It is the capital of Khorasan Razavi Province and Irans second-largest city with a population of 2,749,374 people at the 2011 census. It is located in the northeast of the country, close to Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. "Holy Mashhad" is one of the holiest pilgrim sites for Shia Muslims known for the shrine of Imam Riza (A.S), the Eighth Imam of the Shia Muslims. Mashhad means "burial place of the martyr." But its old name was "Sanabad". It was only after the martyrdom of Imam Riza at Tus in 818 and the construction of his shrine here that the city became a pilgrim site. The city, which draws millions of tourists every year, is a shoppers paradise and blessed with a rich heritage