09 05 2007 - Abyaneh; Entrance to Iranian History

Abyaneh - A hidden treasure from (A. Melikian

Abyaneh; Entrance to Iranian History
Dear Friends:
Abyaneh is a famous historic Iranian village near the city of Kashan in Isfahan Province, 375 km southwest of Tehran.
With a unique reddish hue, the village is one of the oldest in Iran, attracting numerous native and foreign tourists year-round, especially during traditional
feasts and ceremonies.
Abyaneh has been called an entrance to Iranian history. The local clothing, for example, is in a style of great antiquity.
On top of the village sits the ruins of a Sassanid era fort.
Here's a photo album of this historic village.
Regards, Farrokh (Frank) Javid
www.Khorsheed.com - Daily Edition, 10 Mar 2007
Let us hear your comments please. editorial@khorsheed.com

Abyaneh is a village of living traditions, architectural styles, and probably the most interesting
example of human adaptation to nature.The village is compact, with narrow and sloped lanes, and houses located on the slope as if placed on a stairway.

Here, the roofs of some houses used to serve as the courtyard for other houses higher up on the slope. There are a good number of Islamic and Zoroastrian buildings in the village, all worth a careful
visit.

Located on the northwestern slope of Karkas Mount and 28 km distant from Natanz, Abyaneh enjoys a mild climate. The customs and traditions of the people as well as the buildings in Abyaneh afford a good picture of old Iran. The UNESCO has registered Abyaneh as a historical village.

Abyaneh is like a living architectural and anthropological! museum. It affords an impressive exponent of the adaptation of man with his environment. Being located 2500 meters above sea level, Abyaneh
is watered by the river Barzrud. It has a cold climate.

Abyaneh dates back to antiquity, but its golden age was during the Safavid period (1501 to 1722.)
The village is expanded along the river and its configuration indicates that in the past the people were much concerned about their security. There're three castles that protected people when enemy attacked.

The walls of the village built by red mud bricks are impressive. The mud bricks are of quality that
become harder when they are exposed to the rain. To use the sun as much as possible, the houses face the east.

The doors, most of which have two knockers, are wooden and built in traditional styles. There are
beautiful patterns, poems and the names of the owner and mason carved on some doors.
These poems show a good picture of the old Iranian culture. Many facades date back to Safavid period.

The materials used for building the roofs are timber s, straw and clay.One of the impressive aspects
of Abyaneh's architectures is that the houses are uniform in appearance. Many of them have small
platforms providing place for passers-by or local residents to rest for a while.

The language spoken by local residents is Pahlavi-e Dari. The language was used many centuries
ago by the Parthians who lived in an ancient country to the southeast of the Caspian Sea, now a part of northeast Iran.

In addition to natural beauties, there are several historical monuments in Abyaneh, all of these attract many tourists to visit the village. Now, review the above pictures.
It is like walking in the alleys of history in the 21st century.

V.V