Mashhad
For all of Iranians, the city of Mashhad is the city of pilgrimage and the city of the eighth holy Imam. Mashhad has become a full-fledged metropolis in recent years. Stay with Persiana Travel and Tourism Agency to learn more about this amazing city.
Mashhad is the second largest city of Iran
Mashhad is the second largest and most populous city as well as the spiritual capital of Iran. It is located in its northeast and in Razavi Khorasan province. According to the 2015 census, the population of Mashhad is slightly more than three million people, and its residents speak Farsi with a Mashhad dialect. This city named as the “Spiritual Capital of Iran” in 2008 and as the “Capital of Islamic Culture” in 2015.
Today, Mashhad is a part of the ancient Tus plain. It is where many settlements and cities such as Noghan and Tabran were formed thousands of years ago due to favorable weather and abundant pastures and water.
With the passing of several centuries and after the creation of Mashhad al-Reza, Noghan is now one of the neighborhoods around the Holy Shrine. Tabran is also a small city 20 kilometers west of Mashhad. The tomb of Haruniyeh and the remains of the palace of Mammon is in the heart of Tabran.
Everyone knows Mashhad as the holy shrine of Razavi. This city welcomes many travelers every year due to hosting the eighth Imam of the Shiites, Imam Reza. Also, this city is famous as the city of “gems” by the World Handicrafts Council. 39 different types of precious and semi-precious stones can be found in Mashhad. Agate and turquoise are the most popular ornamental and precious stones in this city.
Mashhad Weather and Temperature
In general, Mashhad has a variable climate, but it is moderate and tends to be cold and dry. Mashhad’s summers are hot and dry and its winters are cold and wet. Spring nights are cold. In the first month of the year, severe temperature changes occur in the city’s atmospheric condition. So, it is likely to be hot and sunny in the afternoons but cold at night.
In addition to the crowding of the city during Nowruz, these temperature changes are another reason why these days are not suitable for traveling to Mashhad.
May can be the best month of the year and the best time to travel to Mashhad. The weather in Mashhad, which stabilizes in this month, is still not as hot as June and experiences occasional and fleeting rains. In fact, we should wait for the first signs of Mashhad’s heat from the second half of June.
The hottest months of Mashhad are the first two months of summer. The temperature in these months reaches 40 degrees. In September, the air temperature decreases a bit. The closer it gets to the end, the cooler the air becomes. For people who cannot travel in spring due to work and study, September is also a good time to travel to this city. However, in this month of the year, the density of travelers in this city is high. So, the crowded roads and promenades are annoying.
Climatic changes have also changed the weather in Mashhad. The real autumn starts from the middle of November. The cold of winter starts from the end of December and continues until the second half of March.
Must-see attractions of Mashhad
Imam Reza shrine: The Imam Reza Shrine Complex, known as the Haram-e Razavi, is the largest religious shrine of Iran. Actually, this is a shrine for Islamic’s eighth Shia Imam that attracts millions of pilgrims annually. It enjoys seven massive courtyards, and a total area of nearly 600,000 square metres, by some measures it is the largest mosque in the world.
Astan Guds Razavi museums (shrine Complex museums): The numerous museums contained within the shrine complex house a curious mixture of exhibits. It consists of two halls on one floor, with an area of about 1300 square meters. Various objects such as carpets, dishes, weapons, stamp collections, medals won by Shia athletes, architectural components of the holy shrine like Lighting equpment, altars and doors of the shrine are displayed in it.
Tomb of ferdowsi, Tous: The tomb of a very prominent poet of Iran who created his masterpiece “shahnameh” (or the bool of king) one of the largest epic poems in the world.
Tomb of Omar Khayyam: The quatrains of the 12th-century astronomer-poet Omar Khayyam are perhaps Khorasan’s most famous export around the globe. The present-day mausoleum is another unique modernist structure in Mashhad, built in 1963. Located in Neishapur, just over an hour outside of Mashhad, the town also houses the tomb of Attar, a Persian Sufi poet, for those wanting to tick off every box on the poetry tour.
Khajeh Rabi mausoleum: tomb of Khajeh Rabi is an ornate mausoleum for one of the apostles of the Prophet Mohammad, located in northeast Mashhad, just off Khajerab Street.
Mashhad bazaar: it is good place to buy different souvenirs for your besties. You could also visit the hustle and bustle of the bazaar. It is full of people. Noises and colorful things and lots of fun.
Other Historical attractions of Mashhad
The city of Mashhad has many historical, natural and cultural attractions, some of which will be introduced below.
