About Mashhad

Mashhad (pronounced as mash-had) is a holy city where Imam Reza (A.S.) - the 8^th Imam of Shia Muslims - was martyred and his shrine is placed. Mashhad is situated in the north east of Iran. It is located 850 kilometers (530 mi) east of Tehran (Iran Capital),at the center of the Khorasan-e-Razavi Province close to the borders ofAfghanistan and Turkmenistan. In Farsi, KHOR means sun and SAN means place; together it means the place where the sun rises. The population of Mashhad was 2,772,287 at the 2011 population census.

Mashhad is known as the city of Ferdowsi,the Iranian poet of Shahnameh,which is considered to be the national epic of Iran. Mashhad is also the hometown of some of the most significant Iranian literary figures and artists such asMehdi Akhavan-Sales,the famous contemporary poet and Mohammad-Reza Shajarian,the traditional Iranian singer and composer. Ferdowsi and Akhavan Sales are both buried in Tus (Tabaran),an ancient city which is considered to be the main origin of the current city of Mashhad. The people from Mashhad are called Mashhadi.

Culture

Annually,Mashhad and its surrounding countryside are visited by over 20 million pilgrims and tourists from around Iran and the world.

Iran comprises of eight different ethnic groups,such as,Fars,Kurds,Turks,Arabs,etc...,which are spread throughout Iran. Since Mashhad has many migrants,its population has become ethnically and culturally diverse. However,the cultures share one point in common which has made Iranians famous worldwide: generosity towards their guests. It is usual to be invited to someone’s home and served an assortment of delicious fruits,pastries,and traditional dishes,along with strong black tea. Iranians are very social,and it is not odd for them to ask many questions and want to know your ides regarding their country,culture,and people.

Throughout Iran,everyone is expected to follow the religious law of observing the Islamic modest dress. Since Mashhad is a religious city,-tourists are advised to respect people’s local and national values. For females,this includes covering one’s head with a scarf,and wearing a loose-fitting long-sleeved tunic,and full-length skirt,or pants. Males should not wear shorts in public. Moreover,there are social and religious taboos,which are good to know so as not to give a wrong message. Men and women do not shake hands or physically touch in public and out of marriage relationships are punishable by law. Consuming alcoholic beverages is against the law in Iran.

Language Spoken

The official language spoken is Farsi or Persian. However,a good portion of the youth and shopkeepers can understand and speak English.

Climate

The climate in Mashhad is semi-arid. In the summer the average temperature is around 30ºC,with clear sunny sky. In the winter the average temperature is about 12ºC,with a few snow showers. Spring and autumn is quite mild,with rain and rather cold nights.