The city of Qom, on the Qom river, lies 150km south-west of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. It is an important place in Shia Islam as it is considered to be a holy city. This is largely because it is the site of the shrine of Fatima Mæ'sume, sister of Imam Reza, who was interred here in the 9th century AD. The city is the largest centre for Shia scholarship in the world, and is a significant destination of pilgrimage.

The shrine dominates the town both geographically and culturally and there are a number of other mosques and maddrasahs, some of which can be visited.