Iran Isfahan / Esfahan Day 251 October 12th 2017
The centrepiece of Naqsh-e Jahan Square transforms itself throughout the day and night. By day, the colourful gardens, the buzz of the markets, the playing of water in the pools at the centre of the park slowly transform into a meeting spot for the city. Families, groups of young adults gather laughing and sharing, lovers, tourists, school children playing games – everyone gathers for picnics and promenades as the bright daylight becomes shiny black night.
By night, the park becomes a wonderland, with the water again its centrepiece, creating a perfect reflection of the ancient buildings surrounding it. The black starlit sky frames the minarets and domes of light and colour. It is a cliché, but timeless beauty fits the scene perfectly. Please, can we never leave?
Enter the market at your peril. Who knows where you will emerge and what you will discover. Yet the tall, arched entrance at the end of Naqsh-e Jahan Square is too tempting to pass by. The cool interior and tiny restaurants entice exploration.
Around the Square, the first layer of the market comprises the craft and sparkle market – temptations for travellers to take home – exotic sweets, hand-painted ceramics, fine silk carpets. This quickly gives way to shopping necessities: clothing, food, cooking implements, all in a labyrinth of dark alleys with motorbikes zooming through the confined space to keep you alert. Interspersed are tiny tea stalls and cafes perfect for cooling off and catching up.
Ancient remains scattered throughout the alleys and avenues seem to defy a map – an ancient Hammam, the old caravanserai, a mosque. Life could be lived in the bazaars.
Around the square ancient buildings dominate on every side. Today our exploration takes us to the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque or Peacock mosque – opposite the Palace in Naqsh-e Jahan Square. A smaller mosque without the familiar minarets, it was built as a private Royal mosque and as a mosque for women. It was said a tunnel led from the Palace on the other side of the Square to the Mosque so women could enter without being seen.
At the threshold entering the central dome, the light had been designed to reflect on the ceiling, creating a peacock tail of light across the dome.
After exploring Sheikh Lotfollar Mosque, we were ready to go further afield. We braved a taxi to to the Armenian Quarter. Given the friendliness and generosity of the people we met, I have no idea why we felt we were “braving” a taxi. And it was no different from any other taxi ride in any other country.
Our destination – the Jolfa Vank Cathedral. Another surprise in an already surprising country – the Armenian Quarter. A “new quarter” established in the 1600s. After being moved to this area by the Shah, the Armenian population were given religious freedom and built several churches including the Vank Cathedral. The cathedral is the centre point in an area with a different feel to the other parts of Isfahan we explored – a more European-like shopping precinct filled with fashion, food and modern trappings.
The Cathedral itself holds many treats – the interior frescoes being the major Wow! The frescoes are colourful stories surrounding the main body of the cathedral interior. Every possible surface is covered with ancient picture book stories
After the visit to the cathedral, hunger drove us in search of food; a meander around surrounding streets showed a area different to what we had found thus far. This was an airy, attractive shopping precinct. Tucked within the streets we found a tiny café with only a few seats. On offer was the most succulent, tasty, burgers. It seemed to be a mother and son business with Mum snapping out orders when son was not up to scratch.
Leila our guide extraordinaire for the tour had recommended a visit to Armani carpets to learn more about the patterns and structure of Iranian carpets. We were not disappointed. Provided with tea and time, our hosts explained both the carpet and the business, which was a long-time family business. The shop was stacked high with shelves of carpets of every colour and hue and all wall surfaces displayed an array of traditional and more modern carpets. More tempting than I imagined – particularly a fine double-sided silk carpet with different patterns on either side – so fine the carpet rolled up into a tiny space – a perfect travel carpet. And no I did not.
As we left Armani we came to a small square lined with shops and cafes, one boasting excellent coffee. A perfect spot to sit outside and watch local “hipster” life with bikes, coffee and tattoos.
Before returning to the Square we passed the Music museum, a relatively new addition to the museums of Isfahan. Entering through a peaceful café we were tempted but had just had coffee so on we went. The museum was exceptional. A one-on-one tour came with the ticket price!! We had a private guided tour – in English – of the key instruments, their history followed by a short concert with local musicians playing traditional instruments and music.
