Kashan is a 7500-year-old city and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iran. It is also one of the oldest human settlements. This beautiful and lovely city has greatly helped the development of the country’s tourism industry. Today we are going to learn about the top things to do in Kashan.
Before we start let me tell you, although Kashan is a very ancient city, meanwhile, the traditional and historical texture of this city is still available to marvel at. And you can see the traces of antiquity on the face of the city.
1. Tepe Sialk in Kashan – Sialk Hills
There is an ancient hill in the Fin neighborhood of Kashan which is known as Sialk hill. This hill is the remnant of the ancient ziggurat of Iran. Sialk hill is actually the name of the first civilization in Central Iran that lived in Kashan. This hill is about eight thousand years old. It seems that after the climate change, the cave dwellers came to live in the plains and started a new way of life by farming. Accordingly, there is more progress and development in the civilization of the Sialk people than in other civilizations. Archeologists have found many tools in this ancient hill, which indicates the life of the oldest plain people in this region.
Along with the ancient charm, this hill brings profound tranquility to its guests. This hill, which carries with it the first traces of life in this region, attracts your heart with pure and indescribable silence. And takes you on a journey through time, through the centuries. If you like to be a time traveler and experience ancient Iran, make sure you visit Sialk Hill.
2. Borujerdiha Historical House
The Boroujerdiha house is as old as the history of Qajar. This house is one of the old and famous houses of Kashan, which has a unique beauty. The landlord was a merchant that sold the goods from the city of Boroujerd. Therefore they call it Boroujerdha House. The crescent and symmetrical windcatchers on the roof and the beautifully designed dome of the house have made the view of Boroujerdiha House remarkable and luxurious.
The house has two inner and outer courtyards. It has a porch and an aisle. And its kitchen, also, the summer and winter courtyards are very beautiful. Moreover, the big basement and the covered courtyards catch the eyes. The windcatchers are responsible for bringing cool air to the basement in summer. There are Oil and watercolor designs on the walls, as well, which add to the glory of the building.
Address: Alavi St., Sultan Amirahmad neighborhood
3. Tabatabaei Historical House
Seyyed Jafar Tabatabaei was the one who owned this house once. He was one of the carpet merchants of Kashan. His house is 4700 square meters. They built it during the reign of Nasser al-Din Shah. And it took about 18 years to finish.
The Tabatabaei house has forty rooms and four courtyards. There are also three windcatchers and two qanats along with four basements in the house. The royal room is in fact the most beautiful part of the house with latticed and colored windows. Its bedspreads and mirrors dazzle the eyes of every viewer.
It is said that this house was built by love. Because they had built it for a newlywed bride and groom, who actually started their couple-life in this house. Regardless of whether these narratives and stories are true or not, we must say that the Tabatabai House is one of the most unique architectural masterpieces in Kashan. Maybe this is a unique effect of love!
Address: Alavi St., Sultan Amirahmad neighborhood
4. Āmeri House of Kashan
This house has the highest windcatchers among all houses in Kashan. And the same thing is one of the reasons for its fame. Ameri House is one of the traditional and popular hotels in Kashan today. The house dates back to the Qajar dynasty. This is the house that Saham Al-Saltanah Ameri built for his family to live in. Of course, further constructions were done over time to make it bigger.
The Ameri House has 85 rooms. This building owes its beauty to its spectacular architecture, unique masonry, and inlay work with beautiful beds. The symmetry in this house and especially in its yard is very noticeable and attracts the attention of every viewer. Eating at the Mirror Hall is one of the pleasures that you should not miss.
Address: Alavi St., the northern part of Sultan Mirahmad neighborhood, next to Sultan Mirahmad bath
5. Kashan Traditional Bazaar
This bazaar is one of the sights of Kashan, which also happens to have a lot of fans. It is interesting to know that the Bazaar has many historical monuments in its heart. Kashan Bazaar starts from Baba Afzal Street and continues to near Darvazeh Dowlat street. Buildings such as Mir Panj Caravanserai, Mir Emad Square Mosque, Timcheh Sabbagh, the famous Timcheh Amin al-Dawla, Hosseinieh Sorakh Risman, and many other buildings are located in the traditional bazaar of Kashan.
