TEHRAN - The booth representing the holy shrine of Shah Cheragh at the 18th Tehran International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition has received an unprecedented response from visitors, the tourism chief of Fars province has said.

During his visit to the booth on Friday, Mohammad Sabet-Eqlidi, added that the booth had been set up to highlight the shrine’s religious and historical significance while promoting religious tourism in Iran.

Shah Cheragh is a 12th-century funerary monument and religious complex located in Shiraz, the capital of Fars province. The shrine is where Seyyed Ahmad, who is known as Shah Cheragh (King of Light) in local traditions, has been laid to rest. He was the son of Musa al-Kazim (AS), the seventh Shia Imam.

“Religious tourism is a significant advantage for Fars province, given that the shrine of Ahmad ibn Musa attracts thousands of pilgrims annually,” Sabet-Eqlidi noted.

The enthusiastic reception underscores the shrine’s cultural and spiritual importance and reaffirms Fars province’s role as a key religious tourism destination in Iran, he said.

The official further emphasized that the religious and pilgrimage tourism content displayed at the Fars booth was met with an overwhelming and unprecedented level of interest from exhibition attendees.

The shrine showcases an eclectic mix of architectural styles, blending elements from various eras. Its courtyard and intricate tilework feature late-Qajar period embellishments, while its iconic blue-tiled dome and towering minarets with golden tips catch the eye of anyone approaching the complex. Its interior is a testament to both divine beauty and human craftsmanship. The grand chamber of worship is adorned with towering chandeliers that sparkle like frozen rain, while smaller green lamps protrude from the walls. Stained-glass windows on high filter sunlight, casting a dazzling array of colors that reflect off the shrine’s countless jewels and shards of glass, creating an ethereal glow.

AM