Baze Hoor Four-arched: It is interesting to know that the oldest four-arched of Iran and the oldest dome of the world belong to this historical place. Four-arched of Baze Hoor was the first historical building in Mashhad that registered in the national register list. This building is located 70 kilometers southwest of Mashhad and near the village of Rabat Sefid.This building dates back to Sassanid period.
Tomb of Professor Shajarian: Since this year, when Ostad Shajarian, the master of Iranian singing, was buried next to Ferdowsi’s grave, the importance and popularity of this place has increased. This place is also called the tomb of Ostad Shajarian. A man whose voice is immortal like a historical relic in the pre-history of Iran. Morgh-e Sahar and Rabana songs are the memory that will never fade in people’s minds and hearts.
The tomb of Nader Shah Afshar: it is one of the most important historical buildings in Mashhad, includes a tomb hall and two museums. In these two museums, weapons related to the period before Afshar and the time of Nadershah Afshar are exhibited. You can visit these museums while visiting the tomb.
Haruniyeh Dome: This square shaped brick dome is located 25 kilometers northwest of Mashhad.
Darougheh house: It is one of the most beautiful historical monuments of Mashhad. This building was built by Russian architects during the Qajar period.
Natural attractions of Mashhad
koohsangi Park: The Koohsangi area is a mountainous area with Rocky Mountains that are very easy to climb. Currently, the rocky area of Mashhad is one of the most attractive tourist areas in Iran.
Kang village: If you want to explore one of a unique community that still practice such an authentically traditional way of life visit Kang village. The three-thousand-year-old village enjoys the historic Kang cemetery that is worth to visit.
Golestan Dam: If you were looking for a place to ride a boat in Vakil Abad Garden, you can easily go to Golestan Reservoir or Dam. It is possible to sail in this reservoir and this attracts many tourists to it in the summer. Aqueducts supply water to this reservoir.
Shandiz of Mashhad: 15 km from Mashhad, there is a village called Shandiz with a mild climate, unique nature and of course wonderful kebabs. Rivers originating from Binalud pass through the middle of this village. There are also recreational centers in Shandiz, that you could enjoy your time there during your trip to this village.
Mashhad Botanical Garden
It is another different sight of this city, which has 25 hectares. In this natural complex, 11 different collections that are a combination of architecture and science have been placed together. 180 different plants and medicinal species and 400 genetic samples are kept in this garden. This garden is interesting both in terms of education and in terms of visiting one of the sights of Mashhad.
Other natural attractions of Mashhad include Chalidareh, Haft Hoz Valley, Zashk Village, Kong Village, Ngandar, Akhlamed, Cheshme Gilas, Qarasu Waterfall, Vakil Abad Forest Park, Jagharq, Mughan Cave, Targ Forest Park and Kardeh Dam. In addition to these, we should also mention Mashhad’s water parks such as the land of blue waves, the Iranian water park, the land of raging waves and Aftab Beach Park.
Souvenirs of Mashhad
There is a wide variety of Mashhad souvenirs and it meets every taste and every financial ability. In addition to spiritual souvenirs goods such as spices, saffron, barberry, nuts and dried fruits, turquoise, all kinds of Mashhad handicrafts, perfumes and plants are also popular.
Mashhad carpet
Carpets and rugs are an inseparable and undeniable part of Iranian culture and art. Almost every region of this vast country has its own carpet, and buying a carpet as a souvenir would be the best choice. But Mashhad carpet is one of the different and precious carpets of Iran because of its special fibers, colors and design.
Leather products
Many famous leather brands such as Mashhad Leather are located in this city. Leather products is one of the most popular and special souvenirs of this city.
Saffron
Saffron can be considered the most popular and important souvenir of Mashhad. Because Khorasan is known as the main saffron growing region in Iran.
Barberry
Anther product that is grown in Khorasan region is barberry. Buying barberry as a souvenir is very popular among tourists.
Turquoise Ring
The use of rings is very popular among Muslims. The pilgrims of the shrine of Imam Reza (AS) have a great desire to buy turquoise rings as souvenirs. As one of the most popular souvenirs of Mashhad, turquoise ring is a combination of metalwork, enameling and gemology.
Perfume
Mashhad perfume is very popular among tourists. These perfumes with the scent of flowers such as saffron, jasmine and narcissus are sold in many stores in Mashhad.
Mashhad is one of the top tourist destinations in Iran. Every day a large number of travelers enter this city through various air and land routes. Mashhad has a lot of tourism attraction that we mentioned them in this article. Persiana Travel and Tourism Agency offers you great tours to travel to this amazing city.