Mashhad is a sacred city for all followers of Shia Islam. This settlement is a center of religious pilgrimage – numerous people come to visit the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza. Besides that, this is the second-largest city in Iran and home to many other attractions, such as various mausoleums and tombs. There are interesting landmarks in both Mashhad and its neighborhoods. Leisure tourists find it exceptionally interesting to see the new sculptures that local people make every year. Talented sculptors gather together to compete in a tournament for the best sculpture. The winner’s work is then installed on one of the major streets of the city. That being said, there are no losers in this tournament because other works are placed in parks and squares in Mashhad. Starting from its inception and for many years, Mashhad was an important political, cultural, and religious center. In 818, the eighth Shia imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha died in a small village called Sanabad near the city of Tus. The great leader was poisoned and martyred here. The term “martyrium” sounds like “Mashhad” in Arabic, so this is where the name of this city came from. Later, people decided to immortalize the holy place and built a mausoleum on this site. When Tus was destroyed, the village started developing quickly, turning into a large city called Mashhad. The first mention of this settlement as the city of Mashhad dates back to the 10th century – famous geographer Al-Maqdisi used this
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