http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/michaelasanda-1370401-kashan/

Kashan is a city in the Isfahan province, the first of the large oases along the Qom-Kerman road which runs along the edge of the central deserts of Iran. Its charm is thus mainly due to the contrast between the parched immensities of the deserts and the greenery of the well-tended oasis.

Kashan, oraş din provincia Esfahan, este prima oază de-a lungul drumului ce duce de la Qom la Kerman, pe la marginea deşertului iranian.Farmecul său este asigurat în primul rând de contrastul dintre imensitatea aridă a deşertului şi prospeţimea acestei oaze de verdeaţă şi frumos.

From Natanz to Kashan

From Natanz to Kashan

By some accounts - though not all - Kashan was the origin of the three wise men that followed the star that guided them to Bethlehem to witness the nativity of Jesus, as recounted in the Bible.Whatever the historical validity of this story, the attribution of Kashan as their original home testifies to the city prestige at the time the story was set down.În unele legende Kashan este dat drept locul de unde au plecat cei trei magi călăuziţi de stea spre Betleem după cum spune Biblia. În orice caz, aceasta cel puţin dovedeşte importanţa pe care o avea localitatea în acea vreme..

Kashan located in an altitude of 1,600 m above sea level, is one of the main cities of Esfahan province.

It is 240 km to the south of Tehran and 220 km to the north of Esfahan.

The towns population amounts to 400,000, living on an area of 2,100 hectares.

Long a centre for fine carpets, Kashan has almost one in three residents employed in carpet-making, with more than two-thirds of the carpet-makers being women.

Most of the traditional houses in Iran, especially luxurious houses, have an element called Sar-Dar. Actually Sar-Dar is the main entrance of a house with Islamic and traditional decoration. In order to access the house one should go through the entrance (Sar-Dar). While SAR-DAR is an arched entrance, which is recessed about 1 or 2 meters from the walls of the house, portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade with a roof structure.

Majoritatea caselor tradiţionale în Iran au la intrare un element care se numeşte Sar-Dar. De fapt Sar-Dar este intrarea principală în locuinţele cu decor tradiţional şi islamic. De regulă Sar-Dar este o intrare arcuită care se află la o distanţă de 1-2 metri de zidurile casei şi prin care se ajunge în încăperea numită Hashti

Legend has it that when Sayyed Jafar Natanzi, a merchant known as Borujerdi, met Sayyed Jafar Tabatabei to discuss taking his daughter’s hand in marriage, Agha Tabatabei set one condition: his daughter must be able to live in a home at least as lovely as his own. The result – finished some 18 years later – was the Khan-e Borujerdi.

Fin Garden (one of the nine Persian Gardens recently added to the UNESCO list) is in Kashan

Soltan mir Ahmad Tomb consists of a courtyard, porch and sepulchre.

Soltan mir Ahmad Tomb

Soltan mir Ahmad Tomb’s dome that is conical in shape has 12 panels and is decorated with vaulted tiles of the Safavid era

Its five pairs of doors have great value as a creative work of art.

Since two thousand three, UNESCO has also worked to protect what it calls the “intangible heritage” of humanity. It defines intangible heritage as living traditions that are passed on from one generation to another. These include spoken traditions, festivals, performing arts, social ceremonies and cultural knowledge. UNESCO recently announced fifty-one additions to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.Last year’s list of intangible heritage includes several traditions from Iran and Important places for carpet-weaving include Fars and Kashan.

The Bazaar of Kashan

The Bazaar of Kashan

The Bazaar of Kashan

Dome of chaykhaneh inside bazaar

They are badgirs—wind-catchers, which trap and funnel the faintest hint of breeze outside and bring it indoors. In more intricate systems, the breeze from the badgir blows over the cool water brought into houses by the qanats. The result? Even without the AC on, in the rooms is at least 15-20°C cooler than the outside temperature. It is not just bearable, it is actually pleasant.

From Kashan to Qom

Sound: Dariush - Shab Shekan; Dele Divooneh

Iran

Text and slides 31-35: InternetPictures: Sanda Foişoreanu Nicoleta LeuArangement: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda