Off the Beaten Path in Tehran
Tips and photos of unusual, out-of-the-way Tehran attractions, posted by real travelers and locals.
Local Time 3:48 am Saturday, July 26, 2008
Tehran Map
Tehran Map
on July 14, 2007
The fastest way to arrive there is taking the metro to the Haram-e Motahar station; the price is definitely cheap, only 650 rand.
The building, still under construction, is imponent but it's not beatiful by any means, The four golden painted minarets reach a height of 91 metres, like the age of Khomeini when he died, while the dome has painted 72 tulips, which represent the 72 martyrs who died with Imam Hossein in Kerbala.
Outside you will see some people making picnic in the gardens in front of the Shrine, since this is a place of pilgrimage and a lot of pilgrims come from far away. There are some shops in the left part of the building but they don't offer anything interesting so avoid them.
Non-muslim can enter without a problem.
Bags are not allowed inside, but I had my mp3 player with me and the guards asked me to show it, but they were more curious than afraid and they let me enter with it. Cameras are allowed.
I was surprised by the fact I expected a lot more people in the shrine, instead inside there were no more than fifty persons.
The women have a different entrance and they can mourn the Imam in their zone, which is separated by a banister.
As used, the people pray and kiss the cell where is situated the coffin of Khomeini and a smaller one situated on the left which is the coffin of his son. In front of the coffins there are the pictures of the two ayatollahs, but you can see them even better looking up at the banner hanging from the roof, in which you can see from up to down, Imam Ruhollah Khomeini, Imam Khamenei and Ahmed Khomeini.
Many people put an offer inside the cell as you can see in the picture. You can take photos of the cell too.
The Shrine is just one kilometer away from Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, which deserve a visit as well.
on December 14, 2003
on August 24, 2002
