Nishapur
Iran · Asia
About Nishapur
Nishapur (Persian: نیشاپور) or Neyshabur is a city in the Central District of Nishapur County, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.
Nishapur is the second most populous city of the province in the northeast of Iran, situated in a fertile plain at the foot of Binalud Mountain Range. It has been the historic capital of the Western Quarter of Khorasan, the historic capital of the 9th-century Tahirid dynasty, the initial capital of the 11th-century Seljuk Empire, and is currently the capital city of Nishapur County and a historic Silk Road city of cultural and economic importance in Iran and the Khorasan region.
Nearby are turquoise mines that have supplied the world with turquoise of the finest and the highest quality for at least two millennia.
The city was founded in the 3rd century by Shapur I as a capital city of Sasanian satrapy known as Abarshahr or Nishapur. The city later became the capital of Tahirid dynasty and was reformed by Abdullah Tahir in 830, and later selected as the capital of Seljuk dynasty by Tughril in 1037. Nishapur had a territory of 17.6 hectares and 25,000 people in the 6th century, while by the year 1000, the population of the city was about 336,000 people with the territory of 1,680 hectares. From the Abbasid era to the Mongol invasion of Khwarezmia and Eastern Iran, the city evolved into a significant cultural, commercial, and intellectual center within the Islamic world. Nishapur, along with Merv, Herat and Balkh, was one of the four great cities of Khorasan and one of the greatest cities of the Old World in the Islamic Golden Age with strategic importance, a seat of governmental power in the eastern section of caliphates, a dwelling place for diverse ethnic and religious groups and a trading stop on commercial routes from Transoxiana, China, Iraq and Egypt.
Nishapur reached the height of its prosperity under the Samanids in the 10th century but was destroyed and most of its population was slaughtered by the Mongols in 1221. This massacre, combined with subsequent earthquakes and other invasions, is believed to have destroyed the city several times. Unlike its near neighbor Merv, Nishapur managed to recover from these cataclysmic events, and survive until the present day as an active modern city and county in tourism, agriculture, healthcare, industrial production and commerce in Razavi Khorasan Province of Iran; however, many of its older and historical archeological remains are left to be uncovered.
The modern city of Nishapur is composed of three main administrative areas/districts (Persian: منطقه های شهر نیشابور) and is surrounded by many villages which are joining in to the urban area and structure of the city. The Area/district 1 of the city comprises the newer urban developments (initiated mostly in the 1980s and the 1990s) made to the north of the Road 44 and is home to most of the main higher educational institutions of Nishapur such as the University of Neyshabur and the IAUN. The Area/district 2 of the city comprises the downtown of the city and the older and more historic urban structures situated on the south of the Road 44. It is home to some of the main tourist attractions of the city, such as the National Garden of Nishapur and the Khanate Mansion of Amin Islami. The Area/district 3 of the city is home to the ruins and the remains of the ancient city of Nishapur, destroyed by the Mongols in the Middle Ages, and is located in the south and the southeast of the city. The third district of the city is a national and registered protected archeological area by law and any unauthorized archeological excavation is considered illegal. This district is also home to the burial and historical monuments (some are shown on the city infobox) of most of the renowned persons of the city throughout history such as the Mausoleum of Omar Khayyám and the Mausoleum of Attar of Nishapur. The third district is also used as one of the main tourist hotspots of the city.
Many of this city's archeological discoveries are held and shown to the public in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the British Museum in London, the National Museum of Iran in Tehran, other international museums and the museums of the city of Nishapur. The city of Nishapur is also a member of international organizations such as the LHC and the ICCN UNESCO.
Nishapur travel guide
Understand
At its peak in the 12th and early 13 centuries, Nishapur was estimated to have a population of nearly 2 million and was one of the largest cities in the world. The city is known as the historic capital of the westerns half of the Greater Khorasan. Nishapur had had a thriving arts, pottery and carpet weaving industry throughout history. Most of this city's archeological discoveries can be found in museums around the world though unfortunately, some have been sold in the international black market. The contemporary modern city is home to some of the 20th century architectural works of Iran like the famous Mausoleum of Omar Khayyam. There are also some historical buildings in the city like the Mausoleum of Attar of Nishapur. The most luxurious and famous hotel of the city is the Amiran Hotel.
Getting there
By train There are train routes from Tehran and Mashad.
1 Nishapur railway station. (updated Oct 2020)
By car The road 44, a major expressway of the country, is connected to Nishapur.
