Maku

• Qareh Kalisa

Sitting photogenically aloof on a barren knoll, 8km off the lonely Shot–Chaldoran road in the middle of nowhere, behind the low-rise village of the same name, Qareh Kalisa is the best maintained of all Iran’s medieval churches. Mostly rebuilt after an earthquake, the smaller black-and-white-striped chapel section dates from 1319–29, and the whole site is Unesco listed. Ring the bell if it’s locked. There’s no public transport.

• Maku Fortress

Above the town, under the huge over-hanging cliff, lie the ruins of Maku’s for-mer citadel, where the Baha’i faith’s Bab was imprisoned for nine months in 1848. Head north from the bazaar on Taleqani St and follow the footpaths and steps up past the Abu Fazl Mosque. The walk will take around 25 minutes, but the views are stunning.

• Dzor Dzor Chapel

(Chapel of the Virgin Mary) Amazingly photo-genic, this Unesco-listed Armenian chapel was relocated to higher ground once the nearby dam filled up. It’s a hilly, some-times snow-covered 40km from Maku; an agency taxi from the Tourist Inn will cost around US$17 return. Take care which way you point your camera as the dam is con-sidered sensitive.

• Baghcheh Juq Palace Museum

Built for the sardar (military governor) of Qajar Shah Muzaffar al-Din (r 1896–1907), this striking two-storey mansion sits amid 11 hectares of orchards and walled gardens in the village of Baghcheh Juq, 7km from Maku along the Bazargan road. With a nod to Versailles, the interior rooms, halls and atrium glisten and sparkle.