Esfahan is one of the oldest cities of Iran with the 1,001,000 population 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.

Esfahan was a crossroad of international trade and diplomacy, and therefore was a kaleidoscope of resident languages, religions, and customs. The city is 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. Esfahan is filled with old gardens and some of the best sights in Iran.

In the Arsacides (Parthians) era, Esfahan was the center and capital city of a wide province, which was administered by Arsacide governors.

In Sassanids time, Esfahan was governed by "Espoohrans" or the members of seven noble Iranian families who had important royal positions, it played a residencial role for these noble families as well. Moreover, in this period Esfahan was a military center with strong fortifications. This city was occupied by Arabs after final defeat of Iranians.

A view of Esfahan, Khajou Bridge (Pol-e Khajou)

After Islam, Esfahan was under domination of Arabs, like other cities of Iran, till the early 10th century A.D., and it was paid attention only by Caliph Mansour. In the reign of Malekshah Saljooghi, Esfahan was again selected as capital and began another golden age. In this period, Esfahan was one of the most thriving and important cities of the world.

This city was conquered by Mongols in 13th century A.D. and they massacred the people. After the invasions of Mongols and Taymour, as the result of its suitable geographic situation, Esfahan flourished again especially in Safavid time, which developed considerably.

After selection of Esfahan as capital by Shah Abbas I (1587-1629) who unified Persia it reached to its pinnacle of briskness. Esfahan 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.

Esfahan 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.

Decline of Safavid dynasty by Mahmood Afghan and conquest of Esfahan a 6 month siege, caused a degeneration period for this city. In Afsharieh and Zandieh times it flourished again but during Qajars reign, due to choosing Tehran as capital, Esfahan began to decline once more.

Masjid-e Jome (Friday Mosque)

Esfahan, regarding its historical and geographic conditions, was paid attention during Pahlavi time and some endeavors were made for repair and restoration of historical monuments. Moreover, Esfahan and the province redeveloped and industrialized rapidly. During last two decades, Esfahan developed with a very high rate of acceleration from urban development point of view, highly observing restoration of historical monuments.

Today, Esfahan is a major industrial center and also is one of the important tourism centers of Iran and the world.

Architecture of  Isfahan

The architecture of Isfahan is made up of eight traditional forms which taken together form the foundation in the same way that music was once based on a finite number of notes. These are modulated by the use of colors and textures to leaven the surfaces and are held together in an overall construction akin to that of a sonata in which connection leads to culmination through a transition space. To appreciate the skill of the architects and designers fully, it is necessary to have an appreciation of these fundamental concepts i.e. garden, platform, porch, gateway, dome, arched chamber, and minaret, although in the geometry and architecture of the buildings they are woven together to present a seamless whole. A full discussion of the underlying principles can be found in the paper entitled "The Alchemy of the Mosque", given to a joint meeting of the School of Architecture and the Islamic Society of the University of Manchester in 1997.

Squares and Streets

• Naqsh-e Jahan Square also known as "Shah Square" or "Imam Square" - 1602. situated at the center of Isfahan city, Iran, is the one of largest city square in the world. It is an important historical site and one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The square is surrounded by important historical 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. Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque is situated on the eastern side of this square and you can get into Isfahan Grand Bazaar at the northern side. Today, Namaaz-e Jom'eh (Friday Prayer) is held in this square in front of the Shah Mosque.
• Meydan Kohne (Old Square)
• Shahshahan Square
• Chaharbagh Boulevard - 1596.a historical boulevard in the city of Isfahan in Iran dating from the Saffavid era.The famous Champs-Élysées boulevard (Paris) was designed after this beautiful inner-city lane. 
• Chaharbagh-e-khajou Boulevard