Each passage of the bazaar is dedicated to different groups of stuff and thus they are organized. One part is for coppersmithing, shoemaking, and dyeing, the other part is for goldsmithing, tailoring, and sewing. And the sweets of this traditional bazaar are among the best souvenirs of Kashan that has lots of fans among tourists.
Address: Mid-Baba Afzal Street to near Darvazeh Dowlat street
6. Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse
This bath belongs to the Seljuk era. The reason for naming the bath is that it is next to Sultan Amir Ahmad Imamzadeh. Of course, the current bathhouse we see today is what was renovated during the Qajar period. Mir Ahmad Bathbouse has two baths, a small one and a big one. Bath customers mostly went to the hammam (Bathhouse) on weekends. The roof of the hammam is one of the most beautiful dome-shaped roofs in our country. There is a convex lens on the glass dome, which both provides light to the bathroom and also prevents others to be able to see the inside.
7. Kashan Abbasian Historical House
Many tourists believe that this house is the most beautiful old house in Kashan. And in fact, Alavi Street owns its glory and beauty to this house. Abbasian Historical House has five courtyards. The foundation of the house is lower than the alley so that its residents could easily access the water of the qanat. And on the other hand, the lower level of the house somehow helps protect it from cold and heat.
About a century ago, a carpet merchant, Mr. Abbasian, bought the house. His name has remained on the house ever since. The beautiful Abbasian Historical House is the king of the art and architecture among the houses of Kashan. With its seductive and beautiful plasterwork, it has well-fulfilled its purpose as a stunning representative of Iranian traditional architecture.
Address: Alavi St., Sultan Amirahmad neighborhood
8. Sohrab Sepehri’s Grave in Kashan
Sohrab Sepehri, a contemporary poet, painter, and writer of our country, was born in Kashan. He passed away at the age of 52 and was buried in the courtyard of the Imamzadeh of Sultan Ali Ibn Mohammad Baqir in the village of Mashhad-e Ardahal of Kashan. His grave was originally decorated with turquoise tiles, but his tombstone is now black after several changes.
9. Agha Bozorg Mosque of Kashan
Agha Bozorg Mosque and school date back to the Qajar period. The construction of the building took about eight years. The dome of the Agha Bzorg Mosque is one of the largest adobe domes in Iran. The style of the mosque is very similar to Chaharbagh and Sadr schools in Isfahan.
Address: Fazel Naraghi St.
10. Ghamsar
If you travel to Kashan during the rose-picking season, one of the best decisions you can make during your trip can be to watch the rose-picking ritual in the Qamsar town of Kashan. Ghamsar is one of the most unique places on earth at this time. Pink damask rose farms create amazing landscapes in this part of the world and fill the city air with their intoxicating fragrance.
These days, you can see many tourists from all over the world in Ghamsar who have come to participate in the happy and exciting rose-picking ceremony and making rosewater. After they pick the roses they make rosewater. Rosewater of Kashan is so famous and popular not only in Iran but also beyond the borders of the country.
11. Niasar Cave of Kashan
This strange and amazing cave is about 2000 years old and is very close to Niasar village. What has made Niasar Cave so noticeable is that it is man-made. It is clear that the cave with its winding stone tunnels has had a special use.
Archaeologists believe that this beautiful cave was dedicated to religious ceremonies based on various pieces of evidence. According to them due to the fact that water was very important in the ritual of Mehr and Mithra, combined with the Niasar Waterfall closeness to the cave, it is very likely that this cave belonged to the followers of Mehr and Mithra.
12. Khorramdasht Fire Temple
Khorramdasht fire temple belongs to the Sassanid period and is close to the Khorramdasht village. This fire temple is about 20 km away from the southeast of Kashan. The materials used in the construction of the building are stone and plaster. Khorramdasht fire temple has many architectural similarities with the Chahartaq building in Niasar.
