Latest changes are as follows:
23rd October 2010
There is updated information in the hotel/travel sections of the site, regarding costs, budgets and contacts who can offer further help.
19th December 2009
I have found, on the internet, a detailed description of the Shrine and Shrine complex of Imamzadeh Fatima Ma'suma (a.s.). This was written by Bijan Sadaat in 1977 for the Asia Institute of Pahlavi University. Archnet records this organisation as being defunct. I have edited the text from this source and placed it here.
10th October 2009
I have just had the pleasure of receiving from the Foreign Pilgrim's Office of Astan Quds Razavi, a copy of the text, 'Uyun Akhbar Al-Reza' (The Source of Traditions on Imam Reza (a.s.), by 'Sheikh Sadooq' and translated by Ali Peiravi, 2006. I will used material from this where relevant. Initially I have used some material regarding the biography of Imam Reza (a.s.).
9th September 2009
I have generously been given a book to include on this site. It is entitled, 'Lives of the Ulema buried in the Holy city of Qom'. Very usefully it has photographs of the graves of the ulema in the Shrine complex of Hazrat Masuma (a.s.) and their associated biographies. You can get this book from the downloads section of this site.
30th July 2009
I have done some more research into the architecture of the Gawhar Shad mosque here. This page also has links to new material on Timurid architecture.
18th July 2009
The visit by P.M.Sykes to the Shrine in 1910 is written up in a book called, 'The Glory of the Shia World'. I have taken extracts from the book and put them here.
27th April 2009
A more comprehensive list of hotels and musafirkhanas in Mashhad and Qom.
10 April 2009
The Foreign Pilgrims' office of the Astana Quds Razavi have kindly sent me a couple of books about the Shrine and information about their activities. This information has been used to update the following pages
4th March 2009
New Page dealing with newspaper correspondents' trips to Iran. Here