Three thousand years in a day: a walk through old Hamedan

Hamedan's historic sights are close together, and most can be strung into a single long walk (with a taxi or two to skip the busy stretches). This route moves roughly through time.

The Stone Lion

Start at the Stone Lion, the oldest monument still standing in the city. Legend ties it to Alexander the Great; whatever its origin, its worn, smoothed face carries centuries of touch. It takes only a few minutes, but it sets the scale for the day.

Esther and Mordechai

Head into the centre to the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai, a quiet brick shrine that has drawn pilgrims for centuries. Ring the bell if the gate is closed.

Ecbatana and Alavian

Continue north to Hegmataneh hill, where the excavated city of the Medes lies open to the sky, then walk on to the Alavian Dome for its extraordinary Seljuk stucco.

Baba Taher at dusk

End at Baba Taher's tomb as the light fades and the garden fills with families. If you still have energy, take a taxi to Avicenna's floodlit tower for a final stop.