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Ardebil
Ardebil
Ardebil is an ancient city in northwestern Iran, and the capital of Ardabil Province. The dominant majority in the city are ethnic Iranian Azerbaijanis and the primary language of the people is Azerbaijani.
Ardabil is known for its trade in silk and carpets. Ardabil rugs are renowned and the ancient Ardabil Carpets are considered among the best of classical Persian carpets. Ardabil is also home to a World Heritage Site, the Ardabil Shrine, the sanctuary and tomb of Shaikh Safî ad-Dîn, eponymous founder of the Safavid dynasty.
The population of Ardabil is about 650,000 and their religion is Shia Islam.
You need at least 1 day to visit:
Sheikh Safiodin Complex
Sheikh Safi, an eminent leader of an Islamic Sufi order established by the Safavids, was born in Ardabil where this complex is located. The Safavids valued the tomb-mosque form, and the tomb with its mausoleum and prayer hall is located at a right angle to the mosque. The buildings in the complex surround a small inner courtyard (31 by 16 meters). The complex is entered through a long garden.
The Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi, in Ardabil, was first built in1334. It was constructed between the beginning of the 16th century and the end of the 18th century. The mausoleum, a tall, domed circular tower decorated with blue tile and about 17 meters in height; beside it is the 17th-century Porcelain House preserving the sanctuary’s ceremonial wares. Also part of the complex are many sections that have served a variety of functions over the past centuries, including a library, a mosque, a school, mausolea, a cistern, a hospital, kitchens, a bakery, and some offices. It incorporates a route to reach the shrine of the sheikh divided into seven segments, which mirror the seven stages of Sufi mysticism. Various parts of the mausoleum are separated by eight gates, which represent the eight attitudes of Sufism.
Several parts were gradually added to the main structure during the Safavid dynasty. A number of Safavid sheikhs and harems and victims of the Safavids’ battles, including the Battle of Chaldiran, have been buried at the site.
Jameh Mosque Ardabil exists only in ruins.
The current buildings are remnants of the Seljuk era, which ruled Iran in the second half of the 11th and 12th centuries. Perhaps there were other older buildings. During excavations, it was found that the mosque complex was once larger, but was destroyed over time. The ruined brick walls are protected by a temporary protective roof consisting of steel beams and a corrugated iron roof. The resulting cylindrical stump of the minaret is stabilized from the outside by a surrounding steel frame.
The mosque is located in the district of Pir Shamso-d-Din in the middle of a cemetery and consists of three parts:
The minaret, in Seljuk style from 1473 (or 1474) consists of two octagonal parts, each 2.10 m long, and a cylindrical tower, 5 m in diameter with two inscriptions mentioning Uzun Hasan (1423, ruled 1453 –1478) chief of the Aq Qoyunlu tribe, as the one who ordered the construction.
The second part of the complex is the Tirpusch, a beamed prayer room, 12.5 m long and 9.8 m wide. The roof is supported by 9 wooden pillars.
The third part of the complex consists of 4 rooms with a dome. It was built in brick and partially decorated with tiles.
Sareyn
Sareyn is a city, in Ardabil Province. Sareyn is known for its hot springs. The population is about 8000, and increases to more than 20000 in the summer because of the many tourists who go there due to the charming climate. It stands 25 km from Ardabil and total area is 1.28 square km2.
The Sareyn springs are near an inactive volcano in mount Sabalan and its water contains sulphur particles and it is believed that it is good for bone and joint pains.
The climate and hot springs are the first attractions to tourists who travel to this region from different parts of Iran and the world.
Sareyn is also famous for its ‘Ashe Doogh’ (Yogurt Soups), during the busy summer periods, it is not uncommon for many of the local shops to be seen selling and preparing this soup.
Hot springs (spa) have always been in Sarein but the 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake caused some of them to get colder or hotter. The water is heated largely by the Sabalan mountain which is Iran’s second highest mountain after Damavand.
Many tourists visit Sabalan. Its most interesting feat is the ‘crater’ top which contains a lake of acidic water.
Sareyn is also very famous for its honey, again like the soup, many of Sareyn’s shops sell honey which is produced locally by the Bee keepers of the area.
There are 9 hot springs in Sarein, with ‘Gavmesh Goli’ being the hottest, with water reaching 67 degrees, and turning out around 80 liters per second from the source. There is also several cold water springs nearby, with the most popular being situated in a small village nearby called ‘Vila Dareh’ – the water here is fizzy and is very good for the kidneys.