Stepping out of Babylon

Kashan is presented as one of the cities where the main tourist attractions are easily accessible, all situated at a walking distance from the city center, that gather most of the attraction, except Bagh-e Fin located about six kilometers away from the center .

The Historical Houses – locally called Khan-e – are houses that belonged to wealthy families, often merchants. In terms of architecture this houses follow the traditional type of construction, brick masonry, covered with clay plaster that contributes to a uniform brownish tone, similar to the landscape that surrounds the city. With two or more floors, placed around a yard, always with a fountain or a small pool at the center, showing the importance of water in this dry climate.

According to the wealth of the owner, these houses can resemble palaces, not only by size, with more than a yard, as by the detail and complex ornamentation that covered the walls and ceilings. Among the various options in Kashan, with almost all the khan-e and located along the Alavi Street, or nearby, the choice was the Abbasin House, built in the late 18th century and is in good condition, whose geometric and floral motifs that decorate the walls, as well as the harmonious proportions of the various buildings, confer a special grace and lightness.

The Bagh-e Fin, is one of the oldest examples of the traditional Persian gardens, built in the late 16th century, whose structure is very similar to other gardens built under the Mongol domination, after they have invaded Persia, existing in northern India, which Taj Mahal is the most popular example, as also many more in Kashmir.

Architecturally these gardens have a rectangular shape, orthogonally divided into four parts, by narrow water channels that intersect in a quadrangular shape pool. Along these channels, sidewalks are bordered by planted shrubs, flowers and trees in an alignment that enhances the precise and harmonious geometry of space, which is always wide, sober and minimalist, inviting to meditation and introspection.

At the opposite side of the entrance is located the main house, were the ceilings are decorated with elaborate floral and geometric motifs; but may exist other buildings, porches or covers that offer a place to relax, enjoying the freshness inspired by the sound of water coming out of the fountains, showing that important rule of the water in creating an idyllic atmosphere.

The terrace of Sultan Amir Ahmad Hammam is another of the sites, in addition to the bazaar’s rooftop, to overlooks the city. The beginning of the day or the sunset is the best time to visit the rooftop, avoiding the intense light felt during the day. But it is the interior of the hammam is the core of this place, where after a succession of narrow passages and corridors one arrives at the first of the two main rooms of the building: the dressing room (Sarbineh) and the bathhouse (Garmkhaneh).

In the first apartment dominates the ceiling covered with small tiles forming a complex and intricate geometric patterns, radiating from the skylight that provides natural light to the room, emanating tranquility.

The walls and vaulted ceilings are decorated with floral motifs designed in bas-relief on a plaster surface; tiles form geometric patterns formed covering lining the base wall and pillars, in white, yellow and blue colours.

Very close to the central roundabout of Kashan (Kamal al-Molk Square), is the Agha Bozorg Mosque, whose discreet location at the end of a narrow street can go unnoticed. The entrance does not give a proper idea of the proportions of this delicate building that is a mosque but also serves as a madrasah (school of Islamic theology). The interior is delicately decorated and provides a peaceful environment favorable to study of the scriptures.

Agha Bozorg Mosque

Hours: 8 am – 8 pm

Free entrance

Historical Houses and Amir Ahmad Hammam

The ticket to the Historical Houses (Khan and Abbassin, Khan and Tabatabei) and the Sultan Amir Ahmad Hammam is always 150,000 rials.

You can buy a combine ticket for the Hammam and for some of Historical Houses. The ticket counter of Sultan Amir Ahmad Hammam is the best place to ask for information about places and tickets, that are provided by the helpful and diligent staff at the reception desk.

Khan and Abassin + Hammam stood at 250,000 rials.

The Fin Garden is out of this “combine ticket”.

Baghe Fin (Fin Garden):

Hours: 9 am – 5 pm

Ticket: 150,000 rials

Transport:

The city center and the main points of interest are within walking distance of the two places mentioned (Eshan House and Noglhi House), so it is not necessary to use public transport.

To visit the Bagh-e Fin, situated about 6 kilometers from the city center is necessary to go by bus or taxi. From Ayatollah Kashani Street, picking the bus number 327, which last stop is just at the garden entrance.

The bazaar of Kashan was a pleasant and unexpected surprise, even after the impressive antiquity of the Tabriz Bazaar and the huge size of the Tehran Bazaar.

Not too big that becomes confusing and tiring, nor too small that it becomes boring, the Kashan Bazaar shows easy orientation, not too busy in terms of visitors but never too quiet to make a visit boring. Here is possible to find a wide range of products, many traditional from Iran; not only the traditional and ever present carpets but also gold and jewellery, perfumes, wool, blacksmith, wood carving, cooper, religious articles… apart from all the products needed for daily life of who lives here, highlighting clothing and fabrics, scarves and chadors.

Spices, dried fruits and nuts are the most attractive products to a visitor; not only by the scents and colours of the piles of spices, teas, and herbs, but especially by the variety of nuts, almonds, pistachios, sunflowers seeds… as also plums, figs, apricots and the delicious dates that in Iran are the “queens” of dry fruits with stores selling exclusively these product, that have a special place in iranian diet.

Dairy products play also an important role in iranian diet, specially cheese, butter and yoghurt. In the street of the bazaar there are specialised stores selling these products, were the smell of fermented milk and the cold lights that illuminate coolers makes them easy to identify.

Other food stores are selling salt, sugar, honey, sweets, rice, lentils, beans and general groceries, with the trade organised and divided by type of product through the various streets that make up the bazaar.

Here and there appear courtyards that in the center are almost always a dry fountain, sometimes open air other covered; that were old caravanserais, where merchants gathering to make business with conditions to stay overnight and store goods, including space for animals, horses and camels. Currently they are used as commercial spaces, shops, offices and warehouses and are a nice place to rest or even drink a tea, away from the movement of the mains areas of the bazaar.

But between stores, located one after each other, almost all open to the corridors of the bazaar, you can also find sometimes mosques or even hamams, that are public bath places, with sauna and massage that are still popular between locals.

Time passes slowly and smoothly in this bazaar, where traders wait patiently for the arrival of customers, sitting at the entrance or inside the stores, shops or offices, where photography of ancestors prove the antiquity of these family businesses, many specialised in carpets.

But in terms of architecture this bazaar stands up towards ay others. Wandering thought the streets full of shops we come to one of the many caravancerais, but immediately we realise that this place has something special. The Khan Amin al-Dowleh Timche, formed a covered hall, which is accessed by three entrances, presents spacious, high ceiling decorated with a geometric pattern complex, that with the natural light that enter through the skylight in the center of the ceiling, produces a fantastic effect seeming to raise the place up into the sky, leaving us in the ground.

But this bazaar yet keeps another surprise: the visit the terrace. With the intention of having a view over the city I asked a trader how to access the terrace, which in this type of desert architecture is always flat and accessible. I was referred for a narrow stairs and conducted over almost the entire bazaar rooftop, walking on winding paths, up and down ramps, winning steps and gaps, skirting vaults and always walking towards the sun, that was driving behind the mountains.

Through the holes made for light and ventilation, sounds of radios, voices, music and fragmented conversations in a foreign language were coming up to the roof top… while resting pigeons in the upper parts of several vaults seem indifferent to the commercial bustle that dominates the bazaar corridors and the surrounding streets, that with at the evening reached the maximum agitation.

Do not miss the visit to Kashan Bazaar:

• Khan Amin al-Dowleh Timche in the morning light
• bazaar terrace at the sunset

Schedule:

This one like any other Iranian bazaar opens around 9:30 pm, but not all shops strictly follow this schedule, and extend up to 10 pm. During lunchtime, many traders choose to close the shops, or take this time were the customer movement decrease significantly to take a nap.

But mornings are undoubtedly the best time to visit any bazaar, when the shops are open but there is not much customers; It is also the time when you present the biggest movement of goods, were porters moving swiftly through the various corridors, taking and bringing goods at a pace that contrasts with the calm of visitors.

But at the end of the day, after 5 pm, when temperature is less warm, that the movement reaches its peak, filling not only the bazaar streets but also the surrounding streets.

Transport:

The bazaar is in the city center, reachable on foot from the most popular guesthouses like the House Eshan or Noglhi House.

The arrival at each new city implies almost always the challenge of negotiating with taxi drivers the price of the journey to the city center, which apparently seems to be a conspiracy were no collective public transport make this link, where everybody shown useless to provide information on this subject and where the negotiation of the price always part of a disadvantage, with foreigners ignoring the location of the bus station, the distance to the center or the prices usually charged.

After this usual stress, and proof satisfactorily overcome after arduous negotiations, Kashan proved to be a city of smiling, relaxed people, willing to exchange greetings and to practice English with the usual questions about: country, name, sites visited, if I am traveling alone, for how long, if like Iran, etc …

Kashan appears in the tourist “map” not only by the amazing architecture of the bazaar, but also by Bagh-e-Fin, one of the oldest examples of this type of Persian gardens, and the high concentration of so-called historical houses, which are exquisite palaces built according to traditional architecture region.

The narrow streets entrenched by high walls designed to provide maximum shade, with discrete doors leading to patios, around which the houses, low, dark and with small windows are arranged, and ocher tones that cover the plaster walls and the roofs made of clay come to remind us how close we are to the desert.

Wind towers, ingenious system that allows ventilate the houses with fresh air, come out from homogeneous skyline of the city, dominated by houses of two or three floors, where the terraces form a clay color mantle that stretches till the mountains that surround part of Kashan.

The city of Kashan with his laid-back vibe, friendly people and interesting places to visit most of then easily reach at walking distance, were pleasant and very relaxed, and were the stay at the friendly atmosphere of the Khan-e Esahnb guest house played also a important rule.

Accommodation:

Eshan Historical Guest House (Khan and Esahn)

Fazel and Navaghi street

(opposite the Agha Bozorg Mosque)

+98361 444 6833

www.ehsanhouse.com

Bedroom with 6 beds but very spacious by 500,000 (negotiating could go down to 400,000 rials) with breakfast included in buffet style (fruit, bread, egg, cheese, butter, jams, honey and tea). Nice bathrooms and showers.

Good location, halfway between the bazaar and Historical Houses.

Free Wi-fi.

Better reserve because this is a popular place mentioned in the guidebooks.

Another option is to Noglhi House, very close to Eshan House, following the street on the left side of the Agha Bozorg Mosque, following the small arrows that identify the guesthouse that are on the walls; practice the same prices and that presents equally enjoyable.

Where to eat:

For vegetarians and beyond, the traditional soup ash-e reshteh cooked and served at a family style place, situated in Bab Afzal Street, is a delicious option as well as a possibility of interaction with the local population; walked from the Kamal-al-Molk Square, this small restaurant is on the right, being necessary to walk a little; the best option is to go asking traders because everyone knows this place.

Since the space is tiny, you probably need to share one of the two existing tables in the place.

The meal costs 20,000 rials (about € 0.50) and is served in a considerable amount.

Transport:

The best option to reach Kashan is the bus, existing plenty throughout the day, as this town is on the route between Tehran and Esfahan.

The journey takes around 4 hours.

The ticket cost 125,000 rials in VIP.

From the city center to the bus station, the only the solution found was the taxi which costs 50.000 rials, because apparently there are no public buses to make this link.

Situated about 80 kilometers from Kashan, lies the village of Abyaneh which is a popular day trip, but given the lack of public transport the journey has to be made by taxi, which puts this destination out of my “route”. The guesthouses in Kashan organize tours or alternatively you can use one of the shared-taxis that follow towards Esfahan.