Plans unveiled to restore historic Sheybani Citadel in Mazhan
Plans for the restoration, revitalization, and future use of the Sheybani Citadel in the city of Mazhan, South Khorasan Province, have been placed on the agenda, officials said.
During a meeting with Ali Darabi, Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Seyyed Hassan Hashemi, the parliamentary representative of Birjand, said the historic fabric of Khusf has been nationally registered and includes the Sheybani Citadel, which is in urgent need of restoration and revitalization, mehrnews.com wrote.
Hashemi also raised the issue of safeguarding nationally registered gardens in the province that are under the ownership of the Endowments and Charity Affairs Organization (Awqaf), stressing the importance of their proper protection and preservation.
For his part, Darabi highlighted South Khorasan Province’s international attractions, noting that the province is home to 10 globally-registered elements, seven of which fall within the cultural heritage sector. These include serial nominations such as Persian gardens, qanats, and caravanserais, as well as the traditional Tow-Bafi weaving art of Khorashad village in the handicrafts category, the target tourism village of Esfahak, and the Tabas Geopark.
Darabi added that the global registration of ancient windmills (Asbads) in Khorasan Razavi, South Khorasan, and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces is also on the agenda, noting that South Khorasan Province hosts the largest number of these historic structures.
The restoration, revitalization, and utilization of the Sheybani Citadel in Mazhan were among the key topics discussed during the meeting.
Alimardan Sheybani, the owner of the Qajar-era Sheybani Citadel, said the family-owned complex in Mazhan comprises 800 square meters of built space and covers a total area of 34,000 square meters. He expressed hope that, once restored, the historic citadel would be transformed into a multifunctional cultural, historical, educational, and accommodation complex.