13. Noushabad Underground City
The underground city of Noshabad, also known as the city of Ouyi, dates back to pre-Islamic times. This complex is now located under the current city of Noshabad and has three floors. The floors of the city consist of corridors, rooms, various canals, and other parts. The floors are connected by vertical wells.
The city of Ouyi is human-handmade and they used it for military and defense purposes in different eras. The area of the city is about four kilometers and it is 4 to 16 meters deep in different places. Ouyi is in fact a very long tunnel, known as the largest underground city in the world, which has been built underground for various purposes from the beginning.
14. Fin Bathhouse of Kashan
Fin Bathhouse has in fact borrowed its reputation from the story of the assassination of Mirza Taghi Khan Amirkabir, in addition to its historical credit. Amirkabir was the Prime Minister of Nasser al-Din Shah and one of the great politicians in the history of Iran. This amazing hammam is in Fin Garden.
Fin Garden has lush trees and is next to Sulaimaniyah spring. This historical complex is located at the end of Amirkabir Street. The climate of this part of the city is much cooler and more pleasant than other regions and it’s all because of this garden.
The magnificent building of Fin Bathhouse is among 579 cypress trees and 11 sycamores which have made this building many times more beautiful. All these beautiful trees are over a hundred years old and in some cases even reach 470 years.
After the Safavid period, buildings such as the royal room, Karimkhani privacy, the national museum, and the royal bath were added to the Fin Garden.
Kashan Fin Garden has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011.
15. Abyaneh Village
The historical village of Abyaneh is one of the highest (as in altitude) residential areas in Iran. This village has a spiritual nature and a unique landscape. A trip to Abyaneh is necessary for all those who have escaped from everyday life. When you enter Abyaneh, seeing the one-of-a-kind architecture of the houses and buildings, breathing in the clean and pleasant air of the village and its historical and tourist attractions will distract you from all you have left at home.
This beautiful and historic village is built on a steep slope by the river. Its houses have wooden windows and the locals have decorated the exterior of the houses with red soil. The locals with their traditional dressings will amaze you. The sum of all these sights has made Abyaneh village one of the most tourist-friendly places in Iran.
16. Tomb of Khajeh Tajuddin in Kashan
This historical tomb is very close to Aghabzorg Mosque. The building was a complex of school, monastery, water reservoir, and mosque, but now only two domes and the monastery remain. Khajeh Tajuddin Shirvani was one of the famous people of the ninth century during the Aghquyunlu period. Together with his two other brothers, he built important and valuable buildings in Kashan, which this mosque and monastery are only two of them. The architecture and tiles of the building along with the beautiful decorations inside it draw many tourists to it annually.
Address: Kamal Al-Molk Square, Fazel Naraghi St., next to Aghabzorg Mosque
17. Kashan Gabrabad Bridge
This bridge, which is located in the central part of Kashan belongs to the Safavid era. In fact, this bridge is in the heart of the Gabrabad village and that’s why the bridge carries the same name. Since July 2005, the historic Gabrabad Bridge has been on Iran’s National Heritage List.
18. Soltanieh School in Kashan
The school dates back to the Qajar period. In 1806, by the order of Fath Ali Shah Klang, they started building Soltanieh School. And it was finished in 1814. Mohammad Shafi was the architect in charge. The good news is Soltanieh School is close to the Kashan Bazaar. The building style is very similar to Chaharbagh and Sadr schools in Isfahan.
The schoolyard is covered with pine trees and there is a water fountain in the middle. There are about 50 rooms around the courtyard. These rooms were where students studied. The school with its colorful plaster inscriptions, brick domes, and eyecatching tiled entrances attracts a lot of tourists.
19. National Museum of Kashan
Kashan National Museum is one of the oldest museums that was designed and built for being a museum from the beginning. The objects inside the museum are about 400 pieces and they belong to the seventh millennium BC until today. The people of Kashan helped a lot in collecting these objects. The area of this museum is about 700 square meters.
The museum has two floors, a ground floor, and a basement. The exhibition space of the museum is on the ground floor. The museum starts with the archeological objects and ends with the contemporary pieces.
