Kerman
Kerman is located in the southeast of the largest province of Iran, also named Kerman, being 1755 m above the sea level. The area is surrounded by mountains which are rich in medicinal plants. The city has more than 700,000 of population. The city is home to many historic mosques and Zoroastrian fire temples. Kerman has a cold desert climate with hot summers and cold winters and small amount of precipitation. Totally, it has a moderate climate and its climate is relatively cool (by Iranian standards). Kerman has a small but culturally significant Zoroastrain minority. Kerman was founded as a defensive outpost, with the name Veh-Ardashir, by Ardashir I, the founder of the Sasanian Empire, in the third century AD.
The tourist attractions of Kerman are:
Shazdeh Garden
This Persian Garden which is located 35 km southeast of Kerman city has been constructed in Qajar dynasty during the 11 years sovereignty of Abdolhamid Mirza Naseroldoleh. It has been registered on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. A garden was firstly built in 1850 and then was entirely remodeled around 1870. The garden has a rectangular shape with an area of 5.5 hectares. To go inside, it is required to pass the entrance gate located at the lower end of the garden. A two-floor residential structure was constructed at the upper end of the garden. It is a symbol of Persian garden which attracts many tourists.
Shazdeh Garden
Grand Bazaar of Kerman
The grand Bazaar of Kerman having the length of 1200 m is the longest of its kind in Iran. It is a memorial of the ancient periods with an architecture interesting to every visitor. The architecture of the bazaar represents the style of Sassanian era (3rd-7th century AD) and reflects the geographical conditions of the area. It is one of the oldest trading centers in Iran which is still in-use. There can be found traditional Iranian handicrafts as well as other needs of customers. There could be found historic domes, arcs and walls in the Bazaar.
Sadeh Festival
Sadeh is an Iranian festival dating back to the first Persian Empire, Achaemenid (5th century BC). Sadeh celebration holds 50 days before Iranian Nowruz. Sadeh in Persian means “hundred” and refers to one hundred days before the beginning of spring. It was a festivity to honor fire and to defeat the forces of darkness, frost, and cold. Fire has been so important for the Zoroastrians and this festival shows the importance of fire, energy and light. There’s also a belief that hell was born from winter on this day and the fire can win the extreme cold of winter.
Sadeh Festival
Shah Nematollah Vali Shrine
It is the shrine of a Persian Sufi Master and poet dating back to the 14th-15th century. The shrine is located in Mahan, 20 miles southeast of Kerman. The shrine also contains the mausoleum of Shah Nematollah Vali. Shah Nematollah Vali died in 1431 aged over 100. In 1436, a shrine was erected in his honor and became a pilgrimage site. The attention of successive rulers resulted in various additions over the centuries.
Rayen Citadel
Rayen Citadel is an adobe castle located 100 Km in the south of Kerman Province. It may have foundations from the pre-Islamic Sassanid era and the castle is believed to have 1000 years of old. It is extremely well preserved, despite numerous natural disasters that have destroyed similar structures nearby, and it is one of the most interesting sites in Iran. The castle was inhabited until 150 years ago. The interior city was a center for trading valuable goods and textiles.
Ganjali Khan Complex
It is a Safavid-era building located in the old center of Kerman, Iran. The complex contains a school, a square, a caravanserai, a bathhouse, an Ab-Anbar (water reservoir), a mint, a mosque and a bazaar. It was constructed by the order of Ganjali Khan, the ruler of Kerman during Shah Abbas’s period. One of the most beautiful parts of the complex is the historical bath which belongs to the 17th century AD. It embraces unique and picturesque tile decorations including floral and animal motifs in some parts.
Ganjali Khan Complex
Dasht-e Lut Desert
The Dasht-e Lut desert is the hottest place on Earth and also one of the lowest place in Iran with a height of 56 meters above sea level and with a temperature that reaches up to 65°C. No wonder why the area has little to zero vegetation with almost no water. It is also known to be the world’s 25th largest desert. The attracting places of Lut desert are around 100 km far from Kerman city.
Arg-e Bam
Arg-e Bam, which is the largest adobe building in the world, is located in the Bam county, Kerman province. This citadel was on the ancient Silk Road and dates back to the sixth to fourth centuries BC during the Achaemenid Empire. The heyday of the citadel was from the seventh to eleventh centuries, when it was at the crossroads of important trade routes and known for the production of silk and cotton garments. On December 26, 2003, the Citadel was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake, along with much of the rest of Bam and its environments. A few days after the earthquake, the Iranian president of the time announced that the Citadel would be rebuilt.
Arge Bam
Meymand Village
Meymand is a village in Meymand rural district, Kerman province, with a population of around 700 people. The village is 230 km far from Kerman city. It is a historic village that dates back to the primary human residence in the Iranian Plateau dating back to 12,000 years ago. There are 350 hand-dug houses through the rocks some of them are in place for more than 3000 years. Some stone engravings are found in the village that were made 10,000 years ago and also some pottery works dating back to 6000 years ago. In 2005, Meymand was awarded the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes (about $20,000). On 4 July 2015, the village was added into the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.
Jabalieh Dome
Jabalieh Dome is also called Gabri Dome or Rock Dome and is located in Kerman, Iran. Its dome is constructed with stone and brick though the building is of stone and gypsum. The architecture of the building is inspired from the Sassanid period. It may have been a Zoroastrian building and maybe a fire temple. The dome is located in the edge of Kerman city and is easy to reach.
Jabalieh dome
Fath Abad Garden
Fath Abad Garden which belongs to the Qajar period (1876 AD) was built by the order of the Kerman’s governor. The building inside the garden is made of two floors with 4 tall minarets on the top. Mud, bricks and plaster were used to build the mansion and the surrounding.
