Bandar Abbas Vishnu Temple

In a country in which nearly 99 percent of the population identifies as Muslim, a small community of Indian Hindu immigrants has existed in southern Iran for decades. The modern-day presence dates from the trading routes of the 16th century, when Portugal and Great Britain established trading presences in both countries.

Initially, the Indians living in Bandar Abbas, which became one of Iran's most important Persian Gulf ports, had no permanent place of worship. The temple was constructed in 1892, by local ruler Mohammad Hassan Khan Saad al-Mulk, who consented to the demands of Hindu merchants living in the city - the temple was largely funded through collections from the local Hindu population. It is the only one in Iran besides one at Zahedan, a border city that was the terminus of British India's railway network.

The Bandar Abbas Temple's design is a unique mixture of Indian and Iranian architecture. The central dome is a feature more usually seen in Islamic mosques than Hindu temples, and it combines Islamic muqarnas on the inside and 72 small towers with Hindu figures on the outside. The temple also showcases many religious artworks, including a painting of Krishna. Most of the idols in the temple were removed once many of the Indian merchants left the region, and the structure was in bad shape for many years. However, it has since underwent restorations and is once again open to visitors and worshipers.