Esfahan is one of the oldest cities and was capital of Iran in Ale-ziyar, Ale-Bouyeh, Seljuken and Safavieh Periods.
Average height from sea level is 1620 m; Esfahan province is limited from north to Semnan, Markazi, Qom provinces, south Fars province, East Yazd and Khorasan provinces, West Chahar-Mahale-Bakhtiyari province.
The important river of center Iran is Zayandehrood which sources from Zardkuh - e – Bakhteyari mountains and from west to East flows to Gavkhoni swamp.
Famous historical buildings of Isfahan:
1. Friday mosque:
This mosque is a complex of architectures of periods after Islam, The interesting (worth seeing) parts of this mosque:
-Small platforms of right entrance passageway that have round columns with plats work decoration, they are from Deylamy period (century 4 hegira).
- Friday at left side of entrance passageway that is like seljukian building style.
- In south of mosque is khaje- e – nezam – ol – molk dome (yhe famous minister of malek shahe seljuken.)
- Forty columns both side of this dome belong to the second period of seljukian.
- Forty columns at end of west side are from shah Abas Safavi the first period.
- South veranda of mosque is saheb plat form.
- Tiling decoration round the courtyard is from Hassan beyk Torkaman as Uzun Hassan.
- The East veranda of mosque names Schagerd belongs to the seljukian period.
- The west vdranda names Ostad and belong to 6 century.
- In north of west veranda is small mosque from Uljayto-moslem mogul chieftain- period.
- In west of west veranda and Uljayto mosque is a port for sleeping, belongs to soltan mohammad Bysonghor.
- North veranda named sofeh Darvish, belong to 6 century.
- On the both sides of north Veranda, there are forty columns of 6 century and east forty columns have many arches with different brick designs.
- The north historical bulding of Friday mosque is Tajolmolk dome known khaki dome.
Naghsh Jahan square:
Before Esfahan was selected capital of Safavieh, in place of this square, there was a wide garden named Naghe Jahan. In shah Abass the first has been expended this garden to the current limitation, around it the most famous and excellent historical buildings of Esfahan such as Abassi Friday mosque, Sheykh Lotfollah mosque, Alighapu building and Gheysarieh portal.
The length of this square from north to south is 500m and the wide this about 165m, in 17 century this square was one of the biggest square in the world and in shah Abass and his successors this square was for game of polo, Army march and illumination and different shows, there are still 2 stone goal of polo in north and south of square that shows the old greatness.
