Spectacular photos of monuments in Iran

5 great places in Iran you have never heard of

It might not be on everyone's travel radar, but Iran has a well-worn tourist circuit, encompassing attractions in the ancient cities of Shiraz and Isfahan.

For those wanting to get off the beaten path, the country has a wealth of lesser-known destinations that rival the stunning beauty and historical significance of their more famous counterparts.

Here are five of the best:

Rudkhan Castle

Hidden in the humid green forests of Iran's northern Gilan province is Rudkhan Castle, a medieval military fortress whose origins predate the rise of Islam in Iran.

Few foreign tourists have visited the site, which is a popular attraction among Iranians.

Work started on the castle during the Persian Sassanid era, between A.D. 224 and 651. Followers of the Ismaili sect (the infamous "Assassins" or "Hashashin") are believed to have renovated and completed the fortress during the late 11th to 12th centuries.

The hike up to the castle, which is situated along two peaks of a verdant mountain, takes more than an hour, prompting many locals to call Rudkhan the "Castle of a Thousand Steps."

After you've made the trek back down, it's worth stopping off for food on the drive back on the main highway toward Rasht, the capital of Gilan province. Try a northern Iranian lunch at the exquisite Pich restaurant (Pich Restaurant, Rasht to Anzali Highway, Khomam Beltway; +98 132 422 7554; Pichrestaurant@yahoo.com.) The "Torsh" kabob -- tenderloin marinated in pomegranate paste, walnuts and garlic -- is a particularly appetizing regional specialty.

Bekhradi Historical House

This 400-year-old inn built in Persia's Safavid era features four tastefully decorated multiroomed guest suites and is the oldest house to be restored in Iran.

Its renovation and artistic restoration took local interior designer and restoration specialist Morteza Bekhradi five years to engineer and complete.

Peppered with stained-glass windows and original artwork from the Safavid and subsequent Qajar eras, the house sits between two gardens replete with fruits and wildflowers.

The house's furniture was designed by Bekhradi using wood from the chenar (plane) trees that line the streets and historic gardens of Isfahan.

The designer says he sought to stay true to the setup of the original home, which he says is believed to have belonged to a Safavid-era aristocrat.

Even the traditional heavy Iranian wooden doors lining the entryways of the upstairs suites belonged to the original house and were restored using chenar wood.

Doors throughout the rest of the historical residence, which boasts an intricately decorated traditional "hojreh" room for cooling and relaxation, are chenar-wood replicas of Safavid originals.

To date, most guests have discovered the inn only by word of mouth, and even local Isfahanis are only just beginning to learn about this hidden gem.

Bekhradi Historical House, 56, Sonbolestan Alley, Ebn-e-Sina St, Shohada Sq, Isfahan; +98 31 34482072

Soltanieh Dome

A UNESCO World Heritage site in the northwestern province of Zanjan, the mausoleum of Oljaytu at Soltaniyeh is topped by one of the world's largest domes.

Built between 1302 and 1312 in Soltaniyeh, the capital city of the Mongols' Ilkhanid Dynasty, the monument is a mausoleum for Il-khan Oljeitu, the Ilkhanid's eighth ruler.

Though much of the structure's exterior coloring and tiles have faded through the centuries, the intricate brickwork, tilework and vibrant designs inside the mausoleum have remained largely unscathed.

The unique double-shelled structure of the Soltaniyeh Dome is also believed to have influenced the design of India's Taj Mahal mausoleum.

Interesting factoid: Oljeitu was born to a Christian mother and baptized as Nicholas. He later became Buddhist and then converted to Islam.

He intended for the Soltaniyeh Dome to house religious artifacts, but after clerics banned him from doing so, he decided to make the monument his own tomb.

Visits to the dome are worth sidetracking to Zanjan for a lunch of classic Iranian dizi, or lamb and chickpea soup, at Carvansarai Sangi (Zanjan, Iran; +98 241 326 1266), an ancient pit stop that's been converted into a popular local restaurant.

Laleh Kandovan Rocky Hotel

About 30 miles outside the northwestern city of Tabriz lies the troglodyte village of Kandovan.

People here live in cone-shaped caves cut out of volcanic rock at the foot of Mount Sahand, a dormant volcano.

Nestled within the 800-year-old village, the Laleh Kandovan Rocky Hotel has been literally hand-carved into the rocky landscape, with each of the luxury hotel's 16 modernized rooms encompassing a cave, or "karaan."

