Iran UNESCO world heritage sites

°Ardabil province [capital = Ardabil]

°Sheikh Safi Al-Din Ardabili's Shrine in °Ardabil at °N38 14 55 E48 17 29
° The layout of the ensemble became a prototype for innovative architectural expressions and a reference for other khanegahs. As the shrine of a prominent Sufi master, who also was the founder of the Safavid Dynasty, the property has remained sacred in Iran up to the present day.

°Bushehr province [capital = Bushehr]

°Moshiralmak Caravanserai in °Borazjan at °N29 16 1.61 E51 12 29.73

°East Azerbaijan province [capital = Tabriz]

°Saint Stepanos Ensemble in °Jolfa at °monastery + Darresham & Chupan Chapel
° The Saint Stepanos ensemble is in the gorge of the Araxe River, which borders Azerbaijan.

°Historic Bazaar Complex in °Tabriz on °Jomhoori Eslami street
° The lasting role of the Tabriz Bazaar is reflected in the layout of its fabric and in the highly diversified and reciprocally integrated architectural buildings and spaces, which have been a prototype for Persian urban planning.

°Archaeological site in °Pasargad at °N30 11 37.788 E53 10 2.244
° It includes, among other monuments, the compact limestone tomb on the Morgab plain that once held Cyrus the Great's gilded sarcophagus; Tall-e Takht ("Solomon's Throne"), a great fortified platform built on a hill and later incorporated into a sprawling citadel with substantial mud-brick defences; and the royal ensemble, which consists of several palaces originally located within a garden layout (the so-called "Four Gardens").

°Persian Garden in °Pasargad
° It is best to imagine Pasargadae as a group of garden pavilions in a park: essentially a camp of nomads, but made out of natural stone. Stylistically, the Audience Hall, the Residential Palace, the garden pavilions A and B, and the Gate belonged to the architectural tradition of the Iranian nomads, who lived in large tents.

°City of °Persepolis at °N29 56 3.984 E52 53 25.008
° Renowned as the gem of Achaemenid (Persian) ensembles in the fields of architecture, urban planning, construction technology, and art, the royal city of Persepolis ranks among the archaeological sites which have no equivalent and which bear unique witness to a most ancient civilization.

°Eram Garden in °Shiraz at °District 1
° Eram garden, located along the northern shore of the Khoshk River in Shiraz, is one of the most famous and beautiful Persian gardens in all of Iran.

°Palace in °Sarvestan at °N29 11 43.94 E53 13 51.84
° The Sarvestan Palace was built by the Sasanian king Bahramgur (r. 420-438) and dominates an immense, empty plain. The name "palace" is a bit misleading, because the monument's function is not really understood. It may in fact have been a hunting lodge or even a sanctuary.

°Qaleh Dokhtar in °Firuzabad on °Firouzabad-Kerman road
° The fortified palace contains many of the recurring features of Sasanian palace and civic architecture: long halls, arches, domes, recessed windows, and stairways.

°Ardashir Reliefs in °Firuzabad at °Investiture + Victory + Khurreh (Shahr-e Gour)
° Ahura Mazda and Ardashir I is a rock relief from Sasanian Persia. This relief was carved around 235 which makes it one of the oldest Sasanian rock reliefs. The relief is well-preserved and is mostly unharmed.

°Ardashir Palace in °Firuzabad at °Atashkadeh
° The structure contains three domes, among other features, making it slightly larger and more magnificent than its predecessor, the nearby castle of Dezh Dokhtar. However, it seems that the compound was designed to display the royalty image of Ardashir I, rather than being a fortified structure for defense purposes.

°Shapur Cave in °Kazerun on °Shahpoor Cave Road
° In the cave, on the fourth of five terraces, stands the colossal statue of Shapur I, the second ruler of the Sasanid Empire. The statue was carved from one stalagmite. The height of statue is 7 m. and its shoulders are 2 m. wide, and its hands are 3 m. long.

°Bishapur Palace City in °Kazerun at °Bishapur
° The most important point about this city, is the combination of Persian and Roman art and architecture that hadn't been seen before Bishapur construction.

°Hyrcanian Forests in °Siahrud + Qaleh Rudkhan + Subatan
° Their floristic biodiversity is remarkable: 44% of the vascular plants known in Iran are found in the Hyrcanian region, which only covers 7% of the country.

°Golestan province [capital = Gorgan]

°Hyrcanian Forests at N36 39 55 E54 24 5.5 + N37 3 56 E49 9 9.88 + N37 56 7.98 E48 49 56.4
See above.

