Mausoleum of Suleiman the Magnificent’s heart discovered

He is considered as one of the most powerful rulers of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Suleiman I, nicknamed The Magnificent. In the south of Hungary, archaeologists have now found what appears to be the mausoleum where his heart had been buried.

Welcome to Iran! Part 5: At the tomb of Jude the Apostle

For Armenian Christians Jude the Apostle is of enormous importance. It is to him that the Church owes its independence from Rome. In this episode we visit his tomb. But before that we drive to Ardabil, where the founder of the Safavid dynasty is buried.

Welcome to Iran! Part 4: The slaughtered lamb, or: just another day in Iran

Just like everybody else, Iranians like their time off. To pass this time, there are local recreational areas. We visited one of them: Kandovan, the Iranian Göreme. Part 4 brings you little history and numismatics but a lot of Iranian everyday life.

Welcome to Iran! Part 3: The hardships of being a tourist

Far away from civilization, at an altitude of 2,200 m lies the Throne of Solomon, Takht-e Soleyman, where a Zoroastrian fire temple – perhaps the Sassanids’ most important fire temple, was built in 5th century AD. Getting there proved to be an adventure.

Welcome to Iran! Part 2: At the Mongol’s tomb

Today we make our way across modern Tehran, to the old Safavid capital Qazvin and to Soltanyieh, where the Mongolian ruler Öljaitü built a magnificent shrine as a last resting place for Mohammad’s son-in-law Ali and his son Hossein.

Welcome to Iran! Part 1: Culture shock in Tehran

Would you like to be a millionaire for a day? In Tehran this can happen really fast. Just exchange 100 euros for 3.6 million Iranian riyal. And that won’t be the only thing to surprise you when you visit this 15 million people city.