Gazor Khan Village, Jewel of Alamut

Gazor Khan Village

Gazor khan village lies in Alborz Mountain, 110 km northeast of Qazvin city. The word “Gazor Khan” in the word means the laundry of elders and khans because numerous springs in the village have made this place a good one to wash. The livelihood of most people in the Gazor Khan village is through farming and animal husbandry activities. The scenery of cherry orchards in the spring, summer and autumn, looped alleys and old houses make a beautiful sign in mind which is an original pattern of former rural space. Of course, the handicrafts of villagers such as rug weaving and Jajim weaving are an important part of Gazor Khan.

Alamut Castle

Alamut, a Castle in Gazor Khan

This village, located at the bottom of the famous castle of Alamut, undoubtedly has a close link with Alamut Castle and its tense history. Alamut Castle was developed in the 11th century by the Ismaili missionary, Hassan-i Sabbah and his followers, and used as headquarters. The Alamut castle was strategically unreachable for Ismaili enemies with its four sides ending at the precipices. It consists of two parts: ‘up castle’ and ‘down castle’. The residence of Hassan-i Sabbah was in the ‘up castle’, which for 35 years led the Nizari Ismailis. They developed an irrigation network and planted many trees around the castle. Due to the presence of water, various medicinal herbs also began to grow in the area.

Alamut Castle

Gazor Khan Village

The most famous historical monuments

In Gazor Khan Village, there is a building consisting of an old mosque and a rectangular tomb that the inscription on the wall of the tomb shows the repair date of the building which reaches 1448 AD. When you open the door of the tomb, eighteen graves covered with plaster are placed side by side. The village elders believe that some of these graves may be the tomb of Ismaili leaders. More than anything else, the old plane tree in the middle of the square draws everyone’s attention. The age of this tree, which dates back to about a thousand years ago, unconsciously reminds Hassan-i Sabbah to us. Who knows, maybe Hassan-i Sabbah has planted this tree.

Alamut Castle

Alamut Castle

Andej Valley

Andej valley is one of the most spectacular areas around the Alamut Castle, which remembers the habitat of the early humans. The valley’s reputation is due to its cavernous rocks. The villagers say Ismailis monitored the Alamut Castle through Andej valley.

 

 

Modern-age Cave Dwellers in Kandovan

Kandovan

Kandovan is a cliff village near Tabriz, that is a fascinating place for travelers who can climb the steep steps to discover locals on your own.

Kandovan

About 60 km away from Tabriz lies Kandovan where exemplifies human-made cliff dwellings. It has a reputation of the rocky village which is still inhabited. Kandovan as troglodyte homes is similar to dwellings in the Turkish region of Cappadocia.

However, unlike Cappadocia, it is not a place only for visiting tourist. It is a village where life is going on. When you get closer to the area, these cones formed rock houses remind you of a large termite colony. This village with unique and hive-like architecture make any viewer curious to know what’s going on behind these cluttered cliffs.

Kandovan

Kandovan

The habitation of this village residents dates back to several thousand years ago when a group of people used the caves as a dwelling. Even after the fear and anxiety came to an end, many of the settlers decided to expand their homes and continue living in this village.

Kandovan has a minimal crowd of about 500 people. The houses consist of two to four stories as a living area, animal shelter, and storage. They need no supplemental heating or cooling because the rock acts as an energy efficient material. The rock keeps the house cool during summer and warm during winter.

These cave homes have been modernized with everything people need for living, and this is why inhabitants are known as modern-age cave dwellers troglodytes.

Things to do in Kandovan

It is a fascinating place for travelers who can climb the steep steps to discover locals on your own. Taking a stroll in Kandovan is an unforgettable experience due to distinctive rock-cut architecture. You can spend at least 2-3 hours having a look at cave shops providing local honey, dairy products, meat, and wool.

Women of Kandovan subsist by their handicraft such as weaving Kilims and colorful batik scarves. There is a beautiful natural spring which its water has been used for kidney stones treatment by locals.