TEHRAN-- The deserted caravanserai of Simon in the northwestern city of Mahabad, West Azarbaijan province, is planned to go through some rehabilitation works, the citys tourist chief has said.The task will be carried out by Mahabad Municipality under the supervision of the citys Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department, Nasser Sadafi explained on Sunday.
Parts of the Safavid-era (1501-1736) inn are prepared to develop into a handicrafts market after being fully restored, the official added.West Azarbaijan welcomes a variety of rich natural landscapes, cultural heritage websites, and museums consisting of the UNESCO sites of Takht-e Soleyman and Qareh Klise (St.
Thaddeus Monastery), Teppe Hasanlu, and the messed up Bastam Citadel.The region has been the seat of several ancient civilizations.
It formed part of Urartu and later of Media.
In the 4th century BC, it was conquered by Alexander the Great and was called Atropatene after one of Alexanders generals, Atropates, who developed a little kingdom there.
The location returned to Persian (Iranian) guideline under the Sasanians in the 3rd century CE.
The Arabs managed Azerbaijan from the 7th century up until Turkish wanderers overran it in the 11th century.
Thenceforth the residents of the area were Turkish speakers.
The area was overrun by the Mongols in the 13th century, and, under the ruler Hulegu, Azarbaijan ended up being the center of a Mongol empire extending from Syria on the west to the Oxus River (now Amu Darya) on the east.Possible UNESCO tag for Iranian caravanseraisIran has advanced a choice of 56 caravansaries as a candidate for cumulative inclusion on UNESCOS cultural heritage list.Last year, the tourism ministry revealed that Iran was establishing a dossier for a selection of its historical caravanserais for a possible engraving on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
In this regard, cultural heritage specialists are assessing such monoliths that are spread throughout the country to make a shortlist in terms of their architecture as well as historic and cultural values.Caravansary (also Caravanserai or Caravansaray) is a building that served as the inn of the Orient, offering lodging for business, pilgrim, postal, and particularly main travelers.According to Encyclopedia Iranica, from the variety of enduring caravansaries and their sizes, it is clear that in Safavid and Qajar times there was a state architectural department that was particularly worried about the building of caravansaries and stations on the overland routes.
In addition, in the cities, numerous caravansaries were set up as accommodations houses, depots, and industrial offices in the area of the bazaars.A typical caravansary includes a square or rectangle-shaped strategy focused around a courtyard with just one entryway and plans for defense if essential.
Whether fortified or not, it a minimum of provided security versus beasts of prey and attacks by brigands.The earliest caravanserais in Iran were constructed throughout the Achaemenid age (550 - 330 BC).
Centuries later, when Shah Abbas I presumed power from 1588-- to 1629, he purchased the construction of a network of caravanserais across the country.For many travelers, staying in or even visiting a centuries-old caravanserai can be a broad experience; they have a chance to feel the past, a time travel back to a forgotten age.Such roadside inns were once built along ancient caravan routes in the Muslim world to shelter individuals, their items, and animals.
The former Silk Roads may be the most popular example dotted by caravanserais.Cozy chambers that are meticulously laid out around a huge courtyard may quickly evoke spirits of the past.
Its not hard to expensive the hustle and bustle of merchants bargaining on rates, recounting their strenuous journeys to one another while their camels chewing hay! You can likewise develop the concept of local architectural style and material in its heyday.It is not tough to fancy the stress of merchants bargaining on prices, stating their strenuous journeys to one another while their camels chewing hay!Passing major roadways in the country, one may see crumbling caravanserais, much of which were abandoned for ages.
In the Information Age, such guest homes have mostly lost their actual usage.However, a number of years ago, the Iran tourism ministry presented a scheme to keep them alive and rewarding; 10s of caravanserais are ceded to personal financiers for better maintenance.
Now, some are solely refurbished and repurposed into shop hotels and traveler lodgings.They frequently had massive portals supported by raised load-bearing walls.
Visitor spaces were built around the courtyard and stables behind them with doors in the corners of the yard.ABU/ MG