My Trip to Iran

Day3:

The citadel and city of Bam were supposed to be one of the major highlights of our visit to Iran. Molded over 2000 years ago out of the red clay of the Dasht-é Kavir desert that surrounds it, this stronghold still looks proud today to those who stand outside the walls.When you consider the material that is used to construct Bam, it is even a wonder so much of the city still stands. The red desert clay, mixed with straw and "other organic materials", looks like it will come apart if anyone just looks at it. And perhaps it's a good thing it doesn't rain here very often.                                                    

Hamadan is one of the oldest centers of civilization. The city has been inhabited since the 2nd millennium BC. In the 7th century BC the city, by that time known as Ecbatana, was the capital city of the Medes. After an alliance between the Medes and the Persians, the city was renamed to Hagmatana and became the first capital of the Persian Empire. Unfortunately, there is little left of these glorious ancient times. However, there is a lot in Hamadan that's worthwhile, so the city attracts a lot of visitors, most of them from Tehran.

Baba Taher, who lived in the 11th century, is one of the great poets of Iran. His songs and poems are still very popular. His mausoleum, that looks a bit like a rocket, was built in 1970. We were not very excited about the outside, but what happened inside was something very wonderful. Here was a man who recited some of Baba Taher's poems and sung some of his songs. So beautiful, we could listen to this man for hours.

There is another rocket-like mausoleum in Hamadan. This belongs to the 10th century poet, scientist, philosopher and physician Abu Ali Sina. In the West, I know the man as Avicenna. Among a lot of other things, he wrote a medical encyclopedia that has been mandatory reading for every medical student in Europe until the 19th century. His works as a poet and philosopher are still studied today.

There is a small Jewish community in Hamadan. Their synagoge is also the shrine of Esther, the Jewish wife of King Xerxes, and her uncle Mordechai. Although, some people claim it isn't Esther who is buried here, but another Jewish Queen by the name of Shushan Dokht.

Inside this small building you can see the only Hebrew inscriptions in all of Iran.

The town of Qom is best known for its religious university Howzeh-ye Elmieh. It attracts a lot of students from all over Iran and the rest of the world who want to become a mullah. Imam Khomeini is probably the most famous among those who studied the Quran here. But there are more things in Qom that are significant to Islam. The Holy Shrine of Hazrat-é Ma'sumeh is the burial place of Fatima, the daughter of the 7th Imam and sister of the Reza, the 8th Imam. It is the most important one in Qom. Only the Shrine of Imam Reza himself, in Mashhad, is even more important to the Shi'ites.
The Shrine is located in the center of Qom.When you walk around it, you can admire the wonderful mosaics, the minarets and the beautiful golden dome.
If you look the other way, you'll probably see a lot of aspirant mullahs. If you're lucky, you might find one who speaks English and wants to tell you something about what it's like to study here.See ya next time people.