Kashan.
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Overview

Kashan is a city in the Isfahan province of Iran. Kashan is the first of the large oases along the Qom-Kerman road which runs along the edge of the central deserts of Iran. Its charm is thus mainly due to the contrast between the parched immensities of the deserts and the greenery of the well-tended oasis. Archeological discoveries in the Sialk Hillocks which lie 4 km (2.5 miles) west of Kashan reveal that this region was one of the primary centers of civilization in pre-historic ages. Hence Kashan dates back to the Elamite period of Iran. The Sialk ziggurat still stands today in the suburbs of Kashan after 7000 years. After well-known Iranian historical cities such as Isfahan and Shiraz, Kashan is a common destination for foreign tourists because of its many historical sites.

Get in

By plane Kashan has its own airport, but the only flight that serves it as of April, 2019 connects the city with Mashhad. Other nearby airports are in Tehran and Isfahan.

By train Kashan is well-served by trains, as it's a stop on the main line between Tehran and Isfahan. There's up to 10 departures from per day in each direction. Additionally, overnight trains between Tehran and cities in central and southeastern parts of Iran, such as Yazd, Shiraz and Kerman.

By bus Kashan is situated around 250 km south of Tehran. A bus ride from Tehran's South Terminal (Terminal-e-jonub) takes at least three hours. From Isfahan, the distance is 220 km, there are frequent buses from the Kaveh terminal, 2.5 hours.

Buses tend to drop passengers at or , particularly for transit buses merely passing Kashan on their way to another destination. Expect enough taxis hanging around.

Get around

Most historical houses and the Agha Bozorg mosque can easily be reached on foot. For sights further outside the city, consider hiring a taxi.

See

Agha Bozorg Mosque. This historical mosque was built in the late 18th century by master-mimar Ustad Haj Sa'ban-ali. The mosque is not in use any more, the theological school in its basement is, however, active. It was here where Ustad Ali Maryam as a pupil started his career as a brilliant architect.

Fin Garden. One of the most beautiful historical gardens of the Middle East and the world. It contains Kashan's Fin Bath, where Amir-Kabir a famous vizier of Qajarid was murdered by the King Nasereddin Shah. It's the oldest garden in Iran, built in 1590, and covers 2.3 hectares with a main yard surrounded by ramparts with four circular towers. It is a Persian Paradise Garden, a type of garden that uses waterways to split the garden into four rectangles down the center. It's one of nine World Heritage Persian Gardens.

Kashan Bazaar. With its fantastic mudbrick architecture, it is one of the jewels of the city. Pay a small amount to one of the touts hanging around the bazaar and you will be led to the roof of the bazaar, where you can get an idea of the technical marvel of building such large structures from mudbricks and have a wonderful view over the old city.

Timcheh Amin-o-dowleh. Actually forming a part of the bazaar, this large structure was a caravanserai and has been renovated. Have a tea from the stand, take a break and look at the Iranian way of doing business here

Historical bathhouse. Old hammam beautifully transformed into a traditional coffee shop where you can take a rest, drink tea or smoke a shisha.

Sultan Amir Bath. Beautifully restored bathhouse, with lighting installed to make the impression even more memorable. Don't forget to ask for the stairs to the roof.

Boroujerdi ha Residence. The house of Boroujerdi, belonging to a trading family who migrated to Kashan, was built over a hundred years ago. The construction date can still be seen on the covered inscription of the building, completion of which took 18 years of work by tens of laborers, architects and master painters. Since exceptional attention has been paid to all minute architectural details demanded by the geographical and climatic conditions of the area, the house has attracted considerable attention of architects and recognition from Iranian and foreign scientific and technical teams.

Tabatabaie Residence. A large house with several courtyards, which once belonged to a wealthy merchant. Experience how well the wind towers work. It consists of delightful wall paintings with elegant stained glass windows and includes other classic signatures of Traditional Persian residential architecture such as biruni and andaruni.

Ameri-Ha (Amerian) House. Traditional house built in the mid-19th century during the Qajar era, the house is one of several large spectacular old houses in the central district. Like the other houses around it, it was re-built after Kashan was ravaged by a series of massive earthquakes in the 18th century. The house is now a boutique hotel.

Sialk Ziggurat. Claimed to be the world's oldest ziggurat, dating to the 3rd millennium BC.

Abbasian House. A large traditional historical house built during the late 18th century, the house is a beautiful example of Kashani residential architecture. It is said to have been the property of a famous cleric. It has six courtyards that would fit the needs of different families. One of the chambers has a ceiling designed with mirror pieces so as to give the impression of a starry sky under the nocturnal glitter of candlelight. The house is now a public museum.

Abu-Lu'lu'ah Shrine. Shrine of Abu-Lu'lu'ah (the assassin of Islam's second Caliph) was constructed in an eleventh century distinctive Persian-Khwarezmian dynastic architectural style, consisted of a courtyard, porch and conical dome decorated with turquoise coloured tiles, and painted ceilings.

Puppet and toy museum. If you are tired of historical houses, consider this cute museum showing some Iranian puppets and toys. Workshop included.

Ghal'eh jalali. Walled fortress with grass field inside.

