol-e-Joui or Choobi (Joui bridge).

Churches and Cathedrals

• Vank Cathedral - 17th century.
• Kelisaye Maryam (Maryam Church).

Other sites

• Atashgah - a Zoroastrian fire temple.
• Buqe'h-ye Ibn-Sina (Avicenna's Dome) - 12th Century.
• The Tombs of Nizam al-Mulk & Malek Shah - 12th & 18th Century.
• Jolfa (The Armenian Quarter).
• The Bathhouse of Sheikh Bahai.
• Pigeon Towers - 17th Century.

Source : wikipedia

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