Kerman

Kerman the capital of Kerman province, located in an altitude of 1.860 m above sea level and 1.062 KM to the south of Tehran, is the wonderful place.

The town is situated close to the wastes of Dashte-Lut, from which it is separated by a range of mountains. Its name is probably derived from the tribe of Germanioi listed by Herodotus. Believed to have been founded in the early 3rd century AD by Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanian dynasty. It was from the 7th century ruled in turn by the Arabs. By Buyids, the Seljuks the turkamans, and the Mongols.

Town has Zoroastrian minority altogether much smaller than that in Yazd.

The pistachio, grown principally in the Rafsanjan-Kerman area, is the most popular nut in Iran, though walnuts, almonds and hazel nuts are also eaten.

Most of the ancient Kerman was destroyed in 1794 earthquake, and the modern Kerman radiates from two squares (Azadi and Shari`ati), and all the monuments of interest lie between these two.

 

Sights to See

• Jam`e Mosque (Friday Mosque)
  Known also as the masjid-e jam’e, this 14th century AD Friday mosque appropriately the greatest structure of the city is just of the main square (Shohada). It is designed on the classical Iranian model of four Ivans.

 

• Khajeh Atabeig Mausoleum
  The historic mausoleum of Khajeh Atabeig is a twelfth century building (Seljuk Period) in the south east of Kerman, near Masjid-e Bazaar.

 

• Gonbad-e Jabalieh
  Also know as the Gonbad-e Gabri and Jabal-e sang is an enormous tower standing quite on its own.
  It is of octagonal design and comprises three floors crowned by a rather flat dome, totally empty inside, it appears to predate the 2nd millennium AD and may have been a Zoroastrian building constructed remarkable because of being constructed of stone rather than the more usual brick.

 

• Gonbad-e Moshtaghieh
  It’s standing to the east of masjid-e Jam’e. Gonbad-e Moshtaghieh of the early nineteenth century (Qajar period), is also know as the Seh Gonbad. It has got very fine tile decorations in its interior.

 

• Ganj Ali Khan Bath
  Ganj Ali Khan Bath & ethnological museum
  is a building houses an interesting exhibition of good waxworks of men in various poses and costumes set in a traditional but no longer operational bath-house.

 

• Vakil Bazaar
  The extensive regent’s Bazaar, constructed of beautiful and well-preserved brick, much of it from the Safavid period, largely of interest for its architecture rather than for the range of goods. Although there are a few metalwork shop selling brass trays and the like noisily hammered into shape on site. Built by Mohammad Ismail Khan, Vakil ol-Kerman from 1859 to 1866, the Vakil caravansary with it’s attractively tiled walls adjoin the main Vakil Bazaar.

 

• The Anglican Church of St Andrew
  The original building founded by British missionaries was destroyed in a recent earthquake, but with great effort the tiny congregation built a new church in stone in the mid ‘80s.

 

• San`ati Museum
  Ali Akbar San’ati Zadeh. The celebrated Iranian master painter was one of the children trained here, and his works can be seen on display beside other sculptures and painting in this orphanage.

 

Excursions around Kerman

• Bam
  The historical Bam in an altitude of 1000 m, is half-dead, half-living town 195 km to the southeast of Kerman. Once a famous citadel and a strategic stronghold, the old Bam has been built on a huge rock mass at the northeast of the living town and is a city molded in the red clay of the great Iranian desert, Arge- Bam “meaning Bam citadel, 300 m long and 200 m wide consisting of two parts. It is similar to a large medieval European castle, except that the material is not stone but brick. It is surrounded by a more than three-kilometer long crenellated wall supported by dozens of towers for the defense of the town.
  Unfortunately most of the citadel was destroyed in 2004 earthquake.

 

• Mahan
  35 km south of Kerman on the Bam road, renowned for the sanctuary of a saintly person said to have lived for a hundred years, from 1331 to 1431: Shah Sufi and founder of nematollahi order of dervishes, who are quite numerous in Iran and meet in the sanctuary of Mahan.

 

• Prince Garden
  An attractive garden from the Qajar period, called baghe- tarikhi (historical Garden). The combination of delightful scenery and the charm of its mausoleum are very restful.