Must see attractions in Shiraz

Named after the bitter oranges that line the central courtyard, this is Shiraz’s smallest but most lovely garden. Enclosing the delightful Naranjestan-e…

One of the most elegant and most photographed pieces of architecture in southern Iran, the Pink Mosque was built at the end of the 19th century and its…

Set within an exquisite garden, Bagh-e Naranjestan, this pavilion was built for the wealthy and powerful Mohammad Ali Khan Qavam al-Molk between 1879 and…

This formal garden encompasses an octagonal pavilion, which is now home to the Pars Museum. Karim Khan once received foreign dignitaries in the pavilion,…

The tiny but beautiful pavilion housing this museum is as much of an attraction as the fine collection showcased therein.

Sayyed Mir Ahmad, one of Imam Reza’s 17 brothers, was hunted down and killed by the caliphate on this site in AD 835 and his remains are housed in a…

There is no better place to understand Hafez’s place in the nation’s psyche than at his tomb and the memorial garden within which it is set. Iranians have…

The city’s ancient trading district is home to several bazaars dating from different periods. The finest and most famous of these is the Bazar-e Vakil, a…

Begun in Karim Khan’s time, this mosque next to the tribal arts arcade in the Bazar-e Vakil has an impressive tiled portal, a recessed entrance decorated…

This picture-perfect shrine houses the tombs of two brothers of Mir Ahmad.

This fine city mansion, named after the daughter of the owner, was originally the andaruni (private quarters) area of the neighouring Bagh-e Naranjestan…

One of Shiraz’s several shrines, housed in an open-sided colonnade built during the Pahlavi era, is dedicated to Sheikh Mohammed Shams-ed-Din, simply…

Dominating the city centre, this burly fortress was built in the early Zand period and formed part of the royal court that Karim Khan hoped would rival…

Set within a delightful old house around a warren of courtyards, corridors and painted rooms, this museum is home to both permanent and temporary fine-art…

The vaulted central chamber of this Zand-era bathhouse features some fine plasterwork and candy-twist columns. A series of costumed mannequins illustrate…

Imam Gholi Khan, governor of Fars, founded this serene theological college for around 100 students in 1615. Over the years the building has been…

Famous for its tall cypress trees, this Unesco-listed garden, designed to complement a Qajar-era pool and palace (closed to the public), incorporates…

The modern assembly of arches that form Shiraz’s ceremonial gateway until recently housed a revered antique Quran (since moved to the Pars Museum opposite…

Built in the 19th century over the tomb of Emir Ali, a nephew of Shah Cheragh who also died here while en route to Khorasan to help Imam Reza, this shrine…

A pathway leads from the Quran Gateway, through the gardens of an attractive teahouse, to a lookout with fine views across the sprawling city of Shiraz…