Nearby , a famous, historic Iranian village is in Natanz County, near Kashan. With a unique reddish hue, the village is one of the oldest in Iran, attracting numerous native and foreign tourists year-round, especially during traditional feasts and ceremonies. The village has been called an entrance to Iranian history. The local clothing, for example, is in a style of great antiquity. An Abyunaki woman typically wears a white long scarf (covering the shoulders and upper trunk) which has a colourful pattern and an under-knee skirt. Even the most immediate villages' women have different dress style so that one could tell if she is from Abyaneh or not. Climb up a hill just outside the village to enjoy a fantastic view on Abyaneh. In the small town of , you can visit the fire temple dating back to Sassanian times, a man-made cave, a Qajar palace, a waterfall, a bathhouse from the Safavid era, a water mill, and the village itself, of course. While none of the attractions is overwhelming by itself, it is a leisurely half-day trip. In spring, the little town of is worth visiting. It is the biggest center in the Middle East for producing rose water.

It can be combined with a visit in the small town of Noushabad with its underground city (a shelter people dug to take refuge from the Mongolian invaders) and the mud castle and the Holy Shrine of Helal Ali in the town Aran va Bidgol.

Underground City Of Ouyi. Labyrinth of tunnels consisting of three underground floors. It was dug as a shelter to hide from the summer heat, but later was used as a hiding place at times of enemy invasions. Only a couple of hundred meters are accessible for the public, out of the tunnel's total 4 km. A guide fluent in English is likely to give more information. Two different entrances exist. Entrance 1 has the shortest tunnel length. Therefore, entrance 2 is more interesting. These are signposted in the village.

Maranjab desert sand dunes. Several square kilometres of sand dunes.

Namak Salt Lake. Salt lake close by to Maranjab desert. The salt lake is not that attractive unless it gets some water after the rain. Cannot be accessed with a normal car. You'll be stopped at the gate and will have to rent a 4x4 with driver.

Holy Shrine of Helal Ali. Huge mosque with inner square and graves of the marters of the Iran-Irak war outside.

Do

There are a few must-dos in Kashan: make sure to visit the traditional bazaar and walk around a bit in the neighbouring streets to catch the feeling of an Iranian town on the fringe of the desert. Make sure to visit Fin garden and, if you happen to visit Kashan in the right season, the rose gardens in the suburb. And, of course, visit one or two of the historical houses.

For many travellers, Kashan is the first stop after busy and noisy Tehran. It is well worth to plan an extra day in Kashan, as its traditional hotels, the tea houses, and its gardens will inspire you to linger around, take a rest and recharge your batteries. For this purpose, the attractions are best visited without a guide.

Buy

Carpet and rose water are the two well-known products of the city. You will see numerous shops trying to sell rose water and other aromatic liquids to tourists.

Eat

The traditional hotels of Kashan all have decent restaurants where lunch and dinner are available. Apart from this, there are traditional restaurants near the sights, and several garden restaurants line on the road next to Fin Garden. All of them serve Persian food only. Fast food shops can be found in all busier streets.

Mozaffari Restaurant. Traditional restaurant serving Kebabs and other Iranian dishes. Nicely decorated with carpets and a pond under a very high ceiling.

Manouchehri House. This little restaurant is part of the Manouchehri boutique hotel. It overlooks the inner courtyard with the fountain and is tastefully decorated. The menu changes daily and contains Iranian dishes with culinary ambitions. Expect better service and higher prices than elsewhere.

Abbasi Tea House & Traditional Restaurant. Traditional restaurant serving Kebabs and other Iranian dishes. Nicely decorated with carpets and a pond. Don't forget to admire the intricate woodwork of the ceiling. Some of the items on the menu don't carry prices, inquire or risk to be grossly overcharged.

Sleep

Kashan is a small town where the tourism infrastructure is not yet fully developed. Accommodation should be reserved well in advance if you travel in the tourism season. In the high season, locals offer private rooms.

Noghli House. Traditional house around a courtyard.

Sayyah Hotel. Double room quoted 1,600,000/1,300,000 rials with/without shower in the room, both including breakfast.

Golchehregan Guesthouse. Extremely small rooms with concrete floor.

Puppet Museum Hostel. Kashan’s unique “Puppet Museum Hostel” is a charming accommodation, a unique site of cultural preservation and also an academic passion project. In addition to being a museum, it’s the former house of Qajar-era poet and cleric Jafar Allameh Feizi, who was the descendant of the famous mystic Faiz Kashani. The hostel consists of seven, traditionally-decorated rooms all leading into a lovely courtyard.

Ehsan House. It's Kashan's first traditional house that was converted into a hotel, with a beautiful courtyard and free Wifi and breakfast. They have traditional rooms where you sleep on the floor, and rooms with bed. It is highly recommended to get a traditional room. Also ask one of the friendly staff to order traditional Iranian food (100,000-150,000 rial without rice). Be sure to book at least a day in advance as this place is very popular!

Manouchehri House. Traditional (or boutique) hotel with very nice and atmospheric interior located very close to the Bazaar. The inner courtyard with a water basin invites for relaxation in the afternoon. This house was renovated in a long process, pictures from the works are on display in the corridor. It is popular and often booked out, reserve ahead.

Mahinestan Raheb Traditional Hotel. Traditional house remodelled to be a premium hotel.

Iranian House Hotel. Boutique hotel.