Le dinamiche spaziali ed economiche del turismo religioso in Iran

Abstract

Iran is a country rich in natural resources and major infrastructure predominantly Shiite religious, which attracts many pilgrims, Iranians and foreigners. This contribution beyond describing the phenomenon of tourism-religious in this country, analyzes its effects localized mainly in the city of Mashhad. In this urban area, however, the religious phenomenon is mixed with the tourist so that the current size of the city is due to the very pilgrimage of the devout Shiites. The explosion of religious tourism in Iran is derived from both the spread throughout Middle East due to the presence of Shia religion in those lands of the Iranian people who, having undergone various diasporas, had to migrate to neighboring lands, both by the increased role of religion in social and economic dynamics. In this context, religious viewpoint, the mosque has increased its social role, becoming more and more the center of reference for both civil and religious. The centrality of religion in the life style and the links with the land of birth for migrants expanded the functions of the city of Mashhad that, bordering by Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, has become the headquarters of the most important Shiite mosque, the pole of the Shiite pilgrimage for all citizens of these areas and most important urban center in the region. The contribution will analyze the phenomenon of tourism in relation to urban expansion taking as a model the functionalist analysis.