Isfahan is one of the oldest cities of Iran located 414 km south of Tehran and 481 km north of Shiraz. This 2500 years old city served as Persia's capital from 1598 to 1722.Isfahan was a crossroad of international trade and diplomacy, and therefore was a kaleidoscope of resident languages, religions, and customs. The city is also known for its silver filigree and metal work.This city is renowned not only for the abundance of great historical monuments, but also for its “Life-Giving River”, the Zayandeh-Rood, which has given the city an original beauty and a fertile land. Isfahan is filled with old gardens and some of the best sights in Iran.After selection of Isfahan as capital by Shah Abbas I (1587-1629) who unified Persia it reached to its pinnacle of briskness. Isfahan had parks, libraries and mosques that amazed Europeans, who had not seen anything like this at home. The Persians called it Nisf-e-Jahan, half the world; meaning that to see it was to see half the world.Isfahan became one of the world's most elegant cities. In its heyday it was also one of the largest with a population of one million; 163 mosques, 48 religious schools, 1801 shops and 263 public baths.Today, Isfahan is a major industrial center and also is one of the important tourism centers of Iran and the world.The cool blue tiles of Isfahan's Islamic buildings, and the city's majestic bridges, contrast perfectly with the hot, dry Iranian countryside around it: Isfahan is a sight you won't forget. It's a city for walking, getting lost in the bazaar, dozing in beautiful gardens, and meeting people.Still sometimes known as Naghsh-e-Jahan Square, this huge, open square is one of the largest in the world (500m by 160m), and a majestic example of town planning. Built in 1612, many of the most interesting sights in Isfahan are clustered around the square, and it's a place you just keep coming back to again and again. It is an important historical site and one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. It is 160 meters wide by 508 meters long (an area of 89,600 square meters).The square is surrounded by buildings from the Safavid era. The Imam Mosque is situated on the south side of this square. On the west side you can find Ali Qapu Palace.Immediately opposite the Royal Palace of Ali Qapu stands one of the loveliest mosques in Iran: the Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque.Read more