Kashan - Capital of Rose Water
The oasis city of Kashan is the capital of rose water. In May, when the small Damascene roses are blooming in the large fields around Kashan, the air is filled with their fragrance. Kashan's rose water is considered to be one of the best in the world. But the city has much more to offer.
History
5th millenium BC
The
sources in the nearby mountains, which still irrigate the Bagh-e Fin
today, attracted early first settlers. Excavations at the Tepe Sialk
hill about 4 km outside the city are attributed to the 5th millennium
BC.
0 AD
According to legend, the three holy kings set out from Kashan for Bethlehem.
Agha Bozorg Mosque
This mosque with its attached medresseh is one of the most beautiful in
Iran. It is quite impressive with its clear, simple architecture made of
mud bricks.The mosque was built during the reconstruction of the city
after the devastating earthquakes in the late 18th century.
When you
enter the mosque you will face the main building with its iwan flanked
by the two slender minarets and an elegant mud brick dome. The cupola
room, which is open on the sides, is painted in delicate pastel shades
and radiates a tranquillity of its own. The large sunken courtyard with a
garden and a water bassin is where the rooms of the madresseh are
located.
Khaneh-e Tabatabai
This spacious estate of a rich merchant family dates from the 19th century. The numerous buildings are grouped around several inner courtyards and have many iwans and niches that invite to make a pause. The tasteful wall paintings are particularly impressive. The main courtyard has a large water basin dominated by an elegant wind tower (badgir).
Khaneh-e Borujerdiha
Another beautiful merchant's house is the house of the Borujerdiha
family. The courtyard with its sand-coloured walls, its olive-green
trees and the snow-white wind tower against the blue sky is fabulously
beautiful.
The large cupola hall inside the house with its glittering
mirror tiles and magnificent stucco decorations and medallion painting
is particularly impressive.
Hamam Sultan Amir Ahmad
This lovingly renovated, magnificent bathhouse dates back to Safavid area and is around 400 years old. It is one of the most beautiful bathhouses in Iran and captivates with its ornate wall paintings, tasteful glazed tiles and the balanced architecture of its central hall.
Beautiful interior of the hamam
Bagh-e Fin
The Bagh-e Fin is possibly the oldest Persian garden in Iran still existing. It seams that already during Achaemenid times in the 6th century BC there was a garden at that place. The required water was brought in from the nearby mountains by means of underground qanats. Later, the Safavid Shah Ismail I is said to have held receptions in the magnificent complex. In the barren, desert-like landscape, the Bagh-e Fin with its tall, dark green cypresses is visible from far away. In the center of the park there is a Qajar-style garden pavilion with a water channel flowing right through the building.