According to local lore, mineral water sourced from Mount Sahand, long valued throughout Iran for its medicinal properties, originated in the biblical Garden of Eden.

Guests of the hotel can take a relaxing soak in this precious liquid. If there's a spa tub in the room, the mineral water gets pumped in directly.

Laleh Kandovan Rocky Hotel, Kandovan Rd, Kandovan; + 98 412 323 0191

Toghrol Tower

Toghrol Tower is a Seljuk-era monument situated in the city of Rey, on the southern outskirts of Iran's capital city, Tehran.

Often overlooked by visitors who tend to stick to the higher-income northern and central areas of the Iranian capital, Rey is the oldest county in Tehran province and is speckled with historical monuments, including a 500-year-old Safavid-era bazaar.

The tower is said to serve as the mausoleum for Seljuk king Toghrol Beg, who established Rey as a major administrative center of the Seljuk Dynasty until its destruction by Mongol armies in the early 13th century.

From the tower, it's a quick ride into the heart of Tehran's Armenian quarter to round off the trip with a cup of coffee and Armenian pastries at the historic Cafe Naderi (Hotel Naderi and Cafe, Jomhuri Eslami Avenue, Tehran; +98 21 66 701 872), a haunt frequented for decades by Iran's greatest writers and intellectuals.

Top 10 ways to enjoy a family vacation

I used to love to fly. What better way to catch up on my celeb magazines, eat a bag of M&M’s (that’s a must-have at 3,000 feet) and relax? And the best part of flying? Watching all those already exhausted moms and dads with all their kids and their crap shuffle past me, and knowing I wasn’t one of them.

Then I had my first child and became a member of the "Exhausted Travelers Club." My husband and I were invited by friends to come to France for two weeks with our 1-year-old. Like rookies, we said yes. Do you have any idea what it’s like to fly with a 1-year-old for 12 whole hours, transfer in Paris, schlep across the airport to catch that flight to Nice, only to finally arrive 15 hours after leaving home? Of course you do, because you’ve made the same rookie mistake that I have—you’ve traveled with your children. It was then that I made the rule: Vacations aren’t vacations when children are involved.

Now as the parents of two children, the hubs and I have been anxious to get out of town and to show our kids the world. So I’ve tested the waters in search of the perfect family vacation that actually involves my family. Here’s what I came up with:

RELATED: Why We're Skipping Summer Vacation

1. Don't Go Far

So yeah, this kind of cuts out the Paris trip you’ve been planning or that Boston to Hawaii journey you’ve been thinking about. Your 2-year-old doesn’t really care where she is. To her, Daytona Beach and Bali are all the same—they’re beaches. Go far enough so you feel like you went somewhere, and close enough to where you don’t need heavy pharmaceuticals just to endure the trip with your kids.

2. This Is Not the Time to Restrict Screen Time

OK, your kids are basically Amish at home and watch TV once every year, but on vacation anything goes—especially if you’re flying. So charge the battery on your Blackberry, iPhone, DVD player, computer and iPad and let those kids watch Finding Nemo 400 times. If they don’t cry on the plane, neither will you.

3. Go Somewhere the Kids Will Love

Sure, you used to look at those hotels with water slides and kid camps like they were for sissies. Guess what? Those hotels keep your kids happy and engaged. So soak up that splash pad and enjoy People mag while the little one yucks it up in the baby pool. Because nothing screams “bad vacation” like taking little kids to museums that mom and dad can barely stand.

4. Bring in Backup

Can’t stand your mother-in-law? Terrified of hotel babysitters? Uncle Jimmy makes you nuts? Well a family vacation is the perfect time to forget old grudges. Because those relatives you can’t stand will also be the first ones to hang with your kids while they nap, or babysit while you and the hubs have a night out. And those hotel babysitters? Check ‘em out and make sure you're comfortable. But once you are, even a few hours of help means you and the hubs get to have a vacation, too. At least for a few hours.

When traveling with kids, or traveling in general, it’s important to be honest about what you actually need to be happy.

5. Let Them Eat Cake

Like screen time, vacations are not the time to expect the kids to have their healthiest meals. Long after they’ve lost the taste for ice cream morning, noon and night, they’ll remember staying up a little too late, eating stuff they don’t get at home and having 100 percent of mom's and dad's attention. So instead of restricting what the kids eat, order something yummy for yourself. You’re on holiday. Lord knows you deserve it!

