The tourist route from Isfahan to Varzaneh includes numerous historical, rural and natural beauties. The sights of this route can be seen during one day or preferably you can dedicate two days to this program and spend the night in the eco-tourism resorts of Varzaneh city. In this way you can early in the morning, go to Varzaneh desert and see the beautiful sunrise in the sand dunes.
On the way from Isfahan to Varzaneh, you will visit Ziar Minaret, Barsian Historical Mosque, Ezhieh Pigeon Towers, Qortan Citadel, Varzaneh city sights and sand desert near Varzaneh.
Ziar Minaret, a huge beautiful minaret among the farms
Ziar minaret is the tallest old building around Isfahan city with a height of about 50 meters with160 stairs . This minaret is located in 30 kilometers East of Isfahan on the outskirts of Ziar town . Ziar minaret belongs to Seljuk period , has been built about 800 years ago . Ziar minaret that is built among farm fields and vast plains, has a structure designing on three floors with beautiful tiling and inscriptions in Kufic turquoise lettering.
The diameter of body of Ziar minaret at the bottom is about 4 meters , while at the highest point is one meter .
Google map link of Ziar Minaret
Barsian mosque & minaret, a valuable historical mansion
Barsian mosque is located at 40 kilometers east of Isfahan city on the road of Isfahan to Varzaneh city .
Date of construction of Barsian mosque , based on inscription of mosque sanctuary is in 1105, in Seljuk period . While single 35-meter minaret of Barsian mosque has been built in 1098 and then have been connected to the dome mansion .
Of course some of the mosaic inscriptions and tile works inside of this mosque is added to it in the Safavid period .
Building and interior decoration of the dome of Barsian mosque is very similar to Taj ol-Mulk dome in Jameh Mosque of Isfahan. , That shows it has been probably built by the same architect .
Google map link of Barsian Mosque
Ezhieh Pigeon Towers
The old city of Ezhieh is located 75 km east of Isfahan on the banks of the Zayandeh River.
There are many old pigeon towers on the farms of the Aegean suburbs. Ezhieh Pigeon towers have been used as nesting pigeons to collect their droppings. In the past, these wastes have been used as fertilizer on farms.
Qortan Citadel, a great ancient castle
Qortan Citadel is located in Qortan village,100 km east of Isfahan and on the banks of Zayandehrud river. This castle is not far from Varzaneh town.
The historical citadel of Qortan is a very large ancient castle with an area of 5 hectares. The towers and fortifications around this castle completely enclose the space inside the castle. These towers and fortifications have been reconstructed and restored. Ten towers are located between the thick and lofty walls of the castle. The thickness of the castle walls is three to four meters and they are 9 meters high, On the wall there is a narrow passage for the guards to cross.
Inside the citadel, there are many old mud-brick houses, many of which are dilapidated and abandoned, but some are still used for housing for some families living in the castle.
Inside the castle, there are two mosques, one of which is large and with the view of Safavid period mosques, but the other, which is known as Ahleh Mosque or Shabestan Mosque, is a mosque with a different and ancient texture, whose nave is like a crypt dug into the ground without any light from outside.
At one time, this large castle have had various residential facilities such as baths and bazaars and even two smaller castles in the middle of the main castle, of which now only ruins are left.
Qortan Citadel is more than a thousand years old and apparently belongs to the Diliman period, although some people consider the castle to be related to the Sassanid period.
Google map link of Qortan Citadel
Varzaneh, the tourism hub of East of Isfahan
Varzaneh is the last city on the banks of the Zayandeh River and 30 km from Gavkhoni Lagoon. This city is considered the tourism hub of East of Isfahan, the city of women in white chadors.
Varzaneh is located 108 km east of Isfahan city. It welcomes many tourists daily who come to this desert city to visit the natural and cultural attractions of Varzaneh and its surroundings.
Varzaneh has a historical bridge on Zayandeh river. With the construction of a small dam, they have turned low water of river into a lake, which, although its water color is dark, has become a place for boating and tourists to have fun.
A statue of a woman in a white chador has been erected in one of the squares of this small town, which is engaged in tablecloth weaving, the original handicraft of the women of this city.
There is a large pigeon tower in this city, which now is a place for handicraft exhibition.
Varzeneh also has several ecotourism resorts that foreign tourists are among its customers.
The people of Varzaneh are well aware of the tourism potential of their city, and the wheel of the tourism economy is in the hands of these people with taste. For example, we can mention the construction of a well in the suburbs of Varzaneh to attract tourists. A well in which a cow of a special breed draws water out of the well only while singing its owner.
The beautiful and wide sand hills is one of the other natural attractions around Varzaneh, which is only 7 km away from Varzaneh.
Varzaneh Anthropological Museum, which is located on the site of a large old house, as well as the city’s historic Grand Mosque are other attractions of Varzaneh.
The citadel or large castle of Qortan is another touristic sight near Varzaneh.
Varzaneh is a small town and can be reached on foot to most tourist spots inside the city.
Google map link of Varzaneh town
Varzaneh Desert, beautiful & charmer
About Varzaneh Desert : A wide and long desert of a series of sand hills and quicksands is located between Varzaneh town and Hassanabad Jargaviyeh town in Isfahan province, about 100 kilometers east of Isfahan city. Tthis desert is 40 km long from north to south.
The southern part of this range of sand dunes near the village of Khara near Hassanabad is known as the Khara Desert.
The northern part of this range of sand hills is located near Varzaneh and is called Varzaneh desert.
To reach this beautiful sandy desert, you have to go 7 km from Varzaneh on Varzaneh to Hassanabad road.
Doha Tourism Complex is also located in the sand dunes neare Varzaneh town, which includes a series of desert sports and recreations.
I suggest you watch the sunrise among these sand dunes to witness the enchantment and beauties of desert nature.
Google map link of Varzaneh Desert
