The Silk Road in Iran and the Persian Caravanserai The Silk Roads, as the oldest trading and communication network across the world, have connected many civilizations for millennia, bringing together peoples, cultures and economies. The roads provided a ground not only for the exchange of goods but also for the interactions of ideas and cultures that have shaped a part of our world today. The people living along the Silk Roads enjoy diverse cultures, religions and languages, and as a result of their interactions, they have influenced each other. The Silk Roads have created architectural elements related to their functions, which reflect regional techniques, arts and even beliefs. Such elements include caravanserais, navigation towers, water cisterns, qanats, mosques and even cities. The caravanserais in particular functioned as meeting points for travellers and places for merchants to conduct their business, trading goods and commodities. Furthermore, they were a place for scientists and many other scholars to exchange their knowledge and ideas. Such places could make it possible to discover new civilizations or to learn new languages. Today, many historic buildings and monuments still stand, marking the passage of the Silk Roads through caravanserais, ports and cities. But the long-standing and ongoing legacy of this remarkable network is also reflected in the many distinct but interconnected cultures, languages, customs and religions that have developed over millennia along these routes. Precious silk Even though a variety of valuable materials, goods and commodities were transported, sold and traded along the Silk Roads – precious stones such as agate and turquoise, spices, salt, medicine, jewellery, etc. – it was silk that captivated Western markets and civilizations from antiquity until the end of the 19th century. The reason behind the huge demand for silk went beyond its superlative quality and extensive use in the
The Silk Road in Iran and the Persian Caravanserai The Silk Roads, as the oldest trading and communication network across the world, have connected many civilizations for millennia, bringing together peoples, cultures and economies. The roads provided a ground not only for the exchange of goods but also for the interactions of ideas and
Top 5 Caravanserais in Iran to Stay at Iran (Persia) was on the main way of the Silk Road and this region was the host of many caravanners (traders, travelers, and writers) who traveled along with the Caravan. The word caravan historically comes from the Persian language meaning "group of desert travelers". But, the first historical caravanserai dates back to more than 2500 years ago during the Achaemenid era. Persian caravanserais got more popular when Shah Abbas ordered to make 999 caravanserais in Iran about 400 years ago. The usages of the caravanserai were like inns between two regions. They were temporary living quarters and also the hub for traders and a safe place to meet people. Nowadays many of those caravanserais are destroyed and the remaining are under renovation for usage in the travel industry. Some of them are renovated as boutique hotels which are a perfect choice for staying as your lodging in Iran. Here is the list of the most famous Iran Caravanserais to stay in: 1-Abbasi Caravanserai, Esfahan- Luxury Boutique Hotel Abbasi Caravanserai was built in 1750 by the order of Sultan Hussain one of the Safavid dynasty Shahs. He gave the Caravanserai as a gift to his mother. As of then the name of it was changed to Madar Caravanserai (Madar is mother in Persian). For some time in the Qajar dynasty, the national sugar company rented the place. They used it as storage and the transportation of cargo made significant damage to the building. But in the year 1958, this Iranian Caravanserai was restored by a private company. Under the watchful eyes of André Godard, it became the Abbasi Caravanserai. Some years later the company bought the near field to expand the business. Abbasi Caravanserai is located in the middle of Esfahan city.
Top 5 Caravanserais in Iran to Stay at Iran (Persia) was on the main way of the Silk Road and this region was the host of many caravanners (traders, travelers, and writers) who traveled along with the Caravan. The word caravan historically comes from the Persian language meaning “group of desert travelers”. But, the first
Sven Hedin in Iran Sven Anders Hedin, the Swedish geographer, topographer, explorer, photographer, and travel writer arrived by paddle steamer in 1886. He journeyed to Persia twice in 1886 and 1890. In 1887, Hedin published a book about these travels entitled Through Persia, Mesopotamia, and the Caucasus.Sven Hedin is Sweden’s greatest explorer and adventurer of all time. He was born in Stockholm in 1865 and decided to follow this path in his early teens. The first step in his career was in 1885 when he was just 20 years old. He had the opportunity to travel to Baku, Azerbaijan, to work as a private tutor for the son of a Swedish engineer in the Nobel-owned oil industry. When Hedin had fulfilled his duties as a tutor, he set out on a three-month journey through Persia – today’s Iran. This was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with Iran’s rich nature, history, and culture so much so he returned twice (Wahlquist 2007). Hedin’s second visit to Iran was as a member of the Swedish King Oscar II’s diplomatic mission to the Persian King Naser al-Din Shah in 1890. After the formal assignment was completed, Hedin followed the Shah to the Alborz Mountains and made a successful attempt to ascend Mount Damavand – a snow-capped volcano reaching 5,671 meters above sea level and also the highest mountain in the Middle East. This achievement constituted the basis for Hedin’s doctoral dissertation two years later. Before returning to Sweden, Hedin set off on a reconnaissance trip from Tehran towards Central Asia that took him all the way to Kashgar in westernmost China. Along this route, he got his first glimpse of Iran’s central salt desert, the Dasht-e Kavir. In the following decade, Hedin conducted two extended scientific expeditions focusing on the deserts
Sven Hedin in Iran Sven Anders Hedin, the Swedish geographer, topographer, explorer, photographer, and travel writer arrived by paddle steamer in 1886. He journeyed to Persia twice in 1886 and 1890. In 1887, Hedin published a book about these travels entitled Through Persia, Mesopotamia, and the Caucasus.Sven Hedin is Sweden’s greatest explorer and adventurer of
