Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System
Shushtar hydraulic system, one of the oldest engineering masterpieces in Iran and the world, has been constructed as an economical-industrial complex in the vicinity of the Shushtar historical area, under Sassanid Empire.
This hydraulic system is an interconnected complex of mills, waterfalls, bridges, dams, channels, huge water conduction tunnels and Sika (a Leisure place) which work together in order to optimal use of water power as the driving force of industrial mills. The system distributes the Karun water to all regions of Shushtar and the cities around. All areas of waterfalls and mills was built of Granite and lime mortar, and the material of making nesting rooms was carved stones and also stone walls of the river.
The work process of Shushtar complex based on the Gargar dam (which is itself one of the engineering masterpieces totally hand-dug in Sasanid era) which blocks the river flow and consequently raises the water level in order to dewater three tunnels dug in the rock. Triple tunnels, direct water into several channels, turning the mills' wheels, water pours into a pool-like area, like a waterfall.
Shahr-i Sokhta (Burnt City)
Shahr-i Sokhta, one of the wonders in the ancient world, a unique sample of the first, the biggest and the most advanced urban establishments in the southeast of Iran, had been founded along the direction of the Hirmand River to Hamun Lake.
Shahr-i Sokhta and its civilization, with more than 5000 years history, as a scientific, industrial, social, cultural and artistic center, was an archaeological site in the Bronze Age.
The establishment here initiated from 3200 BC and the archaeologists found the traces of four phases of life up to 1800 BC.
Shahr-i Sokhta is composed of five sectors including the residential area in the northeast of the city; the central part; industrial zone; historical monuments; and cemetery; all are observable as a series of sequential and connected hills.
The following highly diverse archaeological findings in the city indicate the existence of a rich and powerful civilization there: Sokhta palace, so-called "Staircase" houses, the first brain surgery, the first artificial eye in the world, the first motion picture, a wooden ruler, chess and backgammon, jewelry, regular water supply system and wastewater discharge, industries as textile weaving, spinning, woodturning, marquetry, marble making, fishing net weaving, pottery, seal making, mat weaving and making metal tools.
This city is one of the few ancient cities in which women were financially responsible for their families. The name of site is not only derived from a change in the direction of Hirmand River and continuous droughts that followed it, but also from periodic conflagrations here.
Pasargadae
Pasargadae complex is an ancient area, including a large number of structures which was remained from the first capital of the Achaemenid era (sixth century BC) in Iran, located in the valley of Polvār River, and established by Cyrus the Great.
This complex belongs historically to three periods: (1) Prehistoric and Pre- Achaemenid monuments; (2) Achaemenid era: includes a private palace of Cyrus, the reception hall or Cyrus Bār-e-ām (public permission), the gateway palace or eastern palace protected by Lamassu, a relief of mythological creature made of stone, a stony terrace called " Throne of the Mother of Solomon" (Takht-e mādar-e Soleymān) (the Defensive structure of Tal-e Takht), the Royal Garden of Pasargadae, the royal palace fountains, the stone basins, ruins of stone tower, a building known as prison, fortress of Pasargadae, Pasargadae fire temple and sacred area, and finally the Cyrus tomb (the most prominent part of the site); (3) Islamic monuments: Atabakān mosque, an inscription and carved altar in the Cyrus mausoleum, an Islamic building named Mozaffari School or caravanserai located in 1 hundred meters north of Cyrus mausoleum. Bolāghi Tangeh and the incomplete Pasargadae museum are also among the other parts of this complex.
Pasargadae ancient complex made of materials as stone, brick, mud brick and wood, is representative of the first step of flourishing and development of architecture, sculpture, painting and simulating arts in the Achaemenid era, which is considered to be a model for Persepolis; it is an exceptional testimony of Iranian civilization.
Bam & Its Cultural Landscape
Arg-e-Bam, the largest mud brick complex of the world, is a huge fort, at the heart of which the main Arg (castle) is located as the highest sector; however, the name "Arg-e Bam" refers to the whole construction.
Bam city and its Arg had been among the most historical military forts constructed along the Silk Road. According to some narrations, the origins of this Bam complex can be traced back to Achaemenid or Parthian eras, although it continued to live as a residential area up to the late Qajar period.
Mud brick, clay and rarely stone, brick and palm tree trunk are the main materials used in structure of this place. The historic Arg-e-Bam is composed of different architectural sectors as: ditch, fence, various forts and gates, mosque, bazaar, tekyeh, fire temple, inn, school, bath, prison, gym, and aristocratic or public residential area (interconnected public houses), royal domain including soldier’s home, stables, mill, the house of army commander and the ruler house parts including, an edifice for four seasons (a three-story building as royal palace), monitoring tower, and water well (the drinking water of Arg inhabitants was supplied from the wells in the yard of their houses).
This unique complex was damaged seriously in the earthquake in 2003 and it has being restored and reconstructed cooperated with many countries as Japan, Italy and France.