By bus Several buses and minibuses arrive and depart from the Nishapur Bus Terminal every day. There is usually no need to buy a ticket beforehand if you want to go to Mashhad, the second most populous city of Iran.
Getting around
Walk In Iran, most small urban cities like Nishapur are designed pedestrian friendly.
Public buses & minibuses Public bus stations and bus lines are available with a small fee. You can pay with cash or a rechargeable card that you can buy from some bus stations. As of 2022, The fee with the rechargeable card is 1000 Tomans and 1500 Tomans with cash.
Taxi Compared to bigger cities like Tehran and Mashhad, taxi fees are quite cheaper. Online cheaper services similar to Uber like Snap! and Tapsi are also available in Nishapur.
See
1 Mausoleum of Attar of Nishapur (آرامگاه عطار نیشابوری). The colorful, onion-shaped dome and garden marks the burial site of the influential 12th-century Persian poet. Admission is less than a dollar. (updated Oct 2020) 2 Mausoleum of Omar Khayyám (مجتمع آرامگاه، موزه و باغ خیام). Monument, a bust, and a small museum. The museum, however, shows a few arbitrary items not connected to Omar Khayyam. Less than a dollar for admission. (updated Oct 2020) 3 Imamzade Mahruq (امامزاده محمد محروق). Next to Omar Khayyam's tomb, this Imamzade actually contains two tombs, Mahruq's tomb is deeper into the complex. Free admission. (updated Oct 2020) 4 Tomb of Kamal-ol-molk (آرامگاه کمال المک). Less than a US dollar. (updated Oct 2020) 5 Jameh Mosque of Nishapur (مسجد جامع نیشابور). Founded by Pahlavan Ali Karkhi in 1493 during the rule of Husayn Bayqarah of the Timurid dynasty, and was rebuilt during the rule of Abbad I of the Persia Sultanate. Free admission. (updated Oct 2020) 6 Shadiyakh archeological excavations (منطقه باستانی شادیاخ). Free or less than a US dollar. (updated Oct 2020) Mazare Shahmir. (updated Oct 2020) Shah Abasi Caravanserai (کاورانسرای شاه عباسی نیشابور), Imam st.. Admission is usually free. (updated Oct 2020) Amin Eslami Park (Amin Eslami Mansion). Public park with a 20th-century Persian mansion in the center. (updated Jan 2022) The Wooden Mosque Complex & Resort (Masjid Chobi (مسجد چوبی)), South East of the main city. Less than a dollar for admission. (updated Jan 2022) Rajjaei Student Camp (Baghrud Student Camp), End of the Baghrud Road ( a famous road in the city). Admission is free if open. (updated Jan 2022) ( not always open to tourists) Khayyam Planetarium (مجتمع افلاک نمای خیام). (updated Jan 2022) The sole and the biggest planetarium in the country.
Do
Check the museums of the city Check the Rajjaei (Baghrud) Student Camp (sometimes open to tourists) Check the suburbs and the villages Check the historic bazar of the city Visit Persian traditional restaurants and cafes (some also serve hookah) Walk in the city parks Cycle in the Baghrud Road Hike in the Binalud Mountain Range
Buy
Neyshabur Turquoise has been used for more than 2000 years and for this turquoise it is sometimes called "the turquoise land". Neyshabur turquoise and jewellery made from it are sold as souvenirs in Neyshabur and Mashhad resorts. Rhubarb (Persian rivaas or rivand), a sour vegetable, grows at the foot of the eponymous Rivand Mountains . Soft drinks made from the stems of the plant, such as "Sharbate rivaas" and "Khoshaabe rivaas" , are sold at some Nishapur resorts as souvenirs. Persian musical instruments from native workshops.
Eat
Common food served in Iranian traditional cuisines & fast food restaurants Halim (native food made rarely due to its expense but it is commonly served in restaurants during Fridays ) Ash Komai (native watery food)
Drink & nightlife
Common traditional Iranian drinks and desserts like Faloudeh Sharbat Rivas (a native drink made from rhubarb)
Sleep
The Amiran Hotel (the most luxurious hotel of the city) The Mehr Hotel Other hotels Rental houses & suites People are usually fond of foreigners in Iran and might rent you a place for free!
Go next
Firoze, Hemmatabad, Some, Emam Reza Town, Ghadamgah, Darrod, Sabzevar, Eshqabad, Kashmar, Bar
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.