Iran Silk Road Iran was known as Persia during the Silk Road period. It was the main ring of the chain from East to West. It was strategically placed for the Silk Road trade with several routes passing through Iran’s ancient and beautiful country. Nowadays, Iran is no longer considered so famous for the Silk Road route compared to other central Asian countries. The Iranian tourism industry did not invest much time in marketing this interesting piece of history due to Iran being at the center of several difficult issues during the last 40 years. Despite this unfortunate drawback, Iran is firmly back on the map. Thanks to its attractiveness, and numerous ‘little-explored’ parts of this amazingly diverse country, there is so much to offer experienced travelers wishing to journey through Iran’s part of the Silk Road route which runs from China to Turkey. One of the main highlights of the Iran Silk Road is seeing the many historical sites alongside this route. In Iran’s Silk Road, there are plenty of ancient castles, caravanserais, citadels, and mosques that date back over a thousand years. There are a huge number of caravanserais, a lot of which have been renovated as boutique hotels. In addition, there are numerous oases in use in the Deserts of Iran on the original path of the Silk Road. These areas are still inhabited. The names of a couple of them are mentioned in the books of Alfons Gabriel and Sven Hedin who crossed the Iran desert about 100 years ago. In the Iran Deserts article, we also recommended adventurous individuals should visit Iran’s deserts to enjoy the countless attractions on offer. Iran has many caravanserais, many of which have been destroyed, and some of them still remain in their original form. Some of them have
Iran Silk Road Iran was known as Persia during the Silk Road period. It was the main ring of the chain from East to West. It was strategically placed for the Silk Road trade with several routes passing through Iran’s ancient and beautiful country. Nowadays, Iran is no longer considered so famous for the Silk
Kavir National Park Dasht-e Kavir Desert Kavir National Park is part of Dasht-e Kavir Desert, the biggest desert in Iran. It is a specifically protected area located in the south-east of Tehran province and east of the two cities of Qom and Kashan. It is also situated in the west of the Dasht-e Kavir Desert. The distance from Tehran is 120 kilometres. Mount Siahkuh, (Black Mountain), is a large, semi-circular rock outcropping located roughly in the park's centre. The Iran Environmental Organization protects the wildlife and seasonal birds that live around this mountain. The famous Asiatic cheetah, Persian zebra, mountain wild goat, jackal, desert fox, hyena, wild cat and panther are registered on the park wildlife list. Eagle, pheasant, flamingo, geese and crane are just some of the birds inhabiting this national park. Also, the area has valuable flora and fauna reserves. Kavir National Park was on the route of the Ancient Silk Road made famous in the books of the renowned travel writers, Alfons Gabriel and Sven Hedin. Centuries ago, it was the route of caravans and merchants who crossed this part of the desert for trading. Still in existence are a couple of the crucial caravanserais inside this national park. Shah Abbasi caravanserai, (Gasre Bahram), is one of them that has been renovated and used as temporary accommodation. Adventure Iran has a number of trekking, mountain biking and 4x4 desert safari tours in this region. In addition, our famous cycling tour, Cycling through the main highlights of Iran, also passes through Kavir National Park. As the park is registered on the list of Iran’s National Parks, a permit for each traveller is required to enter and which needs to be applied for in advance. https://www.adventureiran.com/maranjab-desert/ https://www.adventureiran.com/dasht-e-kavir/
Kavir National Park Dasht-e Kavir Desert Kavir National Park is part of Dasht-e Kavir Desert, the biggest desert in Iran. It is a specifically protected area located in the south-east of Tehran province and east of the two cities of Qom and Kashan. It is also situated in the west of the Dasht-e Kavir Desert.
Iran Deserts Iran DesertsThe deserts in Iran are probably its main attraction. These deserts are vast and spectacular covering 25% of the entire country. The two main ones are Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, both being gigantic. Dasht-e Kavir, also called Kavir Desert, Iran Central Desert, or in Persian Kavir Markazi-e Iran is situated to the south of the Alborz Mountains approximately in the center of Iran. Lut Desert also called Dasht-e Lut, Kavir-e Lut or Dasht-e Lut Desert is situated in the south-east of Iran. It is also one of the two UNESCO natural sites of Iran that were registered in 2016. You might have visited deserts in other parts of the world but, by comparison, Iran’s deserts are a combination of them all in terms of natural attractions. They are made up of sand dunes, flat desert areas, salt lakes, dry lakes, wetlands, rock formations, canyons, rivers, various mines, birds, animals, flora, caves, high mountains and diverse coloured soils surrounded by villages. It’s possible to find a cluster of oases with agricultural areas in the middle of nowhere where you never thought there could be water. People still follow their customary way of life and live in their traditional houses. There are numerous citadels in these deserts dating back to over one thousand years. There is also an abundance of historical villages with special desert lands and Persian architecture built several hundred years ago. There are countless ancient Qanat “underground water channel systems” in many of Iran’s deserts dating back thousands of years. The Persian Qanat was registered in 2016 in the UNESCO heritage sites of Iran, which is one of Iran's historical phenomena. Persian cuisine is another attraction of our deserts, as you can find a wide variety of Iranian food on every corner. As you may
Iran Deserts Iran DesertsThe deserts in Iran are probably its main attraction. These deserts are vast and spectacular covering 25% of the entire country. The two main ones are Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, both being gigantic. Dasht-e Kavir, also called Kavir Desert, Iran Central Desert, or in Persian Kavir Markazi-e Iran is situated to
