A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey

A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
  • ThemeArchitecture/ Religious and Epic
  • CodeIRRS25
  • Duration2 hr(s) and 30 min(s)
  • Best TimeSPRING | AUTUMN
    What To Expect

    Watching the holy shrine of Abdul Azim from the Qajar era;

    Visiting the iconic 12th-century brick tomb tower; 

    Watching the historical cemetery of Ibn Babawayh, containing the tomb of many famous Iranian figures;

    Visiting Cheshmeh Ali, the ancient archeological site boasting a water spring and some relics from Parthian to Qajar eras. 

    Photos of the A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey

    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Shah Abdol Azim Shrine
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Shah Abdol Azim Shrine
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Shah Abdol Azim Shrine
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Shah Abdol Azim Shrine
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Shah Abdol Azim Shrine
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Tughrul Tower
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Tughrul Tower
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Tughrul Tower
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Tughrul Tower
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Tughrul Tower
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Ibn Babawayh (Sheikh Saduq) Cemetery
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Ibn Babawayh (Sheikh Saduq) Cemetery
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Ibn Babawayh (Sheikh Saduq) Cemetery
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Ibn Babawayh (Sheikh Saduq) Cemetery
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Cheshmeh Ali
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Cheshmeh Ali
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Cheshmeh Ali
    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey
    Cheshmeh Ali

    Explore The Route

    A Reflection of the Ancient Persia: A Journey to the City of Rey  

    The ancient city of Rey, formerly known as Rhagae, has its roots in the third millennium BC. Archeological excavations of Rey revealed signs of civilization from the Neolithic period to Parthian and Sassanid dynasties. Located in the southern suburbs of Tehran, it boasts several historical attractions worthy to be visited. This route invites you to visit four of the most iconic sites in the city: the exquisite Qajarid Shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim, the soaring brick tomb Tower of Toghrol, the historical Cemetery of Ibn Babawayh and the ancient archeological site of Cheshmeh Ali.


    Highlights

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    A) Shah Abdol Azim Shrine
    Duration : 1 hr(s)
    Point Type: STARTING

    Restored during the Ilkhanid, Safavid and Qajarid eras, this mausoleum has always been an important religious destination for Shias in Iran. The very first building known as the shrine of Shah Abdul Azim, a descendant of Imam Hassan, was built by the order of Buyid rulers and commissioned by Majd al-Molk Qomi in the 10th century. 

    The sanctuary in the shrine is a square-shaped, 8 by 8-meter structure, topped with four squinches (gushvar) on each corner. These squinches convert the first four-sided structure to an eight-sided structure and then to an eighteen-sided one to be finally surmounted by a dome. This is an architectural feature of the Seljuk era which confirms th...

    28 MIN(S) BY WALKING
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    B) Tughrul Tower
    Duration : 30 mins
    Point Type: STOP OVER


    Surrounded by a beautiful garden, this 20-meter-high Seljuk tower is located in the historic city of Rey, south of Tehran. The name ‘Toghrol’ apparently implies the belief that the tower is the resting place of Toghrul-Beg, the founder of Seljuk Dynasty; this belief though is under question and some other names have also been suggested regarding the true identity of the person (or the people) buried here.

    A most interesting feature of this beautiful brick tower is  the play of light and shadow on the 24 vertical angles around it, and the...

    4 MIN(S) BY WALKING
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    C) Ibn Babawayh (Sheikh Saduq) Cemetery
    Duration : 30 mins
    Point Type: STOP OVER

    Ibn Babawayh (Sheikh Saduq) Cemetery

    Originally built during the reign of Samanids (819-999), this cemetery has been ruined many times, and for various reasons, such as the Mongol invasion (1219-1221 AD), several civil wars and also natural disasters. There is an interesting story behind the construction of the current cemetery which occurred during the Qajar era. Once, as Haj Mohammad Baqer Khansari writes in Rozat al-Janat, heavy rain destroyed and made a hole in the old cemetery. Workers went to repair the destruction, but they found an intact corpse and an inscription in the cellar of the mausoleum. Based on the inscription, the mausoleum was built 800 years ago. By the way, th...

    8 MIN(S) BY WALKING
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    D) Cheshmeh Ali
    Duration : 30 mins
    Point Type: ENDING

    is a historical hill, which was excavated by a team of archeologists, headed by Eric Schmidt in 1934-1936. The findings include over 5,100 prehistoric shreds and thirty-one prehistoric human burials. The items are held in the museums at the University of Pennsylvania and at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. The studies on the crafts show a wide variety of forms, materials, sizes, weights, and types dating to the prehistoric phases. This 5000-year-old hill is mostly known as the small Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic settlement. Accordingly, “ Horizon”, a title defining a special tradition of pottery extended over a number of geographical regions of Iran, is synon...

    Important Information

    Cost Info

    Tickets
    • Shah Abdol Azim Shrinefree
    • Tughrul Tower2 €
    • Ibn Babawayh (Sheikh Saduq) Cemeteryfree
    • Cheshmeh Ali
    • Destination
    • Transportation Type
    • Transportation Fee---

    Additional Info

    • If you have enough time, you can visit the other attractions of Rey:

    • - The Rey Wall or Rey Castle (the remains of an ancient castle built to defend the city during the Parthian empire)

    • - Rey Traditional bazaar where you can find the best of Kabab-e Koobideh (skewered grilled mixture of ground beef and lamb) served with basil and fresh bread, in the local restaurants.


    Things To Do In Rey

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    Tours In Rey

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