Isfahan (Iran)

Isfahan is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran and is the third largest city of the country.

Isfahan is located on the main north–south and east–west routes crossing Iran, and was once one of the largest cities in the world. It flourished from 1050 to 1722, particularly in the 16th century under the Safavid dynasty, when it became the capital of Persia for the second time in its history. Even today, the city retains much of its past glory. It is famous for its Persian–Islamic architecture, with many beautiful boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, mosques, and minarets. This led to the Persian proverb ‏اصفهان نصف جهان‎ or Esfahān nesf-e ǧahān (Isfahan is half of the world).