Photo Essays

There are more than 80 mosques in the German capital. Ranging in style from classical to modern, these Islamic places of worship have become an integral part of Berlin's history and cultural fabric. Till Strätz and Max Zander present just a few of them

Baron Max von Oppenheim, a diplomat and the son of a Cologne banking family, was fascinated by Eastern cultures. He collected artefacts and in 1899, accidentally discovered the residence of an Aramaean ruler at Tell Halaf, on the border of modern-day Syria and Turkey. From 30 April to 10 August 2014, the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn is showing a selection of items from Oppenheim's private collection as well as some of his spectacular archaeological discoveries. By Kristina Reyman

According to a Persian saying, "Esfahan nesf-e jahan", Isfahan is half the world. In 1598, the Safavid dynasty made Isfahan the capital of its empire. To this day, the city is resplendent with magnificent mosques, rich bazaars and picturesque gardens. Photos by Shohreh Karimian and Johannes Ziemer

Majid Saeedi speaks through his photographs. The impressive and memorable photos in his Afghanistan photo documentary show how decades of war, conflict and occupation have ravaged the country and its people. Traces of these conflicts can be found everywhere, most particularly in the faces of the Afghan people.

She fights, she drives cars at breakneck speed, she jumps out of planes and helicopters ... these are just a few of the talents of Mahsa Ahmadi, the best stunt woman in Iran. Having worked for years in Iran and experienced the restrictions there, she would now like to emigrate, if possible to the United States. She already has confirmation that she'll be working on the next James Bond film.

Lampedusa is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea. Although it belongs to Italy, it is closer to Tunisia than it is to mainland Italy. It is one of the main points of entry for African refugees wanting to get to Europe. Mamadou Ba is a Senegalese citizen who lives in Portugal. His poignant and thought-provoking photos highlight the fate of all those – living and dead – who have set off across the sea from North Africa in search of a better life.

Dances, colourful carpets, fire jumps and the "seven S's": Nowruz (literally "new day") marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. The feast is celebrated by 300 million people around the world.

In February 1979, Shah Reza Pahlavi was overthrown. The Iranian Revolution turned the country's monarchy into an Islamic theocracy. This photo gallery presents some of the key events of the revolution that profoundly changed the course of the country's history