Iranian culture and civilization endows the place with unique rituals, believes, attitudes, art forms, handicrafts and others. An enigmatic country like Iran has its root deep into its custom, culture, history and religion. The more you try to enjoy this essence, the more amusing Iran becomes. Known for its flavored legacy and history, this land has a unique charm that accounts for its sovereignty, customs, beauty and others. Each city is different in this element creating a cluster of diversity that no other country can show. Iranian heritage is not just the ancient Persian styled customs. You can find gradient of Arabs, Mughal, China and western culture. This cluster of diversity exposes you to different festivals, attractions, rituals, architecture, delicacies and more. Many foreign visitors are surprised that Iran has magnificent villages and spending time in them can help you get familiar with two different cultures at the same time.
Kandovan is an astonishing village located on the mountain flank of Sultan Daghi, Sabalan Mountain, located in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Kandovan Village is famous for its wonderful rocky architecture which is the result of volcanic activities and hand-carved structures. The inhabitants, basically, carved every room of the cliff houses like kitchens, halls, and even pens out of stone to make windows for the rooms and later, to decorate them with colorful glasses.
There are two other cliff villages with similar structures in Turkey’s Cappadocia and US’s Manitou Cliff Dwellings in Colorado. However, these two cliff villages are not inhabited and they leave Kandovan as the only inhabited cliff village in the world. Maymand Village in Iran, though, is another valley in cave dwellings carved out of the soft rock. There are sharp pyramidal cliffs with the holes on their irregular surfaces in this village which have been created due to volcano eruption in the summer region of the Sahand Mountain Range. The cliffs have shaped hive cells which are also known as Karan. Geographical studies show the cliffs ages range from 700 to 1500 years.
Abyaneh village is one of the most specific villages of Iran with a good sight and climate, an appropriate natural situation where all the houses has been constructed on the hillside at the north of the Barzrood River with a beautiful and pleasant architecture. The form of village houses are limaceous, adobe, brick and stone related to Sassanid, Seljuk, Safavid and Qajar eras and there is no dead end alley in this village. The old houses of village have been built with the coverage of red soil, which are highly protected against the rain, on the hillside.
In addition to the tourist and historical attractions of this village such as, natural sights, house’s architecture, historical and religious places including fire temple, mosque, shrines and castles, Rose oil extraction (End of Ordibehesht), the custom of this tourist village which is greatly important for local people is also the cause of attracting tourists to this region. Jame mosque of Abyaneh is one of the oldest historical monuments with a highly beautiful wooden and wood carving pulpit.
Masuleh is located in 55 km of Rasht in the mountainous and sylvan area, on the rocky slopes with the height of 1050 m above the sea level. The climate of Masuleh is moderate and humid in summer and cold and humid in winter.
Pleasant climate and nature in 4 seasons of the year are the most important environmental factors of Masuleh region. The difference in height from the highest point to the lower one is about 100 m that is reason of creating the unique sight by Masuleh architecture.
The roof and the spaces in front of houses used as a sidewalk. The yard of the upper house is the roof of the lower house. This city is known by its unique architecture in all around the world and registered in the national monument list as cultural and natural heritage due to its buildings construction that all historical .
Kalporagan is a small village at the south east of Iran, Sistan & Baluchestan Province. This place is known as the only Living Pottery Museum of the World, Originates back to 7000 years ago. The art of pottery without any pottery wheel has been inherited orally from one to another without any changes since then. While the men carry pottery clay from Maskootan mine near the village and prepare the primary phases, major production process is done by around 30 women living in the village. Geometric pattern with ancient motifs reflects artisan’s inspirations. Final product is brown, derived from a special stone called Titook. It is from brown or black Manganese stone, used instead of glazing. The village hosts around 20 to 25 thousand tourists every year.