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UNESCO adds Iran’s historical caravanserais to its world heritage list

Sunday, 17 September 2023 5:07 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 17 September 2023 7:25 PM ]

The Sad al-Saltaneh Caravanserai in Qazvin, Iran

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added 54 historical Iranian caravanserais to its list of world heritage sites.

The decision was made at the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Sunday, after carefully examining the Iranian caravanserais located in 24 provinces across the country.

The 54 historical caravanserais were selected among hundreds after being approved by members of the committee, officially becoming Iran’s 27th tangible cultural heritage item to be globally registered.

“Caravanserais were roadside inns, providing shelter, food and water for caravans, pilgrims and other travelers,” the committee said on its website.

“The routes and the locations of the caravanserais were determined by the presence of water, geographical conditions and security concerns,” it added.

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UNESCO

The listed caravanserais “are considered to be the most influential and valuable examples of the caravanserais of Iran, revealing a wide range of architectural styles, adaptation to climatic conditions, and construction materials, spread across thousands of kilometers and built over many centuries,” the committee said.

“Together, they showcase the evolution and network of caravanserais in Iran, in different historical stages,” it stated.

In addition to the inclusion of caravanserais, the session also reviewed and subsequently inscribed the Dizmar Protected Area, the mountainous Hyrcanian forests in northwestern Iran, on the UNESCO World Heritage List.