Revival of the portion of the Silk Road that passes through North Khorasan Province in northeastern Iran will take up to 10 years, according to the director of the provincial Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department, Mohammad Savidanlouei. In the province, the road extends from the ancient ruins of Jorjan to Nishabour. Along the route, there are 10 caravanserais, eight of which are located in present-day North Khorasan, ISNA reported. Plans to restore the caravanserais are in the works as part of a comprehensive scheme to revive the road. As for now, caravanserais of Robat-Eshq, Qarabil and Qoli are being restored. “Between 20 and 30 billion rials ($600,000-$900,000) are required for restoration of each caravanserai,” he said. Savidanlouei noted that after the restoration of caravanserais, they will be nominated for inscription on the National Heritage List, which is a prerequisite for the inscription of the provincial Silk Road on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