6. If You Can't Travel in the Style You're Comfortable, Don't Travel

Some families love a good camping trip. Others need a four-star resort with every amenity you can imagine. When traveling with kids, or traveling in general, it’s important to be honest about what you actually need to be happy. Travel can be stressful so if you’re a “need my space” kind of gal, maybe don’t put your whole family of five in one room. It’s better to stay home where you’re at home, then travel for the sake of the story. Especially when the story starts with, “The worst vacation ever!”

7. You Don't Have to Be Together Every Waking Minute

You really want to go to the gym or take an hour to finish that book you started a year ago. Do it! Sure, it’s a family vacation but you’re part of the family. So let the hubs watch the kiddos for an hour or two while you hit the spa. Or better yet, get that nap you’ve been trying for since the year before you had kids.

8. Travel Within Your Budget

Traveling with a family is expensive no matter how you slice it. Extra expenses always come up like the $30 bagel or the $18 lollipop the kid insists on at DisneyWorld. With that in mind, book a trip you can actually afford. Because if you’re stressed about cash the whole time, you won’t enjoy it.

RELATED: Why We Chose Separate Family Vacations

9. Don't Complain

You can whine at home. Vacations are for silly family fun and strange and new adventures. So check your complaints at the gate and lighten up. It is a vacation, after all!

10. Be Flexible

The key to a fun family vacation is flexibility, from all parties involved. The kids have to expect that the four-hour car ride may end up being closer to eight hours, and mom and dad have to be prepared for the flight to be delayed and that the 3-year-old is going to want to eat. So be prepared for all possibilities, and be open to them. Your kids will laugh, remembering the whole family wearing their same clothes for three days straight long after you remember that the airline losing your luggage was anything but funny.

1. Enjoy! Oh, and bring sunscreen. Nothing kills a vacation quicker than blistery skin and peeling noses.

History of nowruz

The name of Noruz does not occur until the second century AD in any Persian records. We have reasons to believe that the celebration is much older than that date and was surely celebrated by the people and royalty during the Achaemenid times (555-330 BC). It has often been suggested that the famous Persepolis Complex, or at least the palace of Apadana and Hundred Columns Hall, were built for the specific purpose of celebrating Noruz. However, no mention of the name of Noruz exists in any Achaemenid inscription.

Our oldest records of Noruz go back to the Arsacid/Parthian times (247 BC-224 AD). There are specific references to the celebration of Noruz during the reign of Arsacid Emperor Vologases I (51-78 AD). Unfortunately, the lack of any substantial records about the reign of the Arsacids leaves us with little to explore about the details of Noruz during their times.

After the accession of Ardashir I Pabakan, the founder of the Sasanian Dynasty (224 AD), consistent data for the celebration of Noruz were recorded.

Throughout the Sasanian era (224-650 AD), Noruz was celebrated as the most prominent ritual during the year. Most royal traditions of Noruz such as yearly common audiences, cash gifts, and pardon of prisoners, were established during the Sasanian era and they persisted unchanged until the modern times.

Noruz, along with Sadeh that is celebrated in mid-winter, were the two pre-Islamic celebrations that survived in the Islamic society after 650 AD.

Other celebrations such Gahanbar and Mehragan were eventually side-lined or were only followed by the Zoroastrians who carried them as far as India. Noruz, however, was most honoured even by the early founders of Islam.

There are records of the Four Great Caliphs presiding over Noruz celebrations, and during the Abbasid era, it was adopted as the main royal holiday.

Following the demise of the Caliphate and re-emergence of Persian dynasties such as the Samanids and Buyids, Noruz was elevated into an even more important event. The Buyids revived the ancient traditions of Sasanian times and restored many smaller celebrations that had been eliminated by the Caliphate. Even the Turkish and Mongol invaders of Iran did not attempt to abolish Noruz in favor of any other celebration. Thus, Noruz remained as the main celebration in the Persian lands by both the officials and the people.

During the Noruz holidays people are expected to pay house visits to one another (mostly limited to families, friends and neighbours) in the form of short house visits and the other side will also pay you a visit during the holidays before the 13th day of the spring.

Typically, on the first day of Noruz, family members gather around the table, with the Haft Seen on the table or set next to it, and await the exact moment of the arrival of the spring. At that time gifts are exchanged. Later in the day, on the very first day, the first house visits are paid to the most senior family members.