°Gonbad-e Qabus Tower in °Gonbad Kavus at °Emam Khomeini Shomali
° It is an outstanding and technologically innovative example of Islamic architecture that influenced sacral building in Iran, Anatolia and Central Asia.

°Hamedan province [capital = Hamedan]

°Archaeological remains of ancient Hegmataneh in °Hamedan at °Cultural Heritage and Tourism Base on Ekbatan Street
° Hegmataneh provides important and rare evidence of the Medes civilization in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE.

°Fin Garden in °Kashan on °Amir Kabir Street
° Fin Garden features long reflecting pools, cypress trees, and plenty of Safavid era tile work. The garden's fountains and bathhouses are remarkable for their water features and advanced system that functioned without the construction of mechanical water pumps. The central pavilion is notable for its art and decor that reflects the style of the period.

°Qanat Mozd Abad in °Meymeh
° In winter locals put fabric in clay urns and they put the urns in some holes on the dams. Then, when water pressure increased the urns expanded and the dam were closed. In spring they broke the urns to let the water behind the dams flow to the fields.

°Qanat in °Vazvan
° This Qanat has an underground dam which stores the water in winter (around 4 months), to provide the agricultural fields with more water in springtime.

°Chehel Sotoon Palace in °Isfahan on °Imam Hossein Square
° Chehel Sotoun is a pavilion in the middle of a park at the far end of a long pool, in Isfahan, Iran, built by Shah Abbas II to be used for his entertainment and receptions.

°Meidan Emam in °Isfahan on °Naghsh e Jahan Square
° Built by Shah Abbas I the Great at the beginning of the 17th century, and bordered on all sides by monumental buildings linked by a series of two-storeyed arcades, the site is known for the Royal Mosque, the Mosque of Sheykh Lotfollah, the magnificent Portico of Qaysariyyeh and the 15th-century Timurid palace.

°Atiq Comprehensive Mosque in °Isfahan on °Majlesi Street
° Its double-shelled ribbed domes represent an architectural innovation that inspired builders throughout the region. The site also features remarkable decorative details representative of stylistic developments over more than a thousand years of Islamic art.

°Qanat of the Moon in °Ardestan at °N33 22 45 E52 22 30
° The two-story aqueduct of Mon Ardestan is the only two-story aqueduct in the world, which is unique and unique in this respect.

°Kerman province [capital = Kerman]

°Cultural Landscape in °Maymand
° Maymand is a self-contained, semi-arid area at the end of a valley at the southern extremity of Iran's central mountains. The villagers are semi-nomadic agro-pastoralists. They raise their animals on mountain pastures, living in temporary settlements in spring and autumn. During the winter months they live lower down the valley in cave dwellings carved out of the soft rock (kamar), an unusual form of housing in a dry, desert environment.

°Qanat of Gowhariz in °Joupar
° Gohar riz Qanat in Kerman Province, consists of six Qanat chains, 129 wells and is considered as one of the longest Qanats in South Iran.

°Historical Shahzadeh Garden in °Mahan at °Prince Garden
° The garden is 5.5 hectares with a rectangular shape and a wall around it. It consists of an entrance structure and gate at the lower end and a two-floor residential structure at the upper end. The distance between these two is ornamented with water fountains that are engined by the natural incline of the land. The garden is a fine example of Persian gardens that take advantage of suitable natural climate.

°Lut Desert in °Shahdad at °Mansour Sadeghizadeh
° The Lut Desert, or Dasht-e-Lut, is located in the south-east of the country. Between June and October, this arid subtropical area is swept by strong winds, which transport sediment and cause aeolian erosion on a colossal scale. Consequently, the site presents some of the most spectacular examples of aeolian yardang landforms (massive corrugated ridges). It also contains extensive stony deserts and dune fields.

°Cultural Landscape in °Bam at °N29 7 0.588 E58 22 0
° Arg-e Bam is the most representative example of a fortified medieval town built in vernacular technique using mud layers (Chineh), sun-dried mud bricks (khesht), and vaulted and domed structures. Outside the core area of Arg-e Bam, there are other protected historic structures which include Qal'eh Dokhtar (Maiden's fortress, ca. 7th century), Emamzadeh Zeyd Mausoleum (11-12th century), and Emamzadeh Asiri Mausoleum (12th century and historic qanat systems and cultivations southeast of the Arg.

°Qanat of Ghasem Abad in °Bam
° Qanat is an amazing compilation of fountains and rivers and wells. And now we are faced with a twin aqueduct: Qanats of Ghasem Abad & Akbar Abad in Bam.

