Ancient civilisations in Iran

Iran’s history is measured not in decades or centuries, but in millennia – the diverse civilisations which roamed this land between Europe, Asia and Arabia were highly advanced, developing not just agriculture and architecture, but art, ideas and poetry. Even more surprisingly, many of the ancient sites they have left behind are not buried beneath the desert earth, or fenced off, inaccessible archaeological sites; they form part of modern cities and villages, they are lived in, worshipped in and traded in to this day. Centuries-old tombs are still sites of pilgrimage, for followers of Islam – or lovers of poetry. Calls to prayer still echo from the minarets, as bare-footed worshippers kneel and pray within the mosques.

Some of the best examples include the Blue Mosque of Tabriz, originally constructed in 1465, but rebuilt in the 1970s following an earthquake, and Shiraz’s Nasir al-Mulk, known as the Pink Mosque. Each day at dawn, sunbeams shine through the vivid stained glass windows, turning the mosque’s interior into a giant kaleidoscope with breathtaking effect. Also in Shiraz, the Shāh Chérāgh Mosque was built in stages, beginning in the 12th century. From outside, the mosque is nothing special – but step inside, and the walls and high ceilings are covered in mirrored mosaic and shards of glass, giving the impression of being within a vast, emerald mirrorball, as light reflects off every surface.

The Shah Mosque in Esfahan stands guard over the enormous Naghsh-e Jahan Square, and is considered a masterpiece of Persian architecture; both the mosque and the square are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

In a country where elaborate mosques, palaces and plazas are considered the norm, Yazd dares to be different. The city’s beauty lies in its seeming simplicity – ditching detailed mosaicwork in favour of desert-coloured, mud brick buildings. With roots dating back some 5,000 years, Yazd is the centre of Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest religions which can be traced back to this region. Here, the elements rule in more ways than one. Fire temples are Zoroastrian places of worship; fires are kept ablaze in these buildings as symbols of purity. “Wind catchers” are another Yazd trait; in the searing heat of the central Iranian plateau, these are a kind of reverse chimney which funnels air into the mud-walled houses, cooling the insides.

Naqsh-e Rustam and Naqsh-e Rajab, 12km north of Persepolis, may not be household names – but in any other country they would be top of the bucket list. Naqsh-e Rustam is a Petra-like series of tombs cut into the rockface, a vertical necropolis between two and three thousand years old. Darius the Great and Xerxes I are amongst those buried here. The carved cliffs are astounding – huge reliefs of warriors on horseback, and Persian rulers triumphing over Roman emperors that are said to have acted as ancient billboards – warning the enemy what fate would befall them if they messed with the mighty empire.

Before Darius the Great’s capital, Persepolis, Cyrus the Great ordered the construction of Pasargadae in the 6th century BCE. Today, the remains of great palaces and Persian gardens can be seen, as well as Cyrus’s tomb.