Mashad, the Holy city of Iran
The Astan-e Quds Razavi complex in Mashad contains the remains of Imam Reza, the 8th (out of 12) Imam of Shii Islam – as such it is one of the most holy places in the world. I spent the whole day within the complex, blown away by beauty, dedication and devotion. People praying, reading, shouting, crying, in silence, walking with coffins of recently deceased, on honeymoon seeking blessing, singing, filled with grief. The site is huge, over 300 meters in diameter and the outer ring is still under construction.
I concluded after a spectacular day that this was the absolute best possible end of my trip in Iran, so took the nighttrain to Tehran and flew to South Africa.
No pictures allowed inside, so I can show you very little…
Tags: Mashad