In the evening, when we arrived and settled into the Isfahan hotel, a girl called our room and, in the purest Russian language, informed us that she was our guide and asked us to be ready for a city tour at eight in the morning the next day.
To our surprise and joy, our guide turned out to be our fellow countrywoman - Aida from Bishkek. At 19, she married an Iranian and has been living in Isfahan for almost 20 years now. To jump ahead, I will say that Aida turned out to be the kindest woman and treated us not as clients, but as relatives. She is a caring and very modest person, who knows the history of Persia and the city of Isfahan in particular very well.
We got into the car, and time flew by, revealing to us the wonders of the ancient Persian city of Isfahan.
- First, some general information, - Aida began her story.
The city of Isfahan is located in the fertile valley of the Zayanderud River, at the foot of the Zagros mountain range. Its elevation above sea level is 1590 meters. Isfahan is 2,500 years old. The city's golden age came during the reign of Shah Abbas I (1581-1629), who once again united Persia. As the residence and capital in the 12th century, Isfahan reached its greatest prosperity, aided by the Great Silk Road that passed through it. The Persians called the capital Naqsh-e Jahan, which means "half of the world," thereby implying that to see Isfahan is to see half of the world. It was indeed one of the largest cities of that world, with a population of about a million residents. There were 160 mosques, about 50 madrasas, 2,000 shops, and 263 public baths...
In the 15th century, with the opening of sea routes, the Silk Road lost its significance, but Isfahan remained and to this day is a national pride of the country. The city was the capital for only about a hundred years, after which in the 18th century, raids by Afghan tribes forced the imperial court to seek refuge in Shiraz.
First and foremost, Isfahan is famous for its central square, around which most of the well-known historical and cultural monuments are located. Through the arched gates, we enter the square. And immediately, the space overwhelms us! To the eye accustomed to the narrowness of the streets of Iranian cities, it seems endless.