The Iranian architecture of the museum is clearly noticeable. You can see the dome of the roof with four skylights on the four sides, which indicates the original Iranian architecture. There are two engraved inscriptions in the museum. one says the construction date of the building. And the other one says “Kashan National Museum, the foundation date one thousand three hundred and forty-six” which is the same as 1968. These two are the identity cards of the Kashan National Museum.
20. Maranjaab Caravanserai
This caravanserai belongs to the Safavid era and is one of the cultural attractions of Kashan. Based on the available evidence, Shah Abbas is the one who ordered to build the caravanserai. Of course, the caravanserai is similar to a castle or a fortress because it was used as a defensive base in the Uzbek attack. The narratives say there were always 500 soldiers living inside the fort at that time. The building materials are brick and plaster and in the upper part of the caravanserai, there are trenches to watch the area.
Desert lovers know the Marnjab desert well. Marnjab Caravanserai is located right in the heart of the Marnjab Desert. This beautiful caravanserai was on the Silk Road. Despite the fact that the caravanserai is very old, it still accepts travelers. There are also Traditional hostels you can accommodate at.
Address: Kashan, fifty kilometers northeast of Aran and Bidgol
21. Heshmatullah Khan House
Heshmatullah Khan’s house is as old as the Qajar period. This beautiful house has a large yard in the center of the building. The most important parts of the house are the royal room, the water reservoir, the seven-doors part (Haftdari), and the entrance porch. Hafmatullah Khan house’s Haftdari is one of the prominent parts of the house. The large entrance of the Haftdri is more than eight meters and is bigger than all among Kashan’s old houses. This beautiful house has been renovated by Kashan’s Cultural Heritage and has been merged with the Ameri House.
22. Mir Emad Mosque
This old mosque is in the southern part of Kashan Bazaar and in front of Bazaar Square. For this reason, it is also known as Meydan Mosque. Meydan is the Persian word for square. The building belongs to the year 464 and its founder was Khajeh Amir Emad al-Din Shirvani. The mosque includes sections such as a front porch, two-story courtyard, naves, brick dome, pulpit, water storage, and two entrances with historical inscriptions. There is a stone in front of the mosque which has Royal orders on it. By reading these orders, you can learn about the political and social situation of that time.
23. Kashan Razzaqian House
The Razzaqian house belongs to the Qajar period. This house has separate indoor and outdoor parts, plus two inner and outer courtyards on both sides of the building. The royal room is somewhere between the indoor and outdoor parts of the house. The House includes other sections such as summer porch, windcatchers, and so on.
24. Kamal-Almolk Village
This village is about 40 km northeast of Kashan. A village on heights that is next to the Sultan Ali holy shrine. Through time, famous and great people have lived in Kamal-Almolk village.
The village, also known as Kaleh, has long been famous for being the cradle of culture and science among the surrounding villages and towns. There are many historical monuments in it. Remarkable and outstanding structures combined with the scenic nature of the village create pleasant views. Among these historical monuments, we can mention Qadamgah-e Hazrat-e Ali.
25. Van Village
Van is a lush village in the middle of a pleasant plain with a pristine, colorful landscape. The village takes its name from the van tree. According to locals, the village was teeming with these trees in the past. Unfortunately, only some of them are standing still. The people speak the local language and have their own customs. Inside the village, there are historical monuments. Although visiting them would be awesome, hearing about the stories behind them will be one of the most fascinating moments of your trip to Van. This village seems to be over a thousand years old. In the local restaurants, you can taste some local food and enjoy it.
26. Jalali Castle of Kashan
Inside the city of Kashan, there are remnants of the Seljuk period walls that are very famous. Of all these strong and impenetrable walls, only two walls remain. They used thatch to make these walls. This fort dates back to the eleventh century. The founder of this historical wall, Khajeh Majdaldin Abolghasem Kashani, was a powerful person in the Seljuk government. According to historical books, the Seljuk fortress has repeatedly protected the people of Kashan from enemy attacks and looting.
Next to this old wall, there is a remnant castle, which according to the narratives Sultan Jalaluddin, the Seljuk king ordered to build it. The castle was the governmental building of Kashan during some periods. Jalali Castle plus the Seljuk wall, together they have created a special historical combination.
