S H I R A Z

F L O U R I S H I N G

NAQSH E ROSTAM World heritage situated near Perspolis. The impossible photo of the historical cliff

SHIRAZ, now 1 million inhabitant city, is located in a corridor of the Zagros Mts, NE of BUSHEHR. Former Natives were Qashqai nomads, (herdsmen of Turkmen descent) and seasonal Bakhtyari cattlers. Bushahr-Kazerun-Shiraz-Rey road was the major commercial Way to Iran for traders from Persian Gulf.

SHIRAZ, the Argh (central fortress)

The city grew a lot and its bazaars are held as the moist traditional in Iran (Bazar e Vaqil & Bazar No)

Rug traders were traditionnally based inside the cosy caravanserails of the Bazaar-e-vaqil and they are still…

In the Bazar : qashqai tribeswomen demonstrate and sell

Dayereh framedrums.

Tea time for the khalyun narghileh dealer.

SHIRAZ is the famous birthplace & shrine of the epicurian HAFEZ, a follower of the ruzbehiniyyah sufi order and the national poet in Iran. His verses are still the major reference in popular wisdom and sufi spirit

of religious critics.

Scanding HAFEZ’ s verses on his tomb is a must for any respectful visitor.

SHIRAZ, south of the Bazar, the impressive Shrine complex for SHAH-e-SHERAGH (emam

Reza s brother) was erected.

The shrine of SHAH-e-SHERAGH is now a major pilgrimage center, just like Qom and Mashhad.

The shrine complex includes a big pious marketplace for the pilgrims

A fellow woman remembers the dirsty martyrdom of Emam HOSEYN at Kerbala ‘s while drinking at a water source. This pious scene is very usual in Iran. Right : another view of the shrine s marketplace.

At dawn prayer time, pilgrims abund around the crowdy Hoseiniyyeh of the Mosque of the Martyrs.

TCHEHEL KELID (“40 keys”) This common holy water cup is a syncretic talisman from a zoraoastrian tradition. Drinking this water is reported to heal fellows, babies and pilgrims.

The calm emamzadeh e ALI Bin HAMZAH and the related tombstones was reconstructed in the

XIX th century

The Quran reader holds majlis in the emamzadeh e ALI Bin HAMZAH (

nephew of the Emam REZA)

Vow knots of the fellows on holy tomb gates. Right: at Nasir Ol Molk mosque, Fellows fix their vows with iron Locks

Inside an anonymous emamzadeh in the heart of the Bazar e Vakil….

Old shirazi mosques means superb visits, here the shrine Dome of the mosque NASIR ol MOLK. The city is also famous for early sufis such as Ibn Khafif, KAZERUNI (Morshediyyah) and Ruzbehan BAQLI SHIRAZI.

A cosy anonymous mosque courtyard in the SW of the Bazar. Orange trees and pool.

Inside the mosque NASIR ol MOLK