May 24, 2021 The natural and cultural heritage registration plates were unveiled in the city of Shaft in Gilan Province, the northern province’s Cultural Heritage, 5 Tourism and Handicrafts Department said, CHTN reported.

welcometoiran.com safarzon.com welcometoiran.com haranaq Village, located in the central province of Yazd, is a very old tant in terms of archeology. It has a defending wall, a tower, a gate, and a ditch. village, even older than the city of Yazd, according to some people. Kharanaq Castle, Kharanaq , Tomb of Mashhadak, a watermill, Kharanaq Caravanserai was established in Qajar Era. It was built on one K Located in County, the village is situated between the a bathhouse, and an ancient mosque are among the most important monuments floor on a flat piece of land, based on Safavid-era architectural style. mountains and the desert. It has green plains and mild weather in the summer of the village. The villagers’ main jobs are farming and gardening. There are a few women and cold winters, iranwonders.com wrote. There is a high brick-shaking minaret above the mosque that is 15 meters weaving carpets in the village. The main products of the village are wheat, The village consists of two parts, old and new. The old part is vacant and the higher than the roof and its diameter is two meters. It is the highest construc- barley, cotton, carrot, and melon. In some seasons the residents of the village people of the village live in the new section. tion in the area and it has been used as a watching tower and a lantern home. It work in mines and building construction projects, because there are not enough The village has also been called “Khouranaq” which means the Sun’s birth- can be easily shaken by hand. lands for farming, and the village is facing with water shortage problem. place. Kharanaq has several millennium-old monuments, so it is very impor- The Kharanaq Castle dates back to 4,500 years ago, according to dornatrip.com. It is advised to visit this village on your trip to .

Radkan Tower, a sophisticated astronomical tower built in Islamic Golden Age

Strong some 100 feet tall on a hillock in northeastern , this curi- helping found the pioneering observatory at Maragheh, Azarbaijan, ous cylindrical tower was long assumed to be an ancient tomb, or which, along with the Radkan Tower, collected invaluable informa- perhaps a beacon guiding travelers in the area. In fact, it’s likely it tion about the stars and sky during a period of remarkable scientific was something much more spectacular. discovery. Thanks to the discoveries of an archeo-astronomer, it’s now be- The tower has 12 walls corresponding to the 12 months in a year, lieved the Radkan Tower was an incredibly sophisticated instrument with 36 columns around the exterior, topped with a conical roof. On of astronomical science built nearly 800 years ago, atlasobscura.com the days of the solstice and equinox each year, the Sun is aligned wrote. perfectly to shine through the doors on opposite sides of the tower. The yellow-brick tower dates to the mid-13th century and was It’s also believed the structure can determine the beginning of the created by one of the greatest Persian scholars of the age, Nasired- four seasons, leap years, and the start of Norouz, the Iranian New MOHAMMAD GHAFOURIAN din Tusi. A polymath, scientist, and astronomer, Tusi is known for Year. Andromeda Galaxy over Radkhan Tower

Azna Snow Tunnel, a part of Iran’s extremely diverse landscape in summer

either side so close to noon sunlight. a mostly dry climate and is an arid land. Well, The deep valleys encircle the town like a child The town of Azna is at a distance of 82kms not so much. This spectacular frozen tunnel is in its mother’s lap and call out to nature lovers from the center of the province, at the foot- a part of Iran’s extremely diverse landscape to come to their loving side. hills of the mountain of Oshtoran-Kuh. Azna and is located in Lorestan Province. Although “Azna-Darreh” is one of the most pictur- is the birthplace of natural wonders and the not many have seen or heard about it, adven- esque valleys of Oshtoran-Kuh. most beautiful wildlife. The town experiences ture and geological photographers go wild Together with its vegetation, birds, wildlife, cold winters and moderate summers. About taking pictures of this mysteriously beautiful springs, and snow-filled rivers, it is encircled 600 years ago the Armenians immigrated to ever-frozen tunnel. with high, daunting Rocky Mountains. One of this area, forming the village of Azna. High peaks scratch the surface of the murky the valleys leading to the Oshtoran-Kuh peak For Iran’s first-time visitors, the existence sky to let the rays of the Sun shine through is covered with snow all year, every year, of the Azna Snow Tunnel is often hard to be- the rocky mountains on the age-old snow and from the year before, and new snow in the lieve as many of the travelers believe Iran has take a thousand colors like a fanciful flight. winter. In the spring and summer, the snow softens and water begins to flow underneath the top snow in the valley. When checking out this destination, make sure you’re carrying a good source of lighting. The tunnel has a few bends, so even if you’re there during the daytime, your pictures may not turn out as crisp as you’d want them to. Maybe waterproof shoes should be on your list too as there’s a stream of water, caused by the mountain’s melting snow, running through iranparadise.com it. You must also know that visiting at night, Azna Snow Tunnel, one of the most spectacu- and summer, iranparadise.com wrote. is a whole other story. As if the concept of a lar landscapes in western Lorestan Province, On the slopes of Oshtorankuh, locally tunnel with a ceiling covered in snow in the has been created by the accumulation of thou- known as the Iranian Alps, the landscape middle of Iran’s summer wasn’t enough! Both sands of tons of snow in the hills of the moun- is visited annually by hundreds of tourists, experiences are very unique, the time you tain of Oshtoran-Kuh over many years. climbers, and nature lovers. visit just depends on what kind of feel you’re Located near to the city of Azna, the snow Oshtoran-Kuh Protected Area is favored by looking for. tunnel, as a natural monument, was added to most nature tourists interested in visiting this It’s also good to know that this tunnel’s National Heritage List in 2019. natural resort. On the way to the snow tunnel, doors aren’t always open. It’s only really open The length of the tunnel is over 800 meters you reach Azna-Darreh which is one of the to travelers visiting during the spring, sum- and its height from the floor of the tunnel to most beautiful valleys of Oshtoran-Kuh with mer, and fall seasons. Any time during winter the ceiling is between 2.5 and three meters. various plants, animals, springs, and streams would be impossible, as the amount of snow-

This snow tunnel can be visited only in spring of snow, tall and quite perpendicular rocks on iranparadise.com fall in the region is tremendous!