Tourist Guide Mashhad
Mashhad, literally meaning the place for martyrdom and ranks second area wise in Iran. It is respected as being one of the holiest cities in the Shia world. A great saint Imam Reza is said to have made this city as his resting place and his shrine is one of the holiest shrine considered all over the world. It is close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Mashhad is located in the Valley of the Kashaf River between some mountain ranges. The climate here during the summers is mild but the winters can be harsh due to the presence of mountains. However the best time to visit this place is the autumn. This holy city mounted a population count of about 2,427,316 as seen in the 2006 census. This city is also renowned as the birth place of Ferdowsi, a great Persian poet and philosopher. Keeping religion aside this city is the administrative head of the entire Mashhad County. To make things easier this city is divided into 13 smaller units. Although it is completely a Muslim city it also holds heart for other minorities.
