Isfahan

Overview

Situated along the ancient Silk Road, Isfahan was among the largest and most important cities in Central Asia due to its unique position at the crossroads of several trade routes.

Rising to prominence under the Achaemenid Empire, Isfahan flourished during its Golden Age under the Seljuk and Safavid empires. But it was during the reign of Shah Abbas - who made it the Safavid capital - that the city became a celebrated centre of art, trade, and cultural exchange. With its maze of mosques, turquoise tiled palaces, gardens and tree lined boulevards, bridges and centuries old Grand Bazaar, Isfahan boasted some of the greatest examples of Islamic architecture in the world, equal in grandeur to the capitals of Europe, such as Istanbul, Paris, Athens and Rome.

Join Dr Lauren Mackay as she delves into Isfahan’s fascinating history, from the empires that shaped it, to its architectural magnificence and transcendental beauty which inspired the proverb: Esfahān nesf-e-jahān ast - “Isfahan is half of the world.”