Typically, the youngers visit the elders first, and the elders return their visit later. The visits naturally have to be relatively short, otherwise one will not be able to visit everybody on their list. Every family announces in advance to their relatives and friends which days of the holidays are their reception days.

A visit generally lasts around 30 minutes, where you often run into other visiting relatives and friends who happen to be paying a visit to the same house at that time. Because of the house visits, you make sure you have a sufficient supply of pastry, cookies, fresh and dried fruits and special nuts on hand, as you typically serve your visitors with these items plus tea or syrup.

Many Iranians will throw large Noruz parties in a central location as a way of dealing with the long distances between groups of friends and family.

Some Noruz celebrants believe that whatever a person does on Noruz will affect the rest of the year. So, if a person is warm and kind to their relatives, friends and neighbors on Noruz, then the new year will be a good one. On the other hand, if there are fights and disagreements, the year will be a bad one. Also, many people do a significant amount of "Spring Cleaning" prior to Noruz to rid the house of last year's dirt and germs in preparation for a good new year.

One tradition that may not be very widespread (that is, it may belong to only a few families) is to place something sweet, such as honey or candy, in a safe place outside overnight. On the first morning of the new year, the first person up brings the sweet stuff into the house as another means of attaining a good new year.

The traditional herald of the Noruz season is called Haji Pirooz, or Hadji Firuz. He symbolizes the rebirth of the Sumerian god of sacrifice, Domuzi, who was killed at the end of each year and reborn at the beginning of the New Year. Wearing black make up and a red costume, Haji Pirooz sings and dances through the streets with tambourines and trumpets spreading good cheer and the news of the coming New Year.

The thirteenth day of the New Year festival is called Sizdah Bedar (meaning "thirteen outdoors"). It often falls on or very close to April Fool's Day, as it is celebrated in some countries. People go out in the nature in groups and spend all day outdoors in the nature in form of family picnics. It is a day of festivity in the nature, where children play and music and dancing is abundant. On this day, people throw their sabzeh away in the nature as a symbolic act of making the nature greener, and to dispose of the bad luck that the sprouts are said to have been collecting from the household.

The thirteenth day celebrations, Seezdah Bedar, stem from the belief of the ancient Persians that the twelve constellations in the Zodiac controlled the months of the year, and each ruled the earth for a thousand years. At the end of which, the sky and the earth collapsed in chaos.

Hence, Noe-Rooz lasts twelve days and the thirteenth day represents the time of chaos when families put order aside and avoid the bad luck associated with the number thirteen by going outdoors and having picnics and parties.

Nowruz,new year celebration in Iran

Nowruz is the traditional Iranian festival of spring which staryear.

t the exact moment of the vernal equinox, commencing the start of the spring. It is considered as the start of the New Year among Iranians. The name comes from Avestan meaning "new day/daylight". Noruz is celebrated March 20/21 each year, at the time the sun enters Aries and Spring begins.

Noruz has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is deeply rooted in the rituals and traditions of the Zoroastrian religion. Today the festival of Noruz is celebrated in Iran, Iraq, India, Afghanistan, Tajikestan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The Zoroastrian Parsis of India celebrate Noruz twice, firstly in common with their Iranian brethren on the vernal equinox as Jamshedi Navroz (also referred to as the Fasli New Year) and secondly on a day in July or August, depending upon whether they follow the Kadmi or the Shahenshahi calendar. This is because the practice of intercalation in the Zoroastrian calendar was lost on their arrival in India. The Kadmi New Year always precedes the Shahenshahi New Year by 30 days. In 2005, Noruz is celebrated on August 20 (Shahenshahi).

The Baha'i Faith, a religion with its origin in Iran, celebrates this day (spelling it "Naw Ruz") as a religious holiday marking not only the new year according to the Baha'i calendar, but the end of their Nineteen Day Fast. Persian Baha'is still observe many Iranian customs associated with it, but Bahai's all over the world celebrate it as a festive day, according to local custom. American Baha'i communities, for example, may have a potluck dinner, along with prayers and readings from Baha'i scripture. While Naw Ruz, according to scripture, begins on the vernal equinox, Baha'is currently celebrate it on March 21, regardless of what day the equinox falls. Baha'is are required to suspend work and school in observance.

