Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the city's fortifications and by 1789 had moved the national capital - and the remains of
Karim Khan - to Tehran.
Shiraz remained prosperous due to its position on the trade route to Bushehr, but this
role was greatly diminished with the opening of the trans-Iranian railway in the 1930s.
Much of the architectural inheritance of Shiraz, and especially the royal district of the
Zands, was either neglected or destroyed as a result of irresponsible town planning under
the Pahlavi dynasty. Lacking any great industrial, religious or strategic importance, the
city is now largely an administrative centre, though one famous for its universities.
Sights
The old city is where you'll spend most of your time. The city centre is Shohada Sq (still
widely known as Shahrdari Sq), which is within walking distance of most hotels, the
bazaar and the major mosques and shrines. The square intersects the city's major thor-
oughfare, Karim Khan-e Zand Blvd (usually referred to as Zand Blvd). To the north is the
Khoshk River, and north of that are the tombs of Hafez and Sa'di.