°Kermanshah province [capital = Kermanshah]

°Cultural Landscape of Uramanat in °Mezran at °N35 6 26.49 E46 28 40.26
° Tiered steep-slope planning and architecture, gardening on dry-stone terraces, livestock breeding, and seasonal vertical migration are among the distinctive features of the local culture and life of the semi-nomadic Hawrami people who dwell in lowlands and highlands during different seasons of each year.

°Monumental bas-relief in °Bisotun at °N34 23 18 E47 26 12
° This symbolic representation of the Achaemenid king in relation to his enemy reflects traditions in monumental bas-reliefs that date from ancient Egypt and the Middle East, and which were subsequently further developed during the Achaemenid and later empires.

°Khuzestan province [capital = Ahvaz]

°Archaeological site in °Shush at °N32 11 22.05 E48 15 22.94
° The excavated architectural monuments include administrative, residential and palatial structures.

°Chogha Zanbil ziggurat in °Khamat at °N32 0 30.852 E48 31 19.625
° The complex was protected by three concentric enclosure walls: an outer wall about 4 km in circumference enclosing a vast complex of residences and the royal quarter, where three monumental palaces have been unearthed (one is considered a tomb-palace that covers the remains of underground baked-brick structures containing the burials of the royal family); a second wall protecting the temples (Temenus); and the innermost wall enclosing the focal point of the ensemble, the ziggurat.

°Historical Hydraulic System in °Shushtar at °N32 1 7 E48 50 9
° The property has an ensemble of remarkable sites including the Salasel Castel, the operation centre of the entire hydraulic system, the tower where the water level is measured, damns, bridges, basins and mills.

°Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province [capital = Yasuj]

°Balad Shapur Caravanserai in °Dehdasht at N30 47 17.53 E50 33 41.49

°Kurdistan province [capital = Sanandaj]

°Cultural Landscape of Hawraman in °Daleh Marz at °N35 6 26.49 E46 28 40.26
° The villages are unique in that the rural area embraces many dense and step-like rows of houses in such a way that the roof of each house forms the yard of the upper one, making it a special sight to see.

°Yafteh Cave in °Khorramabad at N33 30 29.76 E48 12 41.24
° A rich collection of ornaments made of marine shells, tooth and hematite has been discovered in the early Upper Paleolithic deposits in both early and recent excavations in the Yafteh cave.

°Kaldar Cave in °Khorramabad on Sefid Kooh Road
° During the exploration of the Kaldar cave in Khorramabad valley by the Sefidkuh Mountain, archaeologists discovered valuable remains of appeared to be the belongings of early of hunting and gathering humans of the middle and upper Paleolithic age onwards. The initial, test excavation in Kaldar was conducted in a one meter square trench.

°Ghamari Cave in °Khorramabad at N33 29 31.59 E48 20 44.06
° The site reveals Mousterian and Baradostian cultures, offering insights into early human evolution and migration from Africa to Eurasia.

°Markazi province [capital = Arak]

°Qanat in °Ebrahim Abad
° Ebrahim Abad Qanat in Arak is one of the examples of this Iranian masterpiece. A Qanat belonging to the sixth and seventh century AH, which have presented life to people for hundreds of years and now became as a historical and cultural attraction.

°Mazandaran province [capital = Sari]

°Bagh-e Abas Abad in °Behshahr at °Abbas Abad Lake
° This complex includes Abbas Abad Dam, dam reservoir and lake, flower garden, palace, bathroom, water mill and two brick towers.

°Hyrcanian Forests at N36 5 55.78 E53 23 37.5 + N36 10 24.9 E52 24 14.19 + N36 16 44.79 E52 7 30.2
° See Hyrcanian Forests above.

°Qanat in °Baladeh
° The traditional communal management system still in place allows equitable and sustainable water sharing and distribution.

°Hyrcanian Forests at N36 32 45.69 E51 40 3.5 + N36 15 30.8 E51 13 1.7 + N36 43 38.09 E51 3 50.28
° See Hyrcanian Forests above.

°Qazvin province [capital = Qasvin]

°Saraye Sa'd-o-Saltaneh Caravansary in °Qazvin at °N36 16 9.46 E50 0 2.55

°Qom province [capital = Qom]

°Deyre Gachin Caravansary on °Haram ta Haram Freeway [n°2] at °N35 3 30.07 E51 25 12.49

°Razavi Khorasan province [capital = Mashhad]

°Qelli Caravanserai in Kalateh Torkha at N37 9 11.86 E56 55 14.67

°Qasabeh Qanat in °Gonabad
° Ghasabe Qanats of Gonabad also is called kariz Kai Khosrow is one of the oldest and largest qanats in the world built between 700 BC to 500 BC.