Although the Persian Calendar is very precise about the very moment of turn of the new year, Noruz itself is by definition the very first calendar day of the year, regardless of when the natural turn of the year happens. For instance, in some years, the actual natural moment of turn of the year could happen before the midnight of the first calendar day, but the calendar still starts at 00:00 hours for 24 hours, and those 24 hours constitue the Noruz. Iranians typically observe the exact moment of the turn of the year

about Iran

_{If your knowledge about Iran is limited to WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD I can tell you when you travel to Iran for the first time you would be astonished how far Iran is from your beliefs.}

 _{Iran is home to one of the world's oldest civilizations with about 80 million population now.  Historically, Proto-Iranian religion and Zoroastrianism were the dominant religions in Iran before Islam was brought to this country from 16^th century.}

 _{These information could be easily found by an easy search on google. But the information which may help you to have a better understanding of current situation of Iran is that;}

 _{Iran is safe and secure. This is what I can say after my travels to many Asian and European countries. Unknown is always scary, media and unsecure countries in Middle East have their own effect for people to judge about Iran. But you won’t have any problem to travel to the big modern cities in Iran except some accidents which may happen in most of the big cities in the world which does not happen for all but may happen for few. For small cities and cities on the borders for sure one local person needs to accompany you. Small cities may be always have their own restrictions.}

_{The problem you may encounter here on the street is the language.  Young educated population are mostly speaking English. But not all people you encounter in your daily life like taxi drivers or grocery boys.  So if you plan to stay here start learning Persian or Farsi. This is the language of the country. Language of poet and Rumi, I am sure you would like the language with historic poetic roots.}

_{Iran has a young, well-educated population. Women are present. They are active. They are educated. The majority of population of graduated and university students are women. In private and multinational companies you may see the majority of employees are young women.}

_{Iran is a four season country. You can ski here in Tehran during winter in beautiful sky areas and resorts and enjoy the beautiful nature and at the same time experience a weather like spring in another part of the country. Iran is quit vast with diverse ethnicities, languages and dialects.  Mostly different cities has their own language/dialects and traditions. So don’t mistake to judge all the people in this country based on the first person or group of people you meet, for sure like any other country the way of thinking, dressing, life style, etc differ a lot between people but here you may see there is a big gap and people don’t look homogenous. Of course Iranians all over the country share many commonalities but still they have many differences.}

_{The historic places in Iran are marvelous. Unfortunately Iran government have not suitably taken care of these places so far as they require. But still you could enjoy many places in historic cities of Iran. They are unique and carry the beauty of old culture.}

_{The way you should dress depend where you want to go! But bring your classy cloths for sure. In this country especially modern cities you would be definitely judged on the way you dress up. But for women they have created their own style. Manto/ Coat with trousers and scarf are main used dress for women in Iran.}

_{Taarof is the word you should know in this country. What does it mean? When you pay to taxi driver or any other places in the shops you would hear back,’oh pls no problem just for you (you don’t have to pay)!’ But they don’t mean it, it is just a sign of respect. Taarof is not limited in these situations only, you may hear such Taarofs in many situations which people don’t mean what they say but only showing that they respect you!}

_{Iran is really cheap for western visitors. So enjoy renting a taxi for the whole day or going to best restaurants with no concern. About the food, you should experience the taste and the variety to get to know the heaven of foods in Iran. So go for Iranian dishes, western dishes although are still good here but Iranian dishes would be surely your best experience in this country.}

 _{Driving in Iran I would say is a disaster! I am sorry to tell you that you would go crazy by the way people are driving! The city is full of all kinds of cars. You may easily see last models of car brands in the world in the streets of big modern cities but you definitely wouldn’t like to spend your time in heavy traffics with the way people are driving. So be careful, have your books to read!}

 _{People love luxury and western expensive brands here. Don’t get surprised if you pay 1000 dollar to your staff on monthly basis and you see her carrying a 1000 dollar bag in her hand! This is not applicable to all though but just letting you know that how much people would like to look brands.}

The most recent picture of Urmia Lake

Urumieh salt Lake

Lake Orumiyeh (also Orumieh or Urmia) in northwestern Iran is one of the world’s largest landlocked salt lakes, but it is shrinking.

Orumiyeh is fed by roughly 60 rivers and streams—some permanent and some ephemeral—that also deliver salts. Because the lake lacks an outlet, those salts accumulate in the basin. As the region’s arid climate evaporates the water, the salts crystalize along the shore.