Kurdistan Province in Iran
About Kurdistan
Kurdistan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. The province of Kurdistan is around 28,817 km² in the area. It is located in the west of Iran and bound by Iraqi Kurdistan on the west, the province of West Azerbaijan to its north, Zanjan to the northeast, Hamedan to the east, and Kermanshah to the south. The capital of Kurdistan Province is the city of Sanandaj. Other counties with their major cities are Marivan, Baneh, Saqhez, Qorveh, Piran Shahr, Bijar, Kamyaran, Dehgolan, Diwan Ddarreh, and Sarv Abad.
The unique topography of this province, its beautiful nature, and climatic varieties have turned this area into an attractive spot for tourists. According to world standards, temperatures are between 20 to 25 degrees Celsius which is highly favored by tourists. Since the average daily temperature in this province from mid-May to mid-October ranges is between 22 to 28 degrees of Celsius, this period is the best time of the year for attracting summer tourists.
One of the most important attractions of the province is its cultural features such as language, ethnic music, ethnic costume, ethnic dance, festivals, celebrations, and handicrafts. Kurdistan boasts one of the most beautiful costumes in the world. As it is written by many tourists in their travel books, Kurdish costumes are unique in terms of beauty, delicacy, and color. Due to their positive attributes, they have won first place in several international festivals. Kurdish clothes, like the Kurdish language, have so many varieties in different regions of the province.
Land of Ancient Heritage
This mountainous province is located in the west of Iran bordering Iraq. The highest mountain which is located to the southeast of Saghez is called Chahar Cheshmeh with a height of 3173 meters above sea level. The climate is temperate and mountainous which provides rich lawns for nomads who are mostly involved in husbandry. The common handicrafts of this province include carpet weaving, drugget weaving, textile, and local ornament making.
The population of the province consists of Kurdish and Azaris ethnic groups who speak their respective dialects. The Kurds are descendants of Aryan tribes who immigrated to this land a few thousand years ago. In Sumerian, Akkadian, and Assyrian inscriptions, the word “Kurd” has been used many times. Based on the archeological discoveries in the Zivieh ancient hill, the civilization of this province dates back to the Mana era, 13th century BC.
Oramanat Village
This village is located to the southwest of a town called Marivan in a steep valley. The houses are commonly made of stone. The climate of this region is cold, especially in winters.
Palangan Village
Palangan is a village within one kilometer of the “Tangivar” valley in Kamyaran county, located in Kurdistan province. The population of Palangan, which is enlisted as a national monument of Iran, is about a thousand people who speak the Kurdish dialect of Orami. Since Palangan is situated at the foothills on both sides of the valley, it has houses with terraced structures and is made of stone. The water source of this village is irrigated from the Tangivar River. One of the marvelous points about Palangan Village is that the water springs located in the valley have led to the formation of stunning waterfalls.
Zivieh Hill
This hill was a castle located at 42 km distance to the northeast of Saghez city. The city, with the old name of Izirta, was the capital of the Median Kingdom. This city was destroyed by the second king of Assyria. Later the Saka tribes rebuilt it and adopted it as their capital. From the hill, a three-story building with painted pillars, ornaments, carved ivories, and coffins belonging to Saka kings have been discovered.
Vakil ol-Molk Structure
This is one of the oldest and most visited buildings of Sanandaj city. This is a private heritage of the Vakil family who has always been among the notables of Kurdistan. This building dates back to the Zand dynasty and consists of a garden, courtyard, and some mansions.
Lake Zarivar
This lake which is 1285 meters above sea level is one of the most attractive sites in the west of Iran which is located two kilometers to the west of the town of Marivan. The lake is 4.5 km long and 2 km wide with a depth of 3 meters. It is surrounded by dense forests.
Karaftu Cave
The cave is located in the Obat region of Divan Darreh town in a castle with the same name. This cave was the temple of Heraclius, 2000 years ago. Structures and inscriptions from the Parthian, 300 BC have been discovered at the site. On one of the walls of this cave, the name of Heraclius deity of the Greek pantheon has been carved and beneath it there is a painting of a hunter, hunting a deer. This painting is a memorial to the victories of Gudarz, one of the kings of the Parthia who defeated Mehrdad, the king of Armenia.
Kurdistan Vegetation
The vegetation of this province includes lawns and forests which stretch from the northwest to southwest of this province with an area of 320,000 hectares covering the cities of Marivan and Baneh. They are one of the most interesting attractions of this province.
Local Dances
Local dances are remarkable in terms of their themes and form. These dances are performed in happy ceremonies. They are mostly group dances and have roots in local beliefs and traditions. One form of dance is called Jarmagh which is common among the people of cities and villages.
Historical Attractions:
Siavameh, Namshit, Broudjeh, Kivehro, Shoy, Armardeh, Kileh, Boin, and Ser Bastani Sho castles related to the Parthian and Sassanid period in Baneh, Ghamchaghay and Ushghun Babāa brick tower in Bijar, and Kuftu Cave dating back to the Parthian era in Divan Dareh, Zivieh and Eynisur ancient hills in Saghez, Mir Hassan Moshiri, Aserf Vaziri, and Sadegh Vaziri old houses, Karasi, Arnadan, and Chelu historical hills, Khan, Vakil, and Momtaz traditional baths, ancient markets in Sanandaj, Uramat Takht, Sarvabad, Nagal, and Pol-e Jam Gardan hills, and roofed bazaar of Urami people in Marivan.
Natural Attractions:
Valuable natural landscapes of Kurdistan are such as Baneh Forests, Ab Talkh (bitter water), Khavar Abad, Ghamchaghay, