The historical Shah Abbasi caravansary sitting in Karaj, Alborz Province, opened to the general public on Monday during a ceremony attended by government officials.
The building was restored by Touring and Automobile Club of Iran at a cost of 30 billion rials ($0.7 million) to help the province find a position in the tourism industry as well as generate jobs for locals, IRNA reported.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ramin Afshari, director of TACI, underlined the historical value of the structure, adding that it is capable of turning into the province’s tourism hub.
“The complex has created jobs for over 100 people,” he said, hoping that the doors of the caravansary will always remain open to enthusiasts.
According to Afshari, the 3,000-square-meter indoor space of the caravansary contains halls, traditional restaurants and handicrafts stalls.
Additional folk music performances and handicrafts exhibitions are also among the programs to attract more visitors.
Shah Abbasi Caravanserai, dating back to the Safavid era (1501-1722), is a brick-stone structure covering over 3,000 square meters of area. Throughout history, the building has served as an army base and even a school besides a caravanserai.
Shah Abbasi is one of the 450 historical sites inscribed on the list of National Heritage Sites in 1977.
Global Attention
Meanwhile, renewed attention is directed to another key historical site in the province, Yengi Emam complex in Savojbolagh County.
Also addressing the ceremony, Fakhreddin Saberi, head of the provincial office of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, announced that UNESCO has expressed willingness to financially back the restoration of the heritage site.
“A budget of four billion rials ($95,000) has been recently allotted by ICHHTO for the restoration of the historical site, that will be added to the noticeable fund promised by UNESCO,” the official said, not providing details on the amount of the global donation.
Covering an area of 3,000 sqm, “the complex will play a key role in promotion of tourism in the province once revived”, he added.
Yengi Emam historical complex is located in a village of the same name in Savojbolagh County. The complex, comprising a caravansary, an archaeological site and a mosque, dates back to late Safavid era.
Unfortunately the caravansary has undergone detrimental modifications and the only original part remaining is its eastern exterior part.
It is of great historical significance as evidenced by detailed glowing reviews in Iranian and foreign travelogues.
The Yengi Emam Mosque, which was inscribed as a national heritage site in 2002, has been restored twice in Qajarid era (1789-1925) and more recently in 1968.
The third valuable site in the village is the archaeological site, located not so far from the mosque and caravansary. The traces of beautiful architecture and building designs in the era can still be found as ruins.
A number of ancient clay dishes and other relics have also been unearthed within the complex during archaeological excavations.
Underrated Destination
Kheirollah Tarkhani, deputy for security, cultural and political affairs at the province’s general governorate, emphasized the key location of Alborz, which connects several provinces and said the area deserves much more attention in terms of tourism.
“Rarely has anyone ever noticed Alborz’s natural and historical attractions,” the official lamented.
Travelers mostly cross Alborz Province heading for other destinations, chiefly in the north of Iran, only leaving air pollution and traffic jams behind for the residents. In other words, it has served as a passageway for travelers without reaping the benefits of tourism.
“Taleqan, for instance, and Amirkabir Dam on Karaj River are untapped potentials of the province that have long been neglected when it comes to domestic tourism,” Tarkhani said.
Absorbing Iranian and foreign investors can help elevate the province’s position in tourism.
In line with the efforts, villagers in Alborz will receive low-interest loans to renovate their local houses to be used as guesthouses, to boost ecotourism in the environmentally-rich province.
Located in the northwest of Iran, Alborz Province has always been hidden behind the thick shadow of the neighboring Tehran, remaining deprived of the deserved attention by senior officials of any sector, including tourism.
