You have a variety of things to do in Kashan, a city on the edge of the central desert of Iran. As the first oasis along the Qom-Kashan highway, Kashan has a lot of attractions to visit that were mentioned in Kashan guide travel.
There are several historical houses in Kashan, which belonged to 19th-century Iranian merchants. In fact, some of these beautiful houses now turn into hotels and you can stay enjoying Iranian architecture. Some of these hotels are among the best hotels in Kashan.
Fin Garden, Abyaneh village, and Aqa Bozorg Mosque, and Tepe Sialk are some of the attractions of this beautiful city.
Kashan, with clay walls and historic alleys, is great for walking around. Especially during the afternoon when the weather is good and you can enjoy your walking more.
Bazaar of Kashan is a place that you should not miss! It was built during the 10th-century Seljuk era and restored during the Safavid era (1501-1736).
If you travel Kashahn from mid-May to mid-June the rose flowers mesmerize you. In every corner, you can see the rose water ceremonies. The men and women pick up roses with pink petals before sunrise.
In Qamsar and Niasar near Kashan, the rose water ceremonies are here and there. Rosewater is used in different traditional dishes, ceremonies, and Persian sweets and desserts.
Things to do in Kashan: visiting traditional houses
Beyond the clay walls in Kashan, there are some paradise enclosed! The magnificent buildings with beautiful stained glasses and a courtyard with a pool.
Abbasian House and Ameri House are some of the beautiful buildings. However, there are many residential houses to visit in this city.
Tabatabaei House has seven windows toward the courtyard, while the other houses of the time had only three to five ones. The building is constructed around four courtyards, the biggest of which has a pond with fountains.
Like most of the houses in central Iran, the house has the interior part andaruni which is for the family members, and the exterior part or Bruni, which is for strangers. Gardens and ponds add charm to this beautiful historic place.
Another Kashan attraction is Boroujerdi House. There is a love story behind this magnificent home. Actually, a renowned merchant Sayyed Jafar Natanzi, known as Borjouredi, made this house to marry and live with the daughter of Tabatabaei.
One can name two distinct characteristics of this house as the six-sided, domed badgirs (wind catchers) and frescoes painted by the most renowned painter of the era Kamal al-Molk (1847-1940), the foremost Iranian artist of the time.
This house has also andaruni and biruni sections. It also has a courtyard with a fountain pool and a two-story iwan (terrace).
Best things to do in Kashan: landmarks of the city
Fin Garden
It is a beautiful Persian Garden, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. It is home to Fin Bath, where Naser al-Din Shah ordered the murder of the Qajar chancellor Amir Kabir (1807 – 1852).
Walls and four circular towers surround the 2.3 hectares garden. It is actually a four-garden pattern of Persian garden–square garden and has four parts divided by water canals.
Besides, the four gardens represent four elements sky, earth, water, and plants, which Zoroastrians believe are in harmony in nature.
The buildings of Fin Garden are two hammams (bathhouses); the bigger dates back to the Qajar era (1789–1906) and a smaller one built during the Safavid period (1501-1736). The latter was the place where Amir Kabir was murdered. There is also a shotor gelou (two-story pool houses) and a recreational pavilion.
Aqa Bozorg Mosque
Built in the late 18th century, Aqa Bozorg mosque is the finest Islamic complex in the city. it also has symmetrical designs, iwans, and minarets.
In addition, the four-story mosque has a sunken courtyard and badgirs (wind catchers). There are two large iwans at the mosque.
The mosque is one of the best manifestation of 19th century Persian architecture. The mosque and its theological school are in the center of Kashan.
Bathhouses in Kashan
Bathhouses are great attractions in Kashan city. You can enjoy their wonderful architecture and great ornamentation. Drawings on the wall and the intricate passages are great parts of the bathhouses. You can enjoy watching historical houses from the roofs of the bathouses as well.
Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse in Kashan also provides you a chance to enjoy traditional bathing there. You can relax and have a great massage there.
Historical attractions in Kashan
Nushabad underground city
Located within 5km of northern Kashan, Nushabad underground city is located at the center of Aran va Bidgol.
As a masterpiece of Sassanid architecture (224-651), the underground city is on three levels between 4 to 18 meters underground.
The complex of the tunnel is around a freshwater spring. The underground city is a place to pass the high temperature of the daytime.
It is also a refuge from raids like the 13th-century Mongol invasion. This marvelous labyrinth has tunnels, chambers, air ducts, staircases, and canals.
Tepe Sialk
This large ancient archeological site is in a suburb of the city of Kashan, near Fin Garden. After three seasons of excavation, the archeologists discovered that the oldest settlements in Sialk date about 6000-5500 BCE. Besides, its ziggurat was built around 3000 BCE.
Tepe Sialk has two mounds. In fact, the French archeologist Roman Ghirshman excavated the site in 1933. Pottery pieces, metal tools, and domestic implements in the place are from stone, clay, and bone.
The site is still under excavation however there are some facilities for the visitors. A center in the place displays a small collection of excavated artifacts but most of these antiquities are now at the Louvre, British Museum, New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Museum of Iran.
Stroll in Red Village
If you travel to Kashan, do not forget to stroll in Abyaneh.
This beautiful red village is located near Kashan.
With its beautiful clay houses and narrow alleys, the village is a great place to imbue in history.
The dialect of people and some words that they used are dated back to the Sassanid era.
Women in flowery scarves and men in local costumes are walking and working in the village.
One of the attractions of Abyaneh is the clothing of men and women. The multi-leveled village kept its original architecture and culture.
Puppet and Toy Museum Guesthouse
The place is one of the attractions of Kashan that you should not miss. You can enjoy toys and puppets on display at the museum, which are from different regions and eras.
You can visit antique puppets as well as international toys. Interestingly, the museum has accommodation quarters. During your stay, you can attend toy-making workshops and attend puppet shows as well.
Things to do in Kashan: Don’t miss unique tastes
Rosewater
Original rose water is one of the souvenirs and Iranian drink that you can find in Kashan. During the rose water festival, Kashani citizens pick roses that are known as Mohammadi rose and extract distilled water from the flowers. The longer the process of distillation is, the better will be the quality of the product.
Persian carpet
Alongside Tabriz and Kerman, Kashan is for its wool and silk carpets. Sleek medallions, curving, blossom-laden vine work are the popular designs of Kashan carpet. Besides, these floor coverings with magnificent floral patterns are feasts for the eyes.
Visiting Kashan Bazaar does not miss the beautiful handwoven carpets of the city. It is a unique experience for enjoying Persian art and design.
You can also find various kinds of kilims, flat tapestry-woven carpets, with different patterns and colors In Kashan.
Persian tile-making
You may enjoy Kashan architecture and visit the beautiful tiles of the Aqa Bozorg Mosque. In fact, tile making is one of the oldest industries of the city, which you can see in different buildings of the city. you can even find some houses in Kashan that their gateway is decorated with colorful tiles.
pottery, making giveh(a kind of traditional Iranian shoes), Sha’ar Bafi (traditional textile) and coppersmith works are other handicrafts of the city.
Last but not the least
In the heart of the desert, Kashan mesmerizes you with natural and historical beauty. The city with architectural wonders and starry nights is on a buck list of things to do in Kashan.
