About Kashan

A city in the desert

Kashan, is connected to Karkas Mountains from south and central deserts of Iran from north.
Kashan comes along with a few things in our memories: roses, herbal extracts, Qanats, architecture, people and more! The city hosts one of the oldest civilizations ever known called Tape’h Sialk which dates back to as early as the 4th millennium BC.
Kashan is famous for its textile, ceramics and pottery from Seljuks Period (AD 1051-1220) which are still at work. Shàr Bafi is the art of making silk and textiles! It’s a nice experience to watch the artisans doing their work and listen to the music of their machines while making the fabric.
Kashani architecture has a unique style, there is no single house with the same plan! Simple mud walls and complicated internal spaces! Boroujerdi House, Tabatabaian House and Abbasian House are a few examples! The other interesting layer of architecture’s engagement is the kind of spaces created by people and different communities which represent simple infrastructures and lifestyles but complicated relationships!
Sultan Mir Ahmad traditional bath, Fin garden which is one of the few remaining Persian gardens, Kashan’s Bazaar with its Timche Amin-alduleh which is a caravanserai with a beautiful dome where you can have your tea by Mammad Agha, are the other unique architectural spaces you can visit in Kashan.
Kashan makes one of the best examples of urban development by tourism in Iran. Government and the people participated together in this process. Alavi Street was the turning point of changes which hosts the most historical icons in Kashan now. Kashan hosted around 140,000 foreign travelers and tourists in 2017. But tourism and travelling culture is still new to the locals.
Kashan was almost demolished after an earthquake which happened around 250 years ago. People renovated their houses, neighborhoods and the whole city!
Kashan has one the most welcoming people in Iran, don’t be surprised if you find a Kashani sitting outside his house, eating watermelon and offering you some!
It’s beautiful to walk within its old fabric, in the narrow alleys and wander around the mud houses and small local markets called Gozar, like Gozar-e-taghi-khan, where you can find the Ustad Ahmad, who is a carpenter, Agha Namaki who is an arabesque artist and having his super market beside. While walking in these narrow alleyways, watch out for motor-bikes! They don’t want to harm you! But they might speed up![ that’s how they get excited] Kashan used to have a Qanat system [traditional water piping system] and permanent water springs which mad animal husbandry and agriculture part of their activities.
Roses which grow in this region are famous in the country and have helped the tourism industry in the last few decades. You will find rose-water, oil and drinks made by roses everywhere. Try Haji Badum and Kulucha (sweets from Kashan) with your rose-tea!
There are other places you can visit around Kashan.Niyasar is a village 1710 above the sea level.In Niyasar you will feel a big difference in weather conditions. There is a Sassanian-era fire temple, a Pathina-era cave built as a Mithraist temple and a waterfall nearby.
Qamsarwith its rose bushes is where you can find amazing rose gardens in April and enjoy the rose water celebration. They have a culture of Gol-Ghaltan which is to take a rose water bath for a new-born baby. And don’t miss an evening in Abu-zeyd Abad Desert for watching the sun set and rise again.

photo by Nader Rezaeeyan