Sunday, July 25, 2010

Popularity of Persian Calligraphy

Persian calligraphy is increasingly popular in tattoos and designs for clothing, jewelry and other fashion accessories.

In ancient Persian tradition calligraphy of poetic phrases was often combined with graphic motifs.

A number of tattoo parlors in the west specialize in both Persian and Arabic script and there are also Facebook groups for fans of the art. Persian calligraphy now rivals Chinese and Japanese characters in popularity with people wanting a graphic and meaningful tattoo.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Looking Down on Tehran

Looking Down on Tehran

See a view of the sprawling city of Tehran.

Guide to Tehran

© Iranvisitor.com

Monday, May 31, 2010

Buying A Persian Carpet in Iran

Persian Carpets

Persian carpets are produced in seven main cities in Iran: Tabriz, Mashhad, Qom, Kashan, Nain, Esfahan, and Kerman.

Carpets make for excellent souvenirs from any trip to the country.

This month we offer our readers advice on buying and maintaining a Persian carpet.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Iran Slideshow

See a slideshow of Iran to quickly and easily navigate to a blog entry on Iran from IranVisitor

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

People You Think You Know

I am making a documentary movie about Iran, its culture and its relationship to the West through an intimate portrait of one Iranian family in the diaspora.

You can watch web episodes I've made here (http://www.peopleyouthinkyouknow.com/) and learn more about my goals from my fundraising page here.

It would be wonderful if you could help me spread the word about my fundraising drive in any way you can, Alborz Kamalizad

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Books on Iran Slideshow

Books on Iran

See some recommended books on Iran, including books on Iranian history, culture, Tehran and travel.

Iranian Music CDs Books on Iran Guide to Tehran

Friday, February 12, 2010

Imam Khomeini Airport Arrivals & Departures

IKA opened in 2004 and now almost all international flights have been transferred here from the old Mehrabad Airport in downtown Tehran, which still is the main domestic flight hub.

Aeroflot, Ariana, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airways are some of the major international airlines flying into IKA.

IKA is situated about 30km south of Tehran on the highway to Qom. With no public transport system yet in place, the only way to get there is by private taxi (120,000 Rials+, 1hr, Tel.: 021 88738855)

There are banks in the airport to change your currency into rials.

Departures

Arrivals

Iranian Music CDs Books on Iran Guide to Tehran

© Iranvisitor.com

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Baseej (Basij) Militia

Baseej

The Baseej or Basij means "Mobilization" and is volunteer militia founded by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979.

Their numbers are open to debate and range from around 400,000 to over a million strong. The Baseej have a presence in most large Iranian cities and towns. Becoming a member of the paramilitary force allows for various state benefits including exemption from military service and possibly a guaranteed spot at a college or university.

Iranian Music CDs Books on Iran Guide to Tehran

© Iranvisitor.com

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Yazd Meybod Fort

One of the most evocative towns in Iran, Yazd is also one of the oldest. The town has historic connections with Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism).

Naryn Castle (or Narin Qal'eh) refers to this massive fort in Meybod, known as the largest adobe fortress city in Iran after Bam Citadel. It once served as a stronghold with sophisticated plumbing and defense systems for millennia, with structures dating back to Median, Achaemenid, Sassanid, and Islamic eras.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Farsi & Dari Speakers in the World Map

Farsi & Dari

This "cartogram" map from Worldmapper shows the number of Farsi and Dari speakers in the world.

The Farsi and Dari languages are spoken by around 30 million people. Farsi is the local name for the Persian language in Iran and Dari for the language in Afghanistan. The two dialects differ in the way that say British and American English do - accent and some vocabulary items.

Click on the map to enlarge it.

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Iran Population Map

These new "cartogram" maps from Worldmapper graphically show the population density of Iran.

The largest bulge is around the capital Iran. The gray areas represent areas of low population density on the north of Iran and south east of the country.

The total population of Iran was estimated in 2008 at 65,875,224.