°Semnan province [capital = Semnan]

°Shah Abbasi Caravanserai in °Abbasabad at N36 21 40.39 E56 23 16.35

°Ahouvan Anoushiravan + Abbasi Ahovan Caravanserai in Ahevanu at N35 46 14.63 E53 43 56.54 + N35 46 13.94 E53 43 48.52

°Sistan and Baluchestan province [capital = Zahedan]

°Burnt City of °Shahr-i Sokhta at °N30 35 38 E61 19 40
° The structures, burial grounds and large number of significant artefacts unearthed there, and their well-preserved state due to the dry desert climate, make this site a rich source of information regarding the emergence of complex societies and contacts between them in the third millennium BC.

°South Khorasan province [capital = Birjand]

°Akbarieh Historical Garden in °Birjand on °Moallem Boulevard
° This complex includes several mansions , the oldest building is "Heshmat ol-Molk" Mansion which is located in the eastern end and has two floors. There are many tall pine trees on both sides of the main street .

°Tehran province [capital = Tehran]

°Trans-Iranian Railway in °Tehran at °Javadiyeh, Railway Square
° The railway is notable for its scale and the engineering works it required to overcome steep routes and other difficulties. Its construction involved extensive mountain cutting in some areas, while the rugged terrain in others dictated the construction of 174 large bridges, 186 small bridges and 224 tunnels, including 11 spiral tunnels.

°Golestan Palace in °Tehran on °Fifth Khordad Avenue, Arg Square, Panzdah-e-Khordad Street
° Built around a garden featuring pools as well as planted areas, the Palace's most characteristic features and rich ornaments date from the 19th century. It became a centre of Qajari arts and architecture of which it is an outstanding example and has remained a source of inspiration for Iranian artists and architects to this day.

°West Azerbaijan province [capital = Urmia]

°Throne of Solomon in °Tazeh Kand-e-Nosrat Abad at °Takab Takht-e Soleyman
° Located here, in a harmonious composition inspired by its natural setting, are the remains of an exceptional ensemble of royal architecture of Persia's Sasanian dynasty (3rd to 7th centuries).

°Monastery in °Saint Thaddeus at °N39 5 32.00 E44 32 40.00
° Splendid outside, yet quite plain indoor, the monastery shows off elaborate bas-reliefs of flowers, animals and human figures on its fassade and exterior walls. It bears verses of Old and New Testament in Armenian calligraphy as well.

°Dzordzor Chapel in °Chamanlu at °N39 11 16.00 E44 28 34.00
° The Surb Astvatsatsin chapel is the only surviving structure of the monastery. It was built in the 9th-10th centuries (according to some sources, in the 14th century).

°Anjireh Ājori (Desert Paradise) + Anjireh Sangi Caravanserai in Dorbid at N32 9 11.68 E54 28 37.59 + N32 9 43.96 E54 29 2.54

°Historic City of °Yazd at °N31 54 5 E54 22 9
° The earthen architecture of Yazd has escaped the modernization that destroyed many traditional earthen towns, retaining its traditional districts, the qanat system, traditional houses, bazars, hammams, mosques, synagogues, Zoroastrian temples and the historic garden of Dolat-abad.

°Dowlat Abad Garden in °Yazd on °Iran-shahr Street | Mojahedin Square
° The most significant characteristics of the design of this building is believed to be the attempt of the architect in selecting tactful angles for providing the best views and landscape internally. The Dowlat Abad garden is regarded as one of the sites worth visiting due to verdant gardening skill in landscape architecture, irrigation method, and in the richness of architectural design.

°Qanat of Zarch in °Yazd
° There’s a gallery to this place and its Pāyāb where you can see the well shafts and understand the interesting system of qanats.

°Pahlavanpur Garden in °Mehriz on °Kerman Road
° This complex includes a kushk (a kiosk or a small garden pavilion), a central courtyard, and a garden. Now, it is a hotel and its Persian architectural style is important because it represents the changes in the construction of a Persian garden.

°Hasam Abad-e Moshir Qanat in °Mehriz
° The base point of this Qanat is located near the "Gharbaliz" spring, and the sweet and savory water of the Shirkouh Mountains, forms the watershed of the Hasan Abad-e Moshir Qanat in Mehriz.

°Zanjan province [capital = Zanjan]

°Mausoleum of Oljaytu in °Soltaniyeh at °N36 26 7.008 E48 47 48.012
° The octagonal building is crowned with a 50 m tall dome covered in turquoise-blue faience and surrounded by eight slender minarets. It is the earliest existing example of the double-shelled dome in Iran. The mausoleum's interior decoration is also outstanding and scholars such as A.U. Pope have described the building as 'anticipating the Taj Mahal'.