Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Friday: Let Us Pray
Esfahan, Iran's “second city” with over 3 million people, is a showcase of ancient Persian
splendor. One of the finest cities in Islam, and famous for its dazzling blue-tiled domes and
romantic bridges, Esfahan is also just plain enjoyable. I'm not surprised that in Iran, this is
the number-one honeymoon destination.
Esfahan's great Imam Mosque is both a tourist attraction and a vibrant place of worship.
Everything in Esfahan seems to radiate from the grand Imam Square, dominated by
the Imam Mosque—one of the holiest in Iran. Dating from the early 1600s, its towering
facade is as striking as the grandest cathedrals of Europe.
We were in Iran for just one Friday, the Muslim “Sabbath.” Fortunately, we were in
Esfahan, so we could attend (and film) a prayer service at this colossal house of worship.
Filming in a mosque filled with thousands of worshippers required permission. Ex-
plaining our needs to administrators there, it hit me that the Islamic Revolution employs
strategies similar to a communist takeover: Both maintain power by installing partisans in
key positions. But the ideology Iran is enforcing is not economic (as it was in the USSR),
but religious.
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