Address: at the end of Alavi Street
27. Azeran Village
This mountain village is about 72 km away from Kashan city. The Karkas mountains have given special beauty to the village. Azeran Barzak village has very mild weather in spring and summer, but its winters are very cold. The occupations of the villagers are animal husbandry, agriculture, and weaving carpets.
Damask rose cultivation is very common in Azeran Barzak. Therefore, Damask rose flower gardens are one of the most beautiful attractions of this village. The scenery of the village is very pretty. The coolness of the water and the abundant springs of the village wash away the warmth of summer and refresh your soul and body. The abundance of herbal medicines in this village draws some people to travel to Azeran Barzak to get their desired herbal medicine. The villagers speak the local language and still preserve their past culture.
All these special and pleasant features of the village will lift up your spirit. In fact, whenever a tourist enters this village after passing through the long and winding roads, he will be greeted by the freshness and glory of nature and traditional life. And these are enough to remove all the heavy burden of travel from their shoulders. The villagers will welcome you with a cool glass of water or maybe a glass of local milk. They will invite you to sit on their handmade mats on the porch or maybe sit around their korsi in the cold weather of winter.
28. Seyyed Zia-ol-Din and Qadamgah-e Hazrat-e Ali
Kashan is full of old pilgrimage buildings that show the religious culture of the people of this city from the distant past. Seyyed Zia-ol-Din shrine and Qadamgah-e Hazrat-e Ali are two of these religious and historical places that date back to the Seljuk era. It has no dome, and when you enter it, you will encounter a wooden structure that covers the tombstone of Seyyed Zia-ol-Din. Qadamgah-e Hazrat-e Ali is one hundred meters away.
The building has very beautiful architecture and depicts the rich taste of the people of the time in art. In fact, the shrine is not only a valuable religious attraction but also a great architectural and historical one. Whenever you get to visit this place, make sure you look harder not to lose any of its beauty and glory while you are fascinated by it.
Address: Sarsang neighborhood, at the beginning of Ghiasuddin Jamshid Kashani street
29. San San Caravanserai
This beautiful caravanserai that has Iranian architecture and very beautiful decorations belongs to the Safavid period. San Sen Caravanserai is four kilometers away from Qom-Kashan road. The two villages of Ab Shirin and Meshkan are on both sides of the caravanserai.
According to its architecture, we can say it is a courtyard with four porches, that are in a square shape. Mud, clay, and brick are the materials they used in the construction of this caravanserai. Kashan San San Caravanserai has been one of the most famous and favorite caravanserais among travelers from Rey city and Qom. This historical monument has been on the Iran National Heritage List since 1985.
30. Zeyn od-Din Minaret
Zeyn od-Din Minaret is from the 11th to 13th century that was founded by Khajeh Zeyn od-Din. Of course, there are different opinions about when they built it. Madame Diolafova, the archaeologist who traveled to Iran during the Qajar period, claims this minaret belongs to the 13th century, which coincides with the Ilkhanid period. Anyway, determining the true date of its construction requires careful and meticulous study.
The minaret is also popular as the historical minaret of Kashan. It is made of bricks and decorated with turquoise tiles. The upper part of the minaret has been destroyed, that’s why it is not possible to determine the exact height of it. However, in some historical manuscripts of the Qajar period, they conveyed it 47 meters.
Inside the minaret, there is a spiral row of stairs heading to the top. But there is no special decoration there. On top of the minaret, there was a small room that they used it as a watching tower and a place to announce important news to the public, as well. At the bottom of the remaining minaret, there is an inscription that has been severely damaged. And that’s all because of the natural factors along with human negligence, over all these years.
This historical monument has been on Iran’s National Heritage List since 1932.
Address: Mullah Habibullah Sharif
Final Words
Thank you for joining us to take a look at the things to do in Kashan. I hope you have enjoyed it. If yes please let us know in the comments. In case you love to visit Kashan and you would like to book a tour with Tappersia our friendly and experienced guides would be glad to join you. And if you have any questions or need further information, you can reach us via the contact information below the same page.
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