Shahr-e Rey, a great living museum

It is richer than many other ancient cities in light of its historical monuments, including the 3,000-year-old Gebri Castle, the 5,000-year-old Cheshmeh Ali Hill, the 1,000-year-old Bibi Shahr Banou Tomb and Shah Abbasi Caravansary, Iran Daily reported.

In fact, Shahr-e Rey has been rightly referred to as a great living museum, which is dotted with ancient monuments and sites, such that visiting the place means stepping into history.

Its name dates back to the pre-Medean era where it used to be called 'Rhagae'. Some historians attribute its antiquity to mythological monarchs while some others believe Rey was the seat of a dynasty belonging to a Zoroastrian leader.

In the past 4,000 years, Rey experienced many ups and downs, floods and earthquakes. It has survived massive and destructive Arab and Mongolian invasions and plunders.

Rey flourished much earlier than the modern city of Tehran, which only managed to overshadow the former after becoming the capital city, embracing modernism and developing rapidly.

Earlier manuscripts and publications have pointed to Rey in the course of history. However, lack of references and information on this historical city is evident in the contemporary era.



Mausoleum of Hazrat Abdol-Azim Hassani



Hazrat Abdol-Azim, a grandson of Imam Hassan (PBUH) - the second Imam of Shias, is believed to be a scientist and narrator of Islamic traditions, who has left behind a number of books.

The most ancient section of the mausoleum is its brickwork decoration and Kufi scripts dating back to Seljuk era, around 800 years ago.

The mausoleum of Hazrat Abdol-Azim and its adjacent shrines (Imamzadeh Taher and Imamzadeh Hamzeh) are visited daily by thousands of pilgrims.



Cheshmeh Ali Hill



In 1933-36, Cheshmeh Ali Hill was excavated by archeologists from Boston Fine Arts Museum and Philadelphia University’s Cultural Foundation where 7,000-year-old artifacts were discovered. These artifacts are displayed in domestic and foreign museums.

The hill, which is now entirely leveled out, was inhabited by Aryans about 6,000 years ago. Since Rey was used as a recreation center due to its beautiful attractions during the Qajar dynasty, Fath-Ali Shah often used to explore the city.

In 1831, his portrait and that of some Qajar princes were engraved on a rock at Cheshmeh Ali Hill and its surrounding was decorated with tablets covered by poetry.



Toghrol Tower



The architectural structure was constructed under the reign of Seljuk rulers on the order of Toghrol in 1140 CE, once he transferred the capital city from Neyshabour to Rey.

The tower is 20 meters high and the surface of its exterior is divided into 24 sections that, besides manifesting beauty and durability, symbolize the figures of constellation as well as a 24-hour time length.



Shah Abbasi Caravansary



It is one of the ancient residential and commercial complexes used as a lodging place by traders and located on the shrine street, close to the bazaar. It comprises four verandas and is surrounded by stones all around, which used to serve as a marketplace where goods and commercial products were presented and sold by traders.



Rey Bazaar



It is located to the north of Abdol-Azim Shrine, near an intersection. Since olden times, it has been a center for selling spices, traditional herbs and commercial goods imported by traders via the Silk Road.

The structure of the bazaar is constructed from plaster, brick and mud. It dates back to the Safavid era and is approximately 500 years old.



Anyanaj Tower



It is an octagonal tower, also known as Naqqareh-Khaneh, situated on the slopes of Tabarrok Mountain.

The tower is the resting place of one of the monarchs of Seljuk dynasty.

A cellar is linked to the tower from underneath through a vestibule erected outside.

The tower, which is made of stone and plaster and decorated by brickwork and zigzag vaults, dates back to the Seljuk era.



Gebri Crypt



The area is inhabited by Zoroastrians who used to leave the corpses of the dead on an elevated and open platform for vultures to feed on.

According to their traditions, the remaining bones were eventually buried.

The ancient Zoroastrians disapproved of contaminating water, earth and fire with the dead body.



Gebri Crypt was built as a circular structure six meters high, which was constructed with stone and mortar.

Dating back to the 1st millennium BCE, it was earlier called by different names, such as Khamoushan Tower, Ostvaran, Ostkhan-ran, Marg (Death) Tower and Sokout (Silence) Tower.



Bibi Shahr Banou Tomb



The tomb, spread over an area of 1.5 square km, is located to the north of Aminabad on a mountain.

It is attributed to the daughter of Yazdgerd III, the last Sassanid monarch, who was also the wife of Imam Hussein (PBUH) - the third Shia Imam and the mother of Imam Sajjad (PBUH).

It has two courtyards, an entrance veranda, a prayer niche and water well. It is bordered by a mountain to the north, a valley to the east and south, and an asphalt road to the west.

Built with stone and plaster, its structure dates back to Al-Bouyeh era, around 1,100 years ago.



Paintings of monarchs on Ashkan Mountain



Upon the order of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, a slide was erected on the Ashkan Mountain as a recreation tool for the monarch’s family.

On the southern slopes of the mountain, a rough image of Sassanid kings has been carved on a rock, which was leveled for this purpose. The image was left incomplete.

Later, on the order of Fath-Ali Shah, the image was erased to be replaced by his own portrait that depicted him with a crown and a spear targeted at a lion.

There are more than 25 tombs of religious leaders and prominent individuals such as Ali Akbar Dehkhoda, Jalal Al-Ahmad, Gholamreza Takhti, Qa'ani, Mirzadeh Eshqi, Sattar Khan, Ayatollah Kashani, Allameh Qazvini, Qa'em-Maqam Farahani and Sheikh Sadouq, who are among Iran’s scientific, cultural, religious, national and political personalities, who are mostly buried at Ibn-e Babveyh Cemetery.

The number of historical monuments at Rey exceeds those of other cities and most of those buildings belong to the pre-Islamic era. But, unfortunately, they are on the brink of extinction due to lack of attention, fund and restoration plans.

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