Cultural Landscape of Maymand
Meymand is a rocky and dugout village and one of the primary habitats of man in Iran with approximately 2 - 3 thousand years history. The close relationship between the life and the surrounding nature is the particular values of this historical village in such a way that it continues, even currently and in spite of the new technology developments, to be an original site and keeps its original appearance without any tangible manipulating the nature.
Each dugout house in Meymand which may include one or more rooms and stables is totally called a Kicheh. The structure of all Kichehs are not the same and they are different in the number and size of rooms. In addition, the rooms have been separated, in Meymand houses, from the back part of the house (Pastoo) and sometimes they cover the niches using certain fabric curtains.
Meymand bathrooms are especially wonderful because of their traditional system with a Khazaneh and they also indicate the importance of hygienic conditions. There are also other places in this historical village such as mosques, schools, Hussaynia, Caravanserai.
Some special customs are popular in the village and the words of Sassanid Pahlavi are still used in their language and conversations.
In the first four months of year, people live in the lower plains of Meymand in order to graze their cattle. They immigrate to the neighboring villages, farms and gardens to live there in the second four months of year and for the third four months they prefer to stay in the dugout houses at the heart of mountains to seek a shelter from the cold winter. These houses are cool during summer and get warm in winter due to their architectural style.
Lut Desert
Getting confused with "Dahst-e Kavir" and called "Kavir-e Lut", due to their similarities, Lut Desert is the first wide desert in the south-east of Iran and one of the hyper-hot and arid deserts around the world; Extended across three provinces of south Khorasan, Sistan & Baluchestan and Kerman, it has covered about 10 per cent of Iran’s extent. It was measured as the hottest spot on the planet in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 by situating in geothermal pole of the earth. Also, it has recorded as the hottest spot in all around the earth planet with 70˚C temperature in 2005.
Lut desert is divided into three geographical landforms: Northern Lut constituted of the elements of gravel and sand; Central Lut, as the most amazing part with highly astonishing phenomena in the world like Kaluts (Natural ridges in various forms resulted from the water, wind and erosion mechanisms), as well as the masses and huge sandy dunes; South Lut with the richest vegetation.
Lut desert and its surroundings display an extensive natural landscape, with potential and realized values, because of its natural desert phenomena: Kaluts landforms with the highest observed Yardangs anywhere on the planet (bedrock features carved and streamlined by sandblasting), the highest sandy dunes and Nebkha dune fields (the phenomenon of interaction between wind erosion and vegetation resulted in a sandy dune formed around the plants), massive erosional ditches, Hydrologic networks, tectonic holes, rare salt phenomena and extensive stony desert pavements (Hamada), Qanats, historical areas and villages, and ancient civilization settlements.
Masjed-e Jame of Isfahan
Known as one of the most important and among the earliest religious buildings in Iran, Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan is a magnificent and exquisite, artistically and technically significant monument, which embraces several phases of Islamic architectural development.
The mosque is one of the largest and the most mysterious mosques in the Muslim world in which the main building was developed in early Islamic period, on the basis of a late Sassanid monument.
The current facade of mosque is related to Seljuk era, however, the most important development projects have been conducted under the Safavid and Buyid dynasties.
Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan reflects the Byzantium and Classical art in form of a traditional and Islamic building constructed in Razi Persian architectural style with four-Iwan plan.
Different sections of the mosque are: a four-Iwan courtyard, shabestan, Mozaffari school, small terraces of Daylamites era, Nezamolmolk dome, Taj al-Mulk dome, Oljeitu altar (the most beautiful stucco altar), the most beautiful carved pulpit, four famous porches named Saheb, Ostad, Shagerd, Darvish Iwans with muqarnas and Karbandi decoration each presents a certain Islamic architectural tendency. The mosque has multiple entrances linking the inner spaces with nearby contexts. In this exceptional masterpiece, we can see not only different architecture and decoration styles, but also several outstanding inscriptions in Arabic and Farsi calligraphy.
Takht-e Soleyman
Known as an important historical and cultural complex and, according to legend, the birthplace of Zoroaster, Takht-e Soleyman had been the dwelling of different tribes along history: Mendes, Achaemenian, Parthian, Sassanian and Ilkhanian. It was considered as one of the largest pre-Islamic Iranian instructional, religious, social and worship center.
In addition to the historical remains of Azargoshtasp fire temple, located within an oval wall, around a magical lake, with a depth of 12 m, at the center of the complex (equally in summer and winter, the water temperature is usually 21 °C.) and 38 towers on the natural stony plates made from the sediments of the lake, there are some natural settings here: hollow mountain sugarloaf shape (Soleyman Prison Mountain), Castles (Belqeis castle) and monitoring towers, remains of the temples (Anahita temple), halls, hot springs, stone wall made of the lake sediments, rivers, movable grass, various lakes, various mines, beautiful mountain landscapes and heritages of the first millennium BC, old stone mines etc.
