Zanjan

Overview

On a high plain, surrounded by stark, eroded hills, the modest city of Zanjan makes the perfect base for wider explorations. The architectural wonder of Soltaniyeh is nearby, while the battered hoodoos of Behestan Castle and the bizarrely striped Colourful Mountains lie further afield. Enticingly scenic roads radiate to Khal Khal and the Caspian, the subterranean delights of the Katale Khor Caves, and Takht-e Soleiman ruins.
Zanjan’s moment of infamy came in 1851 with a bloody siege ordered by Persian prime minister Amir Kabir. The resulting massacre was part of the relatively successful campaign to crush the nascent Baha’i religion. Baha’ism had only broken away from Islam three years before, but it was spreading much too rapidly for Tehran’s liking.

Sights

Central Zanjan

• Zanjan Archaeology Museum

he archaeology museum is home to four of the fascinating ‘Saltmen’ mummies discovered over the years in the Chehrabad Salt Mine (now an archaeo-logical site). The effect of the salt and the extremely dry air of the mine has preserved whole corpses, some with skin, hair and various organs intact. Three are on display in sealed glass cases on the museum’s 2nd floor, where a guide will share their story.

• Zanjan Bazaar

This intriguing long, nar-row, mostly brick-vaulted bazaar hides abandoned caravanserai, subterranean chaykhanehs (teahouses), historic mosques and just about every homeware and person-al accoutrement you can think of. The east-ern end is wilder.

• Hosseiniyeh Mosque

This beautiful mosque dedicated to Hossein catches the setting sun perfectly from its western face. It’s off Ferdosi St.

• Masjed-e Jameh

Madraseh cells line the inner courtyard of this sizeable 1826 mosque, accessed through a spired portal on Imam St.

• Seyyed Ibrahim Shrine

A delicate shrine to Seyyed Ibrahim set inside peace-ful grounds right in the centre of the city.

• Soravardi’s Bust

Philosopher Soravardi’s bust can be seen on a library wall. The 1851 Baha’i massacres were perpetrated in lanes behind the wall.

• Rakhatshor-Khaneh

A traditional Qajar subterranean wash house full of female mannequins, in the clothing of the era, showing how it used to be done. There’s also a small garden courtyard and an above-ground workshop where people make elf shoes.

• Khanum Mosque

Hidden in a back lane, this cute mosque has a pair of pepper-grinder-like turrets. To find it, head north up Ferdosi St from Sabz Sq, then turn left into the car park and head up the laneway. A few more turns and you’re there.

• Rasul-Ullah Mosque

Grandly tiled, the mosque’s dome and min-aret appear best at dawn and dusk, when they’re framed by the giant revolutionary ‘organ-pipes’ monument of Enqelab Sq.

• Mir Baha-e Din Bridge

This attractive three-arched Qajar bridge over the Zanjan Rud river is visible west of the road to Bijar, southwest of the railway station.

Around Zanjan

• Katale Khor Caves

The extensive Katale Khor cave system, rated by locals as the best in western Iran, is 150 km south of Zanjan, off the Soltaniyeh–Hamadan road near Garmab. Less touristed than the more famous Ali Sadr caves, which it is thought to eventually join, Katale Khor has 3km open to the public and another 4km available for experienced cavers. There are six recorded levels and a visit takes one to two hours. There’s no public transport to the site; hire a taxi.

• Colourful Mountains

Similar to the ‘painted deserts’ of outback Australia and badlands America, but on a much larger scale, these incredibly coloured hills are visible to anyone travelling between Tabriz and Zanjan in daylight. Banded in red, white and various shades of ochre, the fantastically alien-looking shapes loom up either side of Hwy 2 around the Zanjan 125km mark and extend for about 20km.

• Behestan Castle

This wild-looking, incredibly eroded, cave-ridden mesa soars above (or, more accurately, falls into) the Qezel Owzan river in the ribbed and riven badlands 120km northwest of Zanjan. Reduced to a collection of tottering hollow hoodoos, the mesa’s human-made caves were part of a Sassanid era fortress. You’ll need a full day’s car hire from Zanjan to explore the area properly. The closest town is Mahneshan, 14km to the north.