This is the third post in my 3-post series about Iran. My first visit to Iran was in March 2007 when I visited Tehran and then travelled south to Esfahan, Shiraz and the desert around the town of Yazd. It was an unforgettable trip and I couldn’t wait to return. In February 2013 I flew back to Tehran and then took Mahan Airlines southeast to the town of Kerman where my Iranian friends awaited on my arrival. I then explored the south and then up to the northwest.
Start reading this 3-post story in the Northwestern Region, then the Central Region, and then the Southern Region (this post).
Go to ~ Northwestern Region
Go to ~ Central Region
Southern Region (You are here)
Kerman and the Kermani People
The town of Kerman is a 1,000 km train ride in a southeast direction from Tehran. Here you will find the lovely Kermani people known for their hospitality and their great talents in making Persian carpets and pateh weaving — a unique woven and needle-work handicraft.
Kerman (pop. 650,000) is the capital city of Kerman province famous for its long history and cultural heritage which is evident in its array of mosques, historic buildings, grand bazaar, and Zoroastrian fire temples. As a former capital of Persia, the earlier name for Iran, Kerman was home to many famous leaders. Today Kerman is also known for its clean streets, its bazaar, its food, and the most beautiful carpets and pateh.
Kerman’s most famous public space located in the heart of the city is the Ganj Ali Khan. The square and most surrounding buildings were built between 1596 and 1621 during the reign of Ganj Ali Khan, a prominent Safavid-era governor of Kerman, Sistan and Kandahar provinces. The square measures 99 m by 54 m and features several notable landmarks, including the Ganj Ali Khan Bathhouse, the Ganj Ali Khan Mosque, and the Bazar-e Ganj Ali Khan, all of which are fine examples of Safavid-era architecture.
The Bazar-e Ganj Ali Khan market complex consists of a large square, school, caravanserai, a now non-active bathhouse, an ‘ab anbar’ (water reservoir), a mint, a mosque and a bustling bazaar.
Ganj Ali Khan Square is not only a testament to Kerman’s rich history and cultural heritage but also a vibrant and dynamic public space that continues to play an important role in the city’s social and economic life. It serves as a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, with its bustling cafes, shops, and street performers adding to its lively atmosphere.
Bazar-e Ganj Ali Khan is a maze of covered alleys and passageways, with traditional shops selling everything from handmade carpets and textiles to spices, jewellery, and pottery. The architecture of the bazaar is a marvel to behold, with vaulted ceilings, intricate tilework, and beautiful courtyards. The bazaar is divided into different sections, each specializing in a particular type of merchandise.
One of the most notable features of the bazaar is the Ganj Ali Khan Timcheh, a beautiful two-story caravanserai located at the heart of the market. The Timcheh served as a trading center for merchants and traders and features a beautiful central courtyard with a large pool and a fountain. The copper and Persian carpet stores are just fabulous!
The Hamam-e Ganjali-khan (bathhouse) is located inside the Bazar-e Ganj Ali Khan. The bathhouse is a masterpiece of Iranian traditional architecture, with intricate tilework, domed ceilings, and arched doorways. The building is divided into three main sections: the dressing room, the hot room, and the cold room.
The dressing room is a large, spacious area where bathers would undress and prepare for their bathing ritual. The hot room, also known as the “garmkhaneh,” features a large, central heated pool, where the bathers would soak and enjoy the steamy atmosphere. The cold room, or “sardkhaneh,” is a cooler area where the bathers would rest and relax after their hot bath.
Hamam-e Ganjali-khan is no longer an active bathhouse but has been beautifully restored and now serves as a museum offering visitors a glimpse into the rich history and culture of Kerman. Visitors can see the original tilework, plasterwork, and brickwork that make this historic building so unique with several dummies showing what the daily bathing routine must have looked like.
Fancy an atmospheric meal? Head over to the Hamam-eVakil Chaykhaneh which is a magnificent subterranean teahouse located in the old Hammam-e-Vakil bathhouse built in 1820. Located in the Vakil Complex, the historic bathhouse is made of brick and plaster and features a central pool, a domed ceiling, and intricate tilework throughout. It has been beautifully restored into a traditional Persian tea house serving tea and pastries.
If you are lucky you may dine at the sounds of a musician playing the Persian santoor (santur). The Persian santoor is a trapezoid-shaped box often made of walnut wood and has 72 strings in 18 sets of four.
THE KALEH PACHEH RITUAL
My Kermani friends insisted that we had to be at the Kaleh Pacheh restaurant by 6 am as the food is extremely heavy on the stomach and should be consumed long before going to bed that evening! I was picked up at my hotel at 5:30 AM and off we drove for Kaleh Pacheh.