Palaces

• Ali Qapu (The Royal Palace) - Early 17th Century.Ali Qapu  is a grand palace in Isfahan, Iran. It is located on the western side of the Naghsh-i Jahan Square opposite to Sheikh lotf allah mosque, and had been originally designed as a vast portal. It is forty-eight meters high and there are seven floors, each accessible by a difficult spiral staircase. In the sixth floor music room, deep circular niches are found in the walls, having not only aesthetic value, but also acoustic
• Talar Ashraf (The Palace of Ashraf) - 1650.
• Hasht-Behesht (The Palace of Eight Paradises) - is a Safavid era palace in Isfahan, Iran.It was built in 1669 and is today protected by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization. 
• Chehel Sotoun (The Palace of Forty Columns) - 1647.is a charming pavilion in the middle of a park at the far end of a long pool, in Isfahan, Iran, built by Shah Abbas II to be used for the Shah's entertainment and receptions. The name, "Forty Columns," was inspired by the twenty slender wooden columns supporting the entrance pavilion, which, when reflected in the waters of the fountain, are said to appear to be forty. 

Madressa (religious schools)

• Madreseye Sadr.
• Madreseye Imam Jafar Sadegh. was built during Soltan Hoseyn, a Safavid king, to serve as a theological and clerical school to train those who were interested in such sciences. In order to finance the shool, Soltan Hoseyn's mother got a large caravanserai built nearby, the income of the which went to the Foundation. The monumental portal from the main avenue of Shah Abbas leads directlry into a domed octagonal vestibule. The dome and the greater part of the walls are covered in bright yellow bricks which give a feeling of lightness. The enterance gate decorated with gold facade and silver, and the tile-works inside the building are masterpieces of fine art and industry. The central court, with its pool and garden, are surrounded by arcades on two levels, each giving acces to a student's room.
• Madreseye Khajoo. 

Mosques 

• Imam Mosque -Built during the Safavids period, it is an excellent example of Islamic architecture of Iran, and regarded as the masterpiece of Persian Architecture. The Imam Mosque of Esfahan is one of the everlasting masterpieces of architecture in Iran and all over the world. It is registered along with the Naghsh-i Jahan Square as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its construction began in 1611, and its splendor is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-color mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions.
• Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque -is one of the architectural masterpieces of Safavid Iranian architecture, standing in eastern part Naghsh-i Jahan Square, Isfahan, Iran.It was built in 1615 by the orders of Shah Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty.
• Isfahan Jame(Congregative) mosque mosque
• Friday Mosque

Bridges 

• Khaju Bridge over Zayandeh rud River.Pol-e Shahrestan (The Shahrestan Bridge) - 11th Century. sharestan bridge
• Pol-e Khaju (Khaju Bridge) - 1650.khajoo bridge
• Si-o-Seh Pol - 33 Pol or Allah-Verdi Khan is one of the 33 bridges of Isfahan, Iran. It is highly ranked as being one of the most famous examples of Safavid bridge design.Commissioned in 1602 by Shah Abbas I from his chancelor Allahverdi Khan Undiladze, an Iranian ethnic Georgian, it consists of two layers of 33 arches (hence the Persian name, Sioseh, which means 33). There is a larger base plank at the start of the bridge where the river Zayandeh rud flows into it, with a mounted tea house there.
• Pol-e-Joui or Choobi (Joui bridge).

Churches and Cathedrals

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

Other sites

• Manar jonban -The famous Shaking Minarets (5 km west via Sheikh Bahai Avenue). Twin towers flank a porch with a very wide ogive. If you lean out of an embrasure at the top of the tower and sway your body regulary, the tower starts oscillating in a perfectly visible manner and soon the second minaret starts moving also. For a long time, this curious phenomenon was attributed to the magic powers of the holy priest buried under the ivan The building know as manar jonban is the mausoleum of amoo abloallh garladani , an Iranian mystic living in the 14 century dating back to ilakhanid period(1256-1353) and facing Mecca( Kabe) ,it is a single iwan flanked by two minarets It is seems that the minarets are later annexes their architecture allows them to be shaken with shaking each one ,the other also shakes – hence the name this always had a great fascination for Iranian and foreign visitors so that it has overshadowed the other architectural and historical charactristics.