Sightseeing in Kashan - what to see. Complete travel guide

The city of Kashan is the first large oasis in the central desert in Iran. This settlement looks somewhat surreal because the surrounding lifeless desert and the bright green oasis are in striking contrast. Kashan is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Iran because it still has many landmarks of the past. Besides the rich historical heritage, it is important to mention the famous rose gardens in the neighborhoods of Kashan. Rosewater production has been a traditional occupation of local people for many years. The city looks particularly attractive in the sunset when thousands of lights illuminate buildings and dwellings.

Archaeological excavations proved that the earliest evidence of human activity in the region dates back to the Palaeolithic period. These excavations took place four kilometers away from modern Kashan, in the territory of Sialk. Seven thousand years ago, Tepe Sialk was a prosperous settlement of the Zayandeh River Culture. The famous Sialk ziggurat was built approximately in 3,000 BC. Archaeologists unearthed many precious artifacts in this site. These items prove that the Persian civilization was in this region. Nowadays, findings from Tepe Sialk are exhibited in Paris, in the internationally famous Louvre Museum, as well as in museums in New York and Iran.

Scientists who work in Kashan agree that the Three Wise Men mentioned in the Bible left this city in order to come to Bethlehem and see baby Jesus. Needless to say, there are no documents that prove this theory, but the story makes Kashan even more popular with tourists. The city suffered great damage during the earthquake in 1778. The natural disaster almost completely wiped the city off the surface. The government needed much time and effort to restore the ruined buildings. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

What are the biggest attractions of the Iranian city of Kashan? The city architecture is the first place that tourists want to explore during excursions. There are many beautiful palaces here. The Borujerdi House built in 1857 is one of the most eye-catching architectural landmarks in the city. A rich merchant built this palace for his bride and called it after her. He hired the best Iranian architects in order to make the house as beautiful as a royal palace.

The residence has a gorgeous rectangular yard and elegant drawings that cover all walls in the building. The three wind towers were an important part of the mansion. The forty-meter-tall constructions cooled down the temperature inside the house, making the residence even more comfortable. The Borujerdi House features all classical elements of Persian architecture, including the biruni and daruni. It took long eighteen years and one hundred and fifty masters to build the gorgeous mansion.

The Ameri House is a no less beautiful palace in Iranian Kashan. The attractive residence was built during the reign of the Zand dynasty. Agha Ameri was the governor of Kashan at that time, and so the Ameri House is named after him. It is hard to find a more eye-catching building in Kashan, so no surprise that this architectural gem is under the protection of the government.

Just like many other buildings, the palace suffered much damage during earthquakes. The Ameri House was almost completely rebuilt in the 19th century, turning into the building that we can see nowadays. This is a 9,000 square-meters-large property. Nowadays, there is a museum open in the Ameri House. The venue exhibits artifacts discovered in the region and sheds light upon the history of Kashan, as well as the history of the family that lived in the palace.

Besides a big number of beautiful buildings, the city is proud of one more enchanting place – Fin Garden. This is a historical Persian garden that still has an antique atmosphere. Words cannot describe how pleasant it is to walk in this garden on a hot day, admiring local flora. Slender cypresses, majestic plane trees, and flowerbeds with lilies, irises, roses, jasmine, and amaranth – all these make a stroll in this garden incredibly pleasant and comfortable. Moreover, there are many fruit trees in Fin Garden such as apple and cherry trees. The park’s water reservoirs are enough to fill pools and keep the fountains working.

The majority of tourists stick to the most popular route that starts in Tehran and ends directly in Kashan. This route goes along the Qom road. The average journey time is roughly two and a half hours. This route is available for cars only. Kashan has a train connection with Bandar Abbas, but the journey time will be significantly longer in this case.