Iran > An afternoon tour through Hamadan

When I wake up in the morning, my stomach is upset. Could yesterday’s yogurt soup not have been so good after all? I take it easy with breakfast. Other fellow travelers also seem to have paid relatively much for laundry service. Luckily, we are leaving this hotel and driving towards Hamadan. I still feel tired and close my eyes. After three hours of driving we stop at Taq-e-Bustan in Kermanshah. Ancient reliefs are carved into the mountainside. The reliefs date back to the Sassanid period. The Sassanid dynasty was the ruling house of the Persian Empire until the 7th century. Especially in the third grotto, the largest and deepest, the reliefs are beautifully decorated.

Iran - A group of men at the Abdullah Mosque

The King is depicted here together with the god Ahuramazda. By now I feel much better and my stomach has calmed down. It is still too early for lunch; the restaurants are closed. I buy some biscuits in a small shop for a simple lunch on the way. Afterwards, I continue on to Behistun (or Bisotun), twenty kilometers further. At sixty meters high, a relief is carved into the mountainside showing the Persian king Darius I (500 BC) with all his victories. Above him is the image of the supreme god Ahuramazda. As I approach the mountain range, I see a large scaffold. Restoration work is underway. Because of the scaffolding, practically nothing can be seen of this World Heritage site. Only the image of Ahuramazda is just visible above the scaffolding. A bit disappointed, I continue on towards Hamadan. In the afternoon I visit the Jewish mausoleum of Esther and Mordecai. The caretaker, who speaks French, opens the door. I follow him to the tomb. I have to bend deeply to pass through the small entrance. “Out of reverence,” the caretaker explains. You must enter the tomb bowed. The tombs of the Jewish queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai stand in a small chamber. The tombs are an important pilgrimage site for Jews in Iran. I am surprised that there are still so many Jews in Islamic Iran. The caretaker explains to me that Iran has nothing against the Jewish faith but lives in a state of war with the country of Israel.

Iran - The mausoleum of the Alaviyan family

He asks if I would also like to see the synagogue. I have never been inside a Jewish synagogue before and gratefully accept his offer. The small room accommodates the fifteen Jewish followers in Hamadan. I thank the man and say goodbye. I continue walking to the Imamzadeh-ye Abdullah mosque. The mosque with its golden dome stands in the middle of a busy roundabout. The roof and dome are not yet finished, but the mosque is already in full use. I doubt whether the completion is even being worked on. Women are sitting in groups on the square. I see a group of older men sitting on a low wall. They watch me as I cross the roundabout again on the other side of the square. There lies the Alaviyan Dome. A somewhat bulky square mausoleum of the Alaviyan family. From the information leaflet I receive at the entrance, I learn that the tomb once had a large green dome. Back then, the building still functioned as a mosque. I enter the remaining structure. Immediately, the floral stucco decorations catch my eye. I cannot say I find them beautiful. Down a narrow stone staircase I come to the tomb in the basement. Through several small streets I walk to the bazaar of Hamadan. The shops look neat and well-kept. As I get closer to the bazaar, I see more and more stalls and vendors set up on the sidewalks. The streets are busy, everyone is hurrying to shop. Regularly, I am asked where I come from. Someone taps me on the shoulder—whether he may take a picture with me? Of course. A shopkeeper proudly wants to be photographed with his display.

Iran - A few young men in the courtyard of the Jameh Mosque

There is a lively atmosphere. From the bazaar I enter the gateway of the Jamah mosque. I step into its beautiful courtyard. The mosque itself is covered in scaffolding, but the evening light falls perfectly on the equally beautiful opposite side. Back in the bazaar I meet Vahit. He is a student at the university and eager to practice his English. May he guide me? I explain that I have just made a quick city tour and am now looking for a restaurant. Vahit helps me look for a traditional Iranian restaurant. I have a few restaurants marked on my city map. The first two are closed. I would never have found them on my own anyway. Vahit points to a staircase going up. Nothing indicates this is a restaurant, let alone that I would have climbed it. All signs are in Farsi. Vahit apologizes for the closed restaurants. It is only eight o’clock, still too early for dinner. He himself usually eats closer to ten at night. Moreover, Hamadan has hardly any tourists, and Iranians mostly eat at home. Vahit has one last suggestion for a restaurant. It’s a bit of a walk again, but luckily the third time’s the charm. Although no one is sitting in the restaurant, it is indeed open. I invite Vahit to join me for dinner. This proves immediately useful when it comes to translating the menu. The choice is limited to kebabs. After the meal, Vahit and I walk back to the central square. The mausoleum of the scholar Avicenna is beautifully illuminated at night. At the mausoleum I say goodbye to Vahit. By taxi, I return to the hotel.