IRAN

The Country of Nobles

A journey to Iran is a chance to peel away the layers of a country with a serious image problem. Beyond the stereotypes you’ll experience a country desperate to be seen for what it is, rather than what it is perceived to be. It is a country where the desert glory of ancient Persepolis exists alongside the dynamic present of today’s traffic-choked Tehran. At its core you’ll discover a country of warm and fascinating people living within sophisticated culture.

Geography

Iran has an area of 1,648,195 km². It lies between latitudes 24° and 40° N, and longitudes 44° and 64° E. Iran’s bio-diversity ranks 13th in the world. Having 11 climates out of the world’s 13, Iran’s climate is diverse, ranging from arid to subtropical along the Caspian coast and the northern forests.

Peoples

Iranians are extremely hospitable. You can see it everywhere – from shy smiles, to curious questions about where you’re from, Iranians are welcoming to visitors and are generally happy to see travellers.

Love of family emanates from Iranians like from no other nation. It really seems like family is in the center of the universe for them.

Cuisine

Persian cuisine is rich & diverse. Typical Iranian cuisine includes a wide variety of dishes, including several forms of kebab, stew, soup, and pilaf dishes, as well as various salads, desserts, pastries, and drinks. Typical Iranian main dishes are combinations of rice with meat (such as lamb, chicken, or fish), vegetables (such as onions and various herbs), and nuts.

Architecture

With a history of thousands of years, Iranian architecture has appeared as a variety from peasant huts, teahouses and garden pavilions to some of the most beautiful and majestic structures the world has ever seen.

Iranian architecture displays great variety, both structural and aesthetic, from a variety of traditions and experience.

Science

Persia was a cradle of science in earlier times, contributing to medicine, mathematics, science, and philosophy. Trying to revive the golden time of Persian science, Iran’s scientists now are cautiously reaching out to the world. Ancient Iranian Medicine, the basic knowledge of four humours as a healing system, was developed by Avicenna in his medical encyclopedia The Canon of Medicine.

Art

Persian art or Iranian art has one of the richest art heritages in world history and has been strong in many media including architecture, painting, weaving, pottery, calligraphy, metalworking and sculpture.

Persian art and architecture reflects a 5000-year-old cultural tradition shaped by the diverse cultures that have flourished on the vast Iranian plateau.

Ancient Persia

Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 7000 BC.

The historical mark of The Achaemenid Empire (The First Persian Empire) went far beyond its territorial and military influences and included cultural, social, technological and religious influences as well.

World Heritage Sites

A World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by UNESCO as being of special cultural or physical significance.

The first three sites in Iran, Meidan Emam, Esfahan, Persepolis and Tchogha Zanbil, were inscribed on the list at the 3rd Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Paris, France in 1979. The latest additions were The Persian Qanat and Lut Desert, both inscribed in 2016.