The restaurant was a “hole-in-the-wall” type. Small and very basic. The lone chef had his kitchen right at the entrance door and he had a metal pot, a very big metal pot, on the open fire. What we were going to have for such an early breakfast was sheeps-head. He skillfully dissected the skull and removed all the meat and other fleshy stuff and split them up into bowls. There were cheeks meat, tongue, chin meat, eyes, and of course the brain. Fortunately, I am a brain-lover and see no fear-factor in sheep brains or even the eyes. While at times the dish looked a bit strange, it goes down well with a piece of Iranian taftoon (bread) and tea.
Don’t think! Just eat and enjoy like the locals.
The Dasht-e Lut desert (the Kaluts)
Let us get into the depths of the Iranian deserts and follow the road from Kerman in an eastern direction towards the Afghanistan border. After about 150 km past the Zagros mountains (4,000 m) lies the vast otherworldly Dasht-e Lut desert where you could be wondering if you have stumbled into a lost city with miles of eroded towers, walls, and fortresses.
The Dasht-e Lut desert is known for its unique rock formations, towering spires and pinnacles of sand and rock, sand dunes, and extreme temperatures. These formations are the result of millions of years of erosion and geological activity and are considered one of the natural wonders of Iran.
Known locally as “the Kaluts”, it is among the hottest and driest places on earth where the temperature easily rises well above 50ºC. Camping (not during the cold winters) is possible though discouraged by some locals who fear the “desert pirates”.
Despite its harsh and unforgiving environment, the Kaluts is home to a number of hardy plant and animal species, including the Asiatic cheetah, one of the rarest and most endangered big cats in the world.
The Kaluts is the largest expanse of yardangs in the world. A yardang is a streamlined hill carved from bedrock and formed by wind erosion which removes the soft rock while the hard rock remains. While the Dasht-e Lut desert is vast, the Kaluts is concentrated over a smaller area where you can roam on feet, 4WD, camel, or with your scrambler bike. Get loose and feel the freedom!
Mahan
Nearby Mahan (37 km from Kerman) is home to the tomb of poet Shāh Ni’matullāh Wali (1330–1431). Shāh Ni’matullāh Wali was an Aleppo-born Syrian poet who settled in the Baloch region of Kerman province and is considered to be the founder of the Sufi order of Nimatullahi.
The Aramgah-e Shāh Ni’matullāh Wali mausoleum of this great Sufi leader dates back to the 15th century when it was partly built by an Indian king who was an adherent of Ahmad Shah Kani’s teaching. Some of the beautiful wooden doors that were brought from India still adorn the mausoleum.
The nearby Bagh-e Shahzde Garden (meaning Prince’s Garden) is a historical Persian garden located 6 km from Mahan on the road back to Kerman.
West of Mahan (23 km) is the village and farming community of Joopar (Jupar) where you can also get a glimpse of rural and village life in and around Joopar. One of the most notable structures at Joopar is the remnants of a towering defensive wall system fortifying the citadel. Other sites worth exploring include the impressive Imamzadeh-ye Shahzade Hossein mosque, and the Jupar Waterfall which is located on the northern slope of Mount Jupar.
Ancient Citadels: Bam and Rayen
A 3-hour train ride (190 km) south of Kerman goes to the oasis town of Bam which is most famous for the Arg-e Bam, an ancient citadel dating back around 2,000 years ago to the Parthian Empire (248 BC–224 AD). Most of the current buildings (or ruins) were built during the Safavid dynasty (1501 to 1722 AD).
Sadly, a shallow earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 struck on December 26, 2003, levelled much of Arg-e Bam and killed at least 30,000 people (half the residents of Bam) and injured an additional 30,000. Since the earthquake parts of the citadel have been rebuilt but some estimate the rebuilding won’t be completed until the year 2040.
Other sights in Bam are the mausoleum of Imam Zade Zeyd, the Mosalla Mosque (Friday Mosque), and the interesting bazaar.
A much better-preserved citadel in a similar design as the damaged Bam citadel is located at the village of Rayen which is 134 km north of Bam on the road back to Kerman. The Rayen citadel (also referred to as Rayen Castle or Arg-e Rayen) did not suffer during the 2003 earthquake and is still in good condition.
Founded during the Sasanian era (224 BC to 651 BC) and expanded during the Safavid era (1501 to 1722) it was inhabited until about 150 years ago and is extremely well preserved despite the numerous natural disasters.
Similar to the Arg-e Bam, the Arg-e Rayen is an adobe structure (usage of natural building materials such as sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material). The nearby Hezar Mountains (4,465 m) are a beautiful backdrop to the old citadel of Rayen.
☛ Read more:
All posts of Iran
The Northwestern Region
The Central Region
The Southern Region ~ you are here!
Kashan: A Desert City with a Rich Cultural Heritage
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.