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Iran UNESCO world heritage sites north + south

Alborz province [capital = Karaj]

Caravanserai in Yengi Emam at N35 56 10.63 E50 43 10.64

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.
Saein Shah Abbasi Caravanserai in Nir at N38 0 3.76 E47 52 53.71

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.
Khaje Nazar Caravanserai in Jolfa at N38 58 38.8 E45 34 37.1
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.
Goujebel Caravanserai in Goouydaraq at N38 20 38.02 E46 51 48.06
Jamal Abad Caravanserai in Chowlaqlu at N37 16 18.89 E47 50 35.16

Fars province [capital = Shiraz]

Caravanserai in Izadkhast at N31 30 48.11 E52 7 59.54
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.
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.
Palace in Sarvestan
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.
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.
City of Persepolis @
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.
Archaeological site in Pasargad @
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.

Gilan province [capital = Rasht]

Titi Caravansary in Siahkal at N37 2 41.19 E49 54 8.05
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.
Hyrcanian Forests at N37 20 26.39 E55 43 32.3 + N37 25 17.3 E55 43 27.4
See above.

Hamedan province [capital = Hamedan]

Caravansary in Tajabad-e Sofla at N34 52 35.88 E48 13 14.62
Shah Abbasi Caravansary in Farasfaj at N34 29 16.68 E48 16 58.76

Hormozgan province [capital = Bandar Abbas]

Caravansary in Bastak at N27 11 54.6 E54 22 33.5

Isfahan province [capital = Isfahan]

Caravanserai in Maranjab at N34 17 56.89 E51 48 44.59
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.
Safavid (Gabr Ābād) Caravanserai in Kashan at N33 46 6.96 E51 29 22.29
Qanat in Vazvan
The aqueduct, which has acted as an underground barrier to contain groundwater and prevent water loss and water management, can hold a large volume of groundwater. Qanat of Vazvan is nearly 35 kilometers long. The most important feature of Qanat of Vazvan is the possibility of closing the aqueduct outlet in winter and the high-water storage for farmers' use in spring.
Sheikh Ali Khan chair siah caravanserai in Jahadabad at N32 52 5.37 E51 22 13.45
Abbasi Caravanserai in Gaz at N32 48 33.69 E51 36 33.56
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.
Caravanserai in Mahyar at N32 15 54.06 E51 48 35.04
Abbasi Caravanserai Aminabad in Esfarjan at N31 40 21.7 E52 4 6.41
Caravanserai in Kohpayeh at N32 42 48.35 E52 26 8.83
Caravanserai in Neyestanak at N32 58 16.34 E52 47 57.71
Qanat of the Moon in Ardestan @
Moon, Esfahan/Ardestan, dates possibly from 578 CE and is a two level qanat due to the impermeable type of clay soil. It runs for 3 km with 30 wells.
Qanat Mozd Abad in Sepideh
The diggers built an important feature which you can’t find in any other qanats in Iran, an underground soil dam! The dam, which forms an underground reservoir in the aqueduct and in the low seasons, still has plenty of water to harvest.

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.
Chah-e Karo Caravanserai near Dubinovka at N31 34 9.6 E56 51 0.61
Ganjali khan caravansarai/a> in Kerman at Ganjali Khan Square
Qanat of Gowhariz in Joupar
Qanat of Gowhariz was dug during Safavi period and is about 500 years old. It has 3556m length and 129 wells. It irrigates about 2 hectares affected by Joupar gardens.
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 @
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.
Qanat of Akbar Abad in Bam
See above

Kermanshah province [capital = Kermanshah]

Cultural Landscape of Uramanat in Mezran
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
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.
Safavid Caravansary in Bisotun at N34 23 04.32 E47 26 05.76

Khuzestan province [capital = Ahvaz]

Archaeological site in Shush
The excavated architectural monuments include administrative, residential and palatial structures.
Chogha Zanbil ziggurat in Khamat
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.
Sarai Afzal Caravansary in Shushtar at N32 2 38.26 E48 51 7.66
Historical Hydraulic System in Shushtar @
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
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.
Abdul Ghaffar Khan Historical Caravanserai in Bagh-e Sheykh at N34 59 26.99 E50 26 49.04

Lorestan province [capital = Khorramabad]

Caravanserai in Chameshk at N33 14 16.64 E48 12 40.81

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
Caravanserai in Mazinan at N36 18 28.36 E56 48 23.19
Caravanserai in Mehr at N36 17 4.53 E57 8 36.97
Shah Abbasi Caravanserai in Zafarāniyeh at N36 9 56.59 E58 5 10.43
Caravanserai in Fakhr-e Davud at N35 59 59.59 E59 18 48.55
Robāt-e Sharaf Caravanserai in Shurlukh at N36 15 59.65 E60 39 18.58
Abbas Abad Caravanserai in Taybad at N34 59 45.37 E60 43 6.12
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.
Caravanserai in Fakhr Ābād at N34 44 40.69 E58 3 19.39

Semnan province [capital = Semnan]

Shah Abbasi Caravanserai in Abbasabad at N36 21 40.39 E56 23 16.35
Caravanserai in Meyandasht at N36 25 41.27 E56 3 38.08
Caravanserai in Mayamey at N36 24 33.07 E55 39 11.88
Ahouvan Anoushiravan + Abbasi Ahovan Caravanserai in Ahevanu at N35 46 14.63 E53 43 56.54 + N35 46 13.94 E53 43 48.52
Qasr Bahram Caravanserai in Kavir National Park at N34 45 55.01 E52 10 37.69

Sistan and Baluchestan province [capital = Zahedan]

Burnt City of Shahr-i Sokhta
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 .
Carvansarai in Sarayan at N33 51 19.03 E58 31 4.86
Forty Bay (Chehel Pāyeh) Carvansarai in Tabas at N31 56 24.04 E57 8 25.47
Rabat Carvansarai in Deh-e Mohammad at N33 59 29.62 E56 58 45.04
Carvansarai in Robat-e Khan at N33 21 58.97 E56 4 13.49

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.
Shahr-e Jadid-e Parand Caravanserai in Robat Karim at N35 27 29.62 E50 58 28.55

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).
Shah Abbassi Caravanserai in Kafacherin at N38 27 57.6 E44 37 24.7
Monastery in Saint Thaddeus
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).

Yazd province [capital = Yazd]

Caravanserai in Meybod at N32 13 40.53 E54 0 33.1
Rashti Caravanserai in Aqda at N32 26 26.6 E53 37 51.79
Ardakan Caravanserai in Kharanaq at N32 20 41.81 E54 40 4.74
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 @
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
Qanat of Zārch is a plain qanat with a gallery length of 80 km, its mother well is 90 m deep and has more than a thousand well shafts.
Pahlavanpur Garden in Mehriz on Kerman Road
The distinctive point about this garden is its tall trees and its water stream which comes from the old nearby Hassan Abad qanat.
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.
Caravanserai in Zein-o-din at N31 24 42.69 E54 42 24.67

Zanjan province [capital = Zanjan]

Mausoleum of Oljaytu in Soltaniyeh @
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'.