Renowned
over the centuries for its ceramic tiles, potter)
textiles, carpets and silk, Kashan is an attractive
oasis town and also the birthplace of the famous poet
Sohrab and the artist Sepehria. Kashan is also of
interest for its connections with Shah Abbas it was
favorite town of his, and he beautified it and asked to
be buried here. There are a surprising number of things
to see in and around Kashan, so it's an ideal place to
stop for a day or two.
History
recent excavations date the original inhabitants of the
area to the Achaemenian period (559-330BC),while some
buildings have been dated as early as the Sassanian
period (224-637 AD) Kashan was all but destroyed during
the Arab invasion (637),and by various earthquakes,
though, thankful a few ancient relics and building
survived.
Kashan once again prospered during the Seljuq dynasty
(1051-1220),and became famous for its textiles and
pottery. The rampaging Mongols came next, and Kashan was
devastated again. It regained some former glory during
the Safavid dynasty (1502-1722), some rulers and kings
preferring to live in Kashan than the capital, Isfahan.
These days, Kashan is overshadowed by Isfahan, but it
retains some real charm and history.
Fin Garden (17th
century)
This famous and very beautiful garden, with its pools
and orchards is a highlight of Kashan. Designed for Shah
Abbas 1st, this classical Persian vision of paradise has
always been prized for its natural springs and Still
curtains the remains of his two storey place. The garden
has other Safavid royal buildings, though tape have been
substantially rebuilt, and others were added in the
Ghajar period. The palace is also infamous as the sight
of the murder in 1852 of the revered Mirza Taghi Khan,
commonly known as Amir Kabir.
Borujerdies House (Khan-e Borujerdiha)
Originally built as a private residence in the early
19th century, this museum contains charming wall pain
tings and a lovely court yard. The house is most famous
for its odd, complicated series of wind tunnels which
manage to capture the occasional breath of wind.
Sialk Hill
This is probably the richest archaeological site so far
uncovered in central Iran, though the most interesting
finds have beet moved to various institutes and museums,
including the National museum of Iran in Tehran, and the
Louver in Paris. A large number and variety of pottery
and domestic implements, made from stone, clay and bone
from as early as the 4th millennium BC, have been
discovered at the site.
Abyaneh
One
of the more fascinating villages in the country has to
be Abyaneh. Most of what remained intact from the
ravages of time and invading armies dates to the Safavid
period (1502-1722), and most of the inhabitants were
Zoroastrians, but later converted to Islam. Serenely
situated at the foot of Mt Karkas (3899m), Abyaneh is
cool in summer, and frightfully cold for the rest of the
year. The location of Abyaneh is fascinating in itself
the village faces the east for maximum sun and was built
high to minimize the effects of floods and howling gales
in winter and the
houses were built in a huddle to increase their security
against frequent raids by marauders. This beautiful
village is recognized for its antiquity and uniqueness
by. |