Brussels has one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe. Every year around one month before Christmas, there is this winter wonderland in town, Christmas market being part of it. The winter wonderland also includes a nightly sound-and-light show on the most beautiful Grand Place and stalls surrounding the Bourse and along the Sainte Catherine square.
Sheikh Lotfollah, this Safavid masterpiece, is often claimed the most beautiful mosque in the world. I haven’t seen that many mosques yet, but I can say Sheikh Lotfollah is surely one of the most, if not the most, beautiful mosques. Its beauty comes for both exterior and interior.
This mosque was build to serve the royal family and it was the first mosque for women as well. There is a saying that there was an underground tunnel that connects the Ālī Qāpū Palace (right on the other side of the square) and the mosques. The design of this mosque is simply humble, without any fancy yard. It is a simple yet elegant masterpiece perfectly constructed that can somehow create an intimate effect on visitors.
Of all the places I’ve visited so far in Iran, I loved Isfahan the most. In Isfahan, there are several beautiful bridges in the city, Khaju being one of them. The river Zayanderoud is now mostly dry except during the Persian new year, Nowruzm, period. Built in the Safiyeh age, Khajou is a symbol for Isfahan.
Today I decided to write down a overnight trip I d…