Click on the map to enlarge it.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Iranian Weddings

Marriages in Iran consist of two parts: Aghd - the civil registration of a union and Jashn-e Aroosi the celebratory nuptials of the wedding reception and party.

As in other countries, the wedding car is decorated with flowers as the couple drive off to their new life.

Iranian Music CDs

Guide to Tehran

© Iranvisitor.com

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Azadi Grand Hotel

The Azadi Grand Hotel in north Tehran is one of the capital's most luxurious hotels, but distant from most of the sights in Tehran except for the International Trade Fair Ground and the airport. The hotel used to be the Hyatt Hotel in a previous existence in the late 1970s when it was first built.

Azadi Grand Hotel
Dr. Chamran Expressway - Evin Cross Road
Tel : +98 21 207 3021/9

Iranian Music CDs

Guide to Tehran

© Iranvisitor.com

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Tehran Weather

July and August are the hottest months in Tehran with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Centigrade.

TEHRAN WEATHER

The weather in Tehran is very dry at this time with little rainfall.

Guide to Tehran

Isfahan Weather

Saturday, June 20, 2009

University of Tehran

The University of Tehran

The University of Tehran is the leading university in Iran and one of the top universities in the Middle East. Founded in 1934, the University of Tehran has twenty faculties, with around 32,000 students and 1500 teaching staff.

The student body has a majority of female students and over 300 students from overseas.

The main campus is situated south of Laleh Park east of the north south Kargar Avenue. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the University of Tehran has been the site of Tehran's Friday prayers.

Image by Zereshk

University of Tehran (www.ut.ac.ir/en English page)
Central Administration of University of Tehran
16 Azar Street
Enghelab Ave
Tehran
Iran
Tel: 9821 61113358

Iranian Music CDs

Guide to Tehran

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Map of Tehran

Valiasr Avenue is a main north-south road in central Tehran. Tehran University is west of Valiasr Avenue with Amir Kabir University to the east. The main subway station on Valiasr Avenue is Majlis where it intersects Imam Khomeini Street. Tir Square is to the north west.

Iranian Music CDs

Guide to Tehran

Map of Iran

Monday, June 15, 2009

Iran Provinces

Iran has 31 provinces: Alborz, Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e Shomali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd and Zanjan.

Sistan (and) Baluchestan is the largest province by area. Gilan on the Caspian Sea coast is the smallest province by area.

Iranian Music CDs

Guide to Tehran

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Jameh Mosque Qazvin

The Jameh Mosque in Qazvin, west of Tehran, is a popular place to gather.

Reputedly constructed over a Zoroastrian fire temple, the historic Jameh Mosque has a blue dome and some striking interior relief calligraphy.

Qazvin is west of Tehran on the A01 highway.

There are trains and frequent buses making the two and a half hour journey to Qazvin from the capital.

Iranian Music CDs

Guide to Tehran

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Qazvin Imamzadeh Hossein

Known for its carpets, Qazvin is west of Tehran on the A01 highway.

The Imamzadeh Hossein shrine (below) is a shrine commemorating Hossein, a son of Imam Reza (765-818; the seventh descendant of the prophet Muhammad) and dates from the 16th century.

The shrine is known for its beautiful geometrical tiles and is set in a courtyard with a fountain.

There are trains and frequent buses making the two and a half hour journey to Qazvin from Tehran.

Iranian Music CDs

Guide to Tehran

Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Remaking of Iran Exhibition

Shah 'Abbas - The Remaking of Iran Exhibition is currently showing at the British Museum in London until June 14, 2009.

The exhibition focuses on 17th century Iran during the reign of Shah 'Abbas I (1587–1629).

Long associated with his new capital city at Isfahan, the reign of Shah 'Abbas saw a period of peace and increased trade and prosperity.

The objects on display, many seen outside Iran for the first time, include calligraphy, carpets, ceramics, Qur'ans, mosque lamps, paintings, and silks.

The British Museum also has a permanent collection of Persian art.

Iranian Music CDs

Guide to Tehran