General Information About Kerman

Many tourists who travel to Iran decide to visit Kerman as one of their first destinations, because of its admirable historical attractions, unique traditional handicrafts, and wonderful desert scenes. Kerman is the land of many great people from Al-Mahani (the prominent mathematician and astronomer from 9th century) and Khwaju Kermani(a gifted poet from 14th century) to Zahra Nemati (an archer who won 2012 summer Paralympics gold medal) and Ayatollah Hashemi-e Rafsanjani popular man of politics. Kerman, the capital of the largest province of Iran which carries the same name, is located around thousand Km southeast of Tehran (more than a ten-hour drive). What is completely obvious when you travel to Kerman is its desert environment and arid climate. ‘Dasht-e-Lut’ (Lut desert) is stretched from north to east, in which you can see outstanding desert scenes and ‘Kaluts’ (yardang). In addition, ‘Gandom-Beryan’ which is known as the hottest place on Earth (reaches 70 degrees Celsius), is located there. But it is not the whole story; there exist several mountains (like Joopar and Sirch) and some rivers (some of them are seasonal the most important one is ‘Halil rood’ which empties into Hamoun-e Jazmurian lake.) When the rainfall rate is around 30 to 60 mm in some areas such as Shahdad, it reaches about 250 to 450 mm in Dehbakri Mountain. These natural contrasts are some of the beautiful aspects of Kerman. Due to the temperature changes, the best time to travel there is from June to August. Visiting Kerman provides a precious chance for those who are interested in history. This historical city is one of the oldest cities of Iran. Ardashir I, the founder of Sasanian Empire, established the city of Kerman in 3rd century AD according to some historiographers’ belief. Kerman, also known as ‘Carmania’ or ‘Govashir’ in ancient documents, has been the capital of different Iranian rulers several times, like Buyid dynasty, Muzzaffarids, and Zand dynasty. Like other cities of Iran, there has been a community of Zoroastrians in Kerman, but after the battle of Nahavand, most of them accepted the Muslim rule and the new religion. Nowadays more than 90 percent of Kerman’s population are Muslim. However, some Zoroastrians still live in some parts of the city; their special ceremonies are respected, and they live peacefully with Muslims. One of the brilliant times in the history of Kerman was during Safavid rule; the city expanded rapidly, and Kermani carpets and rugs were exported to Germany and England. You will be surprised if you realize that Kerman has around 700 (even some believe 1000) historical sites. Some of them are around the city, like Arg-e Bam, the biggest adobe-built castle in the world, and some of them are inside the city, like ‘Jame’ mosque which is decorated with beautiful blue tiles; it was built with Islamic-Persian architecture in 14th century by Yazdi architects. Below is the list of some historical/natural tourist attractions inside and around the city:

1. Ganj Ali Khan Complex
   1. Bathhous
   2. Mosque

• Mint

1. Square
2. Bazaar
3. Caravansarie

• Ab Anbar(water reservoir)

2. Jabaliyeh dome
3. Shazdeh garden
4. Emam mosque
5. Shah Nimatollah Wali Shrine
6. Kerman bazaar
7. Zoroastrians fire temple
8. Mouyedi ice-House
9. Arg-e Rayen
10. Ghal-e dokhtar
11. Ghal-e ardeshir
12. Vakil complex
    1. Vakil bathhouse
    2. Vakil bazaar

• Vakil caravanserai

13. Ghafari house
14. Pardakhti house
15. Lut Desert(Shahdad Kaluts (yardangs))
16. Fath-Abad garden

Kerman is the homeland of art in Iran. In Kerman, like other cities of Iran, fabulous rugs are produced. Nowadays the city is the main center of producing and exporting Iranian carpets. These world-famous carpets are produced in the forms of ‘Kelims’, ‘Jajims’, and shawls. ‘Patteh doozi’ and repoussé and chasing are other handicrafts attributed to the city. One of the most interesting things to do while travelling is to taste local food, desserts and cookies. ‘Khouresh Aloo’, ‘Zireh Poloo’, and ‘Amach Ash’ are some of delicious Kermani dishes. Don’t forget to taste ‘Kolompeh’ (a kind of pie filled with walnuts and date paste), Faloodeh Kermani (a kind of sweet desert) and ‘Komach Sehen’ (a nutrient pie). But how to get in or around Kerman? -Ayatollah Hashemi-e Rafsanjani International Airport, previously named Kerman Airport, provides regular domestic flights to some big cities like Tehran (five flights every day) and Kish Island (two flights every week). Some limited flights to Dubai (Dubai-International) and seasonal flights to Medina, Najaf, and Karbala are also available. -Kerman is connected to Iran train network. You can get to Kerman from Zahedan, Esfahan, Tehran, and Mashhad by train. -Buses and different types of taxies are suitable transportation systems inside the city because of their inexpensive cost and accessibility. You can use them to reach nearby cities or to travel inside the city.