Zoroastrian News - اخبار زرتشتیان

... A Zoroastrian fire temple datable to the Safavid era, three castles, an Imamzadeh (mausoleum) and eight mosques are among Abyaneh's many historical buildings. ...

Unique architecture and lifestyle have turned Iran’s historical village of Abyaneh into a living museum which attracts the eye of all beauty lovers.

Located at the foot of mount Karkass and 70 kilometers to the southeast of the city of Kashan in Isfahan Province, the picturesque village is surrounded by beautiful snow-covered peaks.

Even today, in the 21st century the village seems untouched by time and its inhabitants still dress in traditional attire.

Wearing floral scarves and pleated pants, the women of Abyaneh sell handicrafts, dried nuts and homemade snacks in the village’s many narrow alleys.

Houses, built on the mountain slope and arranged in a stair-step shape, have created a breathtaking view of unparalleled red-clay buildings.

The architecture of Abyaneh is a replica of Masouleh village in northern Iran, which is also one of the country’s popular tourist attractions.

The buildings face east and are constructed in a manner that the roofs of the houses built lower on the slope serve as the courtyard of the higher ones.

The roofs are made of timber, straw and clay, while the walls are built with red mud bricks, which become harder when exposed to rain.

The wooden doors have two knockers and are adorned with beautiful carvings of the owner or the architect’s name and sometimes poetry.

Many houses have a small platform beside their door, which serves as a resting place for weary passers-by.

Although the houses are not very spacious, the architecture of the rooms shows great thought and consideration behind their build.

Winter and summer rooms are constructed in a fashion that reduces fuel waste. There are also several small openings in the roofs providing equal light for all parts of the rooms.

The village is constructed to protect its inhabitants from strong winds and floods.

A Zoroastrian fire temple datable to the Safavid era, three castles, an Imamzadeh (mausoleum) and eight mosques are among Abyaneh’s many historical buildings.

Abyaneh’s Friday Mosque which dates back to the Seljuk era (1038-1194), has many archeological elements resembling Persepolis.

Its unique wooden mihrab is covered with stunning carvings of Qur’anic verses.

Abyaneh is currently pending UNESCO’s approval to be registered as a World Heritage site.