Kandovan, Village of Wonder

The following piece was written by an Iranian citizen journalist on the ground inside the country, who writes under a pseudonym to protect her identity.

From afar, the brown cones appear to be mountain rocks, but as you get closer, it becomes clear that this is a living, busy village. Kandovan, situated in the province of East Azarbaijan, contains 117 households and has a population of 750. The village, with its unique heritage and history, is a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage site recognition, along with several other villages in Iran.

There is evidence that the site has been home to humans for thousands of years. The current residents are thought to be descendants of people who escaped advancing Mongol armies around 700 years ago. There are two similar sites, one in present-day Turkey and another in the United States, but both are uninhabited, making Kandovan truly unique.

The village lies close to Mount Sahand, a 3,707-meter-high volcano. Houses in Kandovan are set in the cliff faces that surround the village, carved from volcanic rocks. Yet they have all the features one would expect in a normal house, including bedrooms, dining rooms, kitchens, and stairs.

Though the number of permanent residents is quite low, the village is host to an average of 8,000 visitors and tourists a day. According to the governor of Osku, the county where Kandovan is located, the village welcomes more than two million visitors a year. Tourists stay in private cave-suites, or in the five-star Laleh Hotel, which was built by external investors in the style of native houses. Hotel accommodation consists of 40 rooms and 16 suites, all carved into the rock face, and offers full room service, jacuzzis, a restaurant and heated floors for the wintertime. The hotel continues to expand all the time.

“I stayed in this hotel in November, which is not during the peak season,” one tourist wrote on Tripadvisor. “It was the best time because it was not crowded. We enjoyed the magnificent nature and amazingly beautiful and peaceful room. The mountains were covered with snow, but the room was heated from below; even the mattress was heated. Luxury cave rooms, beautifully decorated, with a refrigerator packed with yummy snacks and tea/coffee makers in the room. Amazing breakfast, very friendly staff.”

Quality photographs taken by both professional and amateur photographers can be found everywhere on the internet. The Zoroastrian Heritage site features a range of images and a well-rounded summary of Kandovan’s historical and geological highlights.

For the last 15 years, Iran has been working to make sure Kandovan is added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites, but so far the effort has yet to succeed. One of the main obstacles blocking its approval is the illegal construction of buildings in the area: buildings constructed from materials such as bricks and cinder blocks clash with the traditional architecture of Kandovan and the surrounding landscape. Municipal and village authorities have taken steps to prevent further damage, especially over the last 10 years. Iran’s Cultural Heritage Foundation lodges court proceedings against anybody who attempts to construct building work without a permit. According to local residents, the county court is currently processing the complaints.

In 2014, the Iranian government redoubled its efforts to get UNESCO recognition for Kandovan, repairing 6,000 square meters of the village and drafting plans for updated electricity and sewage systems. According to the Osku provincial government, part of the plan includes the construction of a separate village to accommodate population growth, thereby protecting the original design and buildings of Kandovan. Completion of the plans, however, has been delayed by lack of funds and credit. To compensate, the governor plans to attract private investment, promising to reimburse investors as tourism increases. Increased tourism will also serve to boost the local economy.

Mahsa Amiri, Citizen Journalist, Tabriz