Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
aris (US$1, 30 minutes) and very irregular minibuses (US$0.50, 50 minutes) from Zan-
jan's Honarestan Sq drop you an obvious 10-minute walk north of the mausoleum.
Zanjanناجنز
0241 / POP 367,000 / ELEV 1653M
Hidden in tiny alleys behind its modern facade, Zanjan retains some attractive mosques, a
fantastic bazaar, a plethora of knife-grinders and some delightful teahouse restaurants. The
city is a logical base for visiting the impressive Soltaniyeh mausoleum and a good staging
point to reach Takht-e Soleiman via the scenic Dandy road.
Zanjan city's moment of infamy came in 1851 with a bloody siege ordered by Persian
prime minister Amir Kabir. The resulting massacre was part of the relatively successful
campaign to crush the nascent Baha'i religion. Baha'i-ism had only broken away from
Islam three years before, but was spreading much too rapidly for Tehran's liking.
Sights
Built in 1926 but looking considerably older, the unique, unmarked
Rakhatshor-Khaneh
(Rakhatshorkhaneh Alley; admission US$1; 8am-5.30pm Tue-Sun)
is a dome-and-
column subterranean hall whose water channels were originally constructed as a public
laundry-place. It's dotted with wax washerwomen to remind you how life was before
Electrolux and Zanussi. There's also a calm garden courtyard.