The carved stones and large bricks used in the construction of the place have made the monument appearance most unique and beautiful.
Susa
The ancient city of Susa was founded as one of the most important and glorious settlements in the world dated back to 4000 BC (according to some theorists, it dated back to ca. 7000 BC).
This historical area has been a place of urban life from the ancient times until now and once upon a time, it was the point of encounter between two major civilizations of the ancient world, "Mesopotamia" and "Elam", as the oldest city of the world. .
In addition to the Elamites (i.e., land of the gods), other dynasties like Assyrian, Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian, Sassanid and, Babylonian dynasties ruled in this ancient city.
The Susa ancient site is composed of a huge area with a variety of monuments and architectural structures from prehistoric to the Islamic period, including Shavoor palace, Apadana (one of the most magnificent and unique sites in the world), the Eastern gate, Hadish, the Fifteenth City, the Achaemenid village, Masjed-e Jāmé of Susa, many Islamic buildings, Acropolis hill and French castle.
Elamite people developed extensive calligraphy, architecture, metallurgy, glass art and sculpture. The statues of Gods have a special place among the Susa's antiquities in Elamite era. Many worthwhile antiquities obtained from excavations of the area which are now located in the famous museums around the world.
The Persian Qanat
Qanat is a symbol of civilization, tradition and culture in desert regions with arid climate and an outstanding example of using architectural complicated systems in Iran. In fact, Qanat is a tunnel-like channel underground which collects water from a main water source naming "mother well" in order to conduct water along tunnels and finally enable settlement and agriculture. The place where the water of Qanat exits from the surface is named Mazhar.
There are Eleven Persian Qanats which represent the rest areas for workers, water reservoirs, and watermills; they are located in six provinces and have been registered as the twentieth cultural heritage of Iran, due to their unique technology, antiquity, architectural style, length and other characteristics:
Qasabeh Qanat in Gonabad city, Khorasan Razavi province: The oldest and deepest Qanat in Iran dated back to Achaemenid era.
Zarch Qanat in Yazd city, Yazd province: The longest Qanat in Iran with 100 km length, dated back to 2-3 thousand years ago.
Hasan Abad Qanat in Mehriz city, Yazd province: With 700 years history (8th century AH) in Pahlavanpour garden and next to Mirza Nasr Allah mill.
Moon Qanat in Ardestan city, Isfahan province: The only double-deck Qanat in the world and the most surprising Qanat in Iran established about 800 years ago.
Baladeh Qanat in Ferdows city, South Khorasan province: Related to Sassanid era irrigating huge parts of agricultural lands.
Vazvan Qanat in Vazvan city, Isfahan province: With 2500 to 3000 years history and Mozd Abad Qanat in Meymeh city, Isfahan province with underground dams as the most important characteristic.
Akbar Abad and Qasem Abad Qanat in Baravat, Bam County, Kerman province: the twin Qanats full of water, with more than 100 years history, supplying the water of agricultural lands in the region.
Goharriz Qanat in Jupar city, Kerman province: dated back to Safavid period about 750 years ago.
Ebrahim Abad Qanat in Arak city, Markazi province: related to 800 years ago (6th and 7th century AH).
Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble
Sheikh Safi al-Din (a famous poet and theosophist) Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble is the largest, the most complete and prominent monastery inspired by Islamic theosophical philosophy and constructed using the Iranian traditional architectural elements of the previous periods (e.g. Ilkhanid & Timurid).
Sheikh Safi al-Din (the ancestor of Safavid kings) Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble, is an artistic and architectural masterpiece which was built commissioned by Sadr-al-din Musa, Sheikh's son, in 735 AH and the other parts of the complex were added in the early Safavid dynasty.
The main building of the complex, i.e., Allah Allah dome, has an octagonal structure with a turquoise blue dome on which the word of "Allah" has been repeated several times and the Tomb of Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble is located under.
There are also others entombed in the complex such as Shah Ismail I (The First king of Safavid), his wife (Mother of Shah Tahmasp), some elders, officials and victims of Chaldiran battle.
Other sectors of the complex include Janat serā mosque, Qandil Khāneh, Chini Khāneh, Chelle Khāneh, Sharbat Khāneh, Shahid Gāh (a graveyard for vistims of Chaldiran battle), Haram Khāneh and, alcove (Shāh Neshin). In addition, the other sectors as a library, mosque, school, hospital, kitchen, bakery and some administrative offices were added to this complex.
Putting together many different and outstanding works of art including Mosaic tile Muqarnas, beautiful stucco inscriptions and the calligraphy of the great Safavid artists, wood carving, Silversmith, Illuminated manuscript and Gilding, painting ,Tong Bori etc. is the remarkable feature of this resemble.
Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble consists of four yards: garden yard (the biggest one), big yard of the complex, around which the collection of main buildings are located, small yard, between garden yard and big yard and finally south yard or Shahidgāh.
Source:https://www.visitiran.ir/