Qazvin, Iran Alamut Castle stands today as a reminder of one of Islam’s darker periods and as a warning against the dangers of religious fundamentalism. From here, anti-Abbasid militants spent three centuries terrorizing their rivals, including the Caliphate, moderate or secular Sunnis, schismatic Shiites and just about anyone else who crossed their paths. At the height of … [Read more...]
FALAK-OL-AFLAK FORTRESS
Khorramabad, Iran Falak-ol-Aflak in west-central Iran is one of the most impressive ancient castles in the Middle East and arguably the greatest surviving architectural legacy of the Sassanid Empire. A regional administrative center at the height of the empire, the majority of this fortress, later renovations notwithstanding, dates from pre-medieval times, and it looks much … [Read more...]
TOMB OF EZRA
Al-Azair, Iraq Ezra was one of the most prominent Jewish figures of the late Captivity period, and was chronologically the very last truly important person to appear in the Hebrew Bible. Along with Nehemiah, he was instrumental in the restoration of Judea as a semi-autonomous province of the Persian Empire, and personally led many Jews back to Jerusalem in the early 5th … [Read more...]
TOMBS OF ESTER AND MORDECAI
Hamadan, Iran From the time of the Babylonian Captivity until the 1800s, Western Persia was home to one of the largest and most important communities of Jews-in-exile. This was particularly after the triumph of Christianity in the west, when many of Judaism’s most prominent leaders and religious experts migrated east. The Jewish tradition is strong in the region between … [Read more...]
TOMB OF EZEKIEL
Kefil, Iraq Ezekiel, the other great prophet of the Babylonian Captivity along with Daniel, had much in common with his contemporary. Both spent most of their lives living in Mesopotamia; both died and were buried in foreign lands; the tombs of both became important pilgrimage destinations for the Jews in exile. However, while the site of Daniel’s Tomb has always been … [Read more...]
TOMB OF DANIEL
Shush, Iran Of all of the great figures of the Bible, no one has as many burial sites attributed to them as the Prophet Daniel. More than half a dozen cities in Iran, Iraq and even Uzbekistan make the claim. But the majority of Jews and Muslims believe the Tomb of Daniel in Shush, Iran to be the correct one. Shush, formerly known as Susa, was one of the numerous cities … [Read more...]
ANCIENT NINEVEH & TOMB OF JONAH
Mosul, Iraq Ancient Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, the world’s first truly massive empire. At its height, the Assyrian Empire stretched from Persia in the east to Egypt in the west. It is not surprising that Nineveh played a significant role in the history of the ancient Israelites. The most significant interaction came when the Assyrians conquered the Northern … [Read more...]
RUINS OF UR
Nasiriyah, Iraq Considering the reverence that both Jews and Muslims have for Abraham, it is unusual that so little attention has been given to the place of his birth. To be fair, it is only in the last two centuries that the site of Ur has been identified with any degree of certainty. Moreover, the place is nearly ten miles away from the nearest town and virtually devoid … [Read more...]
MONASTERY OF ST. THADDEUS
Maku, Iran This quiet, isolated monstary located in the wilderness hinterlands of ancient Armenia is believed to stand on the site of the martyrdom and/or burial of the Apostle Thaddeus, or Jude. It is revered by both the Oriental Orthodox and Assyrian Orthodox Churches, especially members of the Armenian Apostolic Church. For the last three decades, the monastery has been … [Read more...]
