Iranica Desk

Thanks to its historical, cultural and natural diversity as well as its religious and medical conditions, Iran has the capacity to attract a variety of tourists.
The southwestern province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, with its pleasant weather, has many natural landscapes and historical sites, each of which can become an important tourism hub of the region, chnt.ir wrote.
The natural attraction that we want to talk about in this article is Deh Sheikh Cave.
Located two kilometers from Deh Sheikh Village of the city of Dena, Deh Sheikh Cave, dating back to 135 million years ago, can be considered one of the most wonderful and ancient natural sites of Iran.
According to geological studies, the cave which belongs to the Mesozoic Period, the second period of the Earth’s geological history, is a completely natural limestone cave.
Over the past many years, holes have been formed in this cave due to rainfall. This has caused the water to seep out of cavities, creating amazing chandeliers and corridors.
Deh Sheikh Cave is one of the most unique attractions of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, as it has been called the second Ali Sadr Cave, which is the world’s largest water cave, 100 kilometers north of the city of Hamedan, in western Iran.
The weather inside Deh Sheikh Cave is warm in winter and cold in summer, a mystery to which there is still no answer.
The mouth of Deh Sheikh Cave is situated directly in front of Qash Mastan Peak of Dena Mountain.
The height of the cave reaches up to seven meters in some areas. Various beautiful limestone chandeliers are formed in its different corridors.
Deh Sheikh Cave, one of 600 caves identified in Iran, is ranked second in the country in terms of size and depth.
According to studies, the depth of the cave is more than 6 kilometers, thus a number of its corridors have not been identified or opened yet.
Name of cave

Because Deh Sheikh Cave is located in the vicinity of Deh Sheikh Village, the cave has been named after the village.

Facilities

Thanks to the support of the province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization, the projects to build an access road to the cave, a restaurant, and a number of sitting platforms were implemented by the private sector to boost tourism and create job opportunities in the region.

Who discovered the cave?

Deh Sheikh Cave, which remained unknown for centuries, was accidentally discovered by a shepherd in 2008, and, three years later, it was introduced to the city’s Cultural Heritage Department. The beautiful cave welcomes many tourists every year.
Upon entering the cave, you will encounter a mysterious world of limestone chandeliers and beautiful natural columns that will amaze the eyes of every viewer.
Every two and a half centimeters of the limestone chandeliers, which are still growing, took a century to form.  Accordingly, Deh Sheikh Cave is known as a living cave.
You should travel 50 kilometers from the center of the city of Yasuj, and 35 kilometers from Sisakht, to reach Deh Sheikh Village. Then cross the historical Pataveh Bridge to enter the mysterious world of this beautiful cave.
 

Iranica Desk

The renovation and revival of various sections of Arak Bazaar, in the north-central province of Markazi, have been placed on the agenda of the city’s municipality.
Announcing the above, Negin Shahkarami, head of Arak Municipality’s Department for Historical Texture, said various sections of the bazaar will be restored based on their usage, mehrnews.com reported.
She noted that that emergency repairs of its buildings and reinforcement of its structures, especially those located in the main row of the bazaar, are among the main objectives of the department.
“The flooring project will also be implemented in the main passage and other sections of the bazaar in cooperation with the Roads and Urban Development Department of the city,” she observed.
The official said three tenders have so far been held to attract investors, adding a number of companies announced readiness to participate in the projects, and related documents were made available to them.
In addition to the tourism and commercial functions, the historical bazaar is of great religious and cultural significance thanks to the existence of two seminaries and several historical mosques. But its infrastructure is in serious need of repair.
Located in the heart of Arak, the bazaar is outstanding from an architectural point of view. It is a combination of modern and traditional architecture.
The Arak Bazaar was registered as a National Heritage Site in 1977.
 

The joy of solving puzzles and discovering secrets is a good motive for traveling. So, let’s set off for a wonderful visit to the mysterious Shahr-e Yeri in Meshgin Shahr, in the northwestern province of Ardebil.
Shahr-e Yeri has an area of 400,000 hectares. What makes this site particularly special is its statues, which possess no mouths. It must be very exciting to decode mystifying secrets. According to archeologists, this mysterious site dates back to 6,000 years ago. For a mysterious delight, listen to the story of Shahr-e Yeri, iranontour.com
wrote.

Why visit Shahr-e Yeri?

The motifs of men and women, as well as some carvings in the standing stones, give us a glimpse of the social status of the people, in particular women, in the society of that time.
City of mouthless people

The peculiar city of Shahr-e Yeri has kept unspoken mysteries in its heart. Above all, it showcases a multitude of standing stones with human patterns. Explore the stone monuments!
The stone men and women have been standing in the region for about 6,000 years. In particular, some of them are wearing a belt and carrying a sword. You see them watching you with their big round eyes and noses. But you will immediately notice that something is wrong! Where is their mouths? Welcome to the land of mysteries. You came across the first unspoken secret. Let’s move forward and observe more in this mysterious land. Diverse artifacts such as pottery, metal, decorative stones and glass paste products are awaiting you.
Possibly, you would like to reinvestigate the long standing men and women, who have survived several natural hazards. But there are other aspects to them: Military and social. Indeed, these longstanding men and women explain to you their social status as well as women’s social roles silently. Furthermore, they introduce to you their defense equipment and their civilization.

How Shahr-e Yeri looks

This historical site chiefly comprises three major areas: A castle, a hill and a temple. The castle exhibits a defensive wall surrounding the residential area. In particular, you will behold architectural structures with stones and no mortar in the castle. Like other ancient civilizations, Shahr-e Yeri features a temple, where people could carry on religious rituals. The area displays 250 standing stones, which are 70 to 360 meters high. Specifically, diverse human motifs are carved into these stone monuments. For instance, some of the standing stone monuments depict an arrested person who is carrying a dagger or a sword. Most citizens of this stone city are mouthless. Only one woman is an exception!
In addition to the above areas, you can also behold an old graveyard. Interestingly, some equipment and traces of food existed in the graves, suggesting that these ancient people believed in life after death. Yet, another attraction of the region is an ancient cave. You can behold some traces of ash and smoke in this cave, and on some of the standing stones. As you enter the cave, you will behold sections that used to serve as kitchens and baths. Such structures are suggestive of a well-developed
civilization.
The best time to visit this ancient city of mouthless people is in the spring and
summer.

Nearby Attractions

One popular tourist attraction in Meshgin Shahr is the Old Castle, a historical site dating back to the Sassanid Era (224-651 CE). Do you long for some adventure in nature? You are highly recommended to walk across the exciting Meshgin Shahr suspension bridge.
Meanwhile, enjoy the picturesque forest beneath, particularly, through the exciting glass portion of the bridge. Another attraction is Sheikh Heydar Mausoleum, situated in a wonderful garden, dating from the 13th century. Moreover, you can visit Qahqaheh Castle, dating back to the Safavid Era (1501–1722 CE), a place for keeping political prisoners of the Safavid Empire.
 

The project to restore and reinforce Chalanchulan Bridge in Dorud, western province of Lorestan, has been launched, said Amin Qassemi, head of the province’s Cultural Heritage Organization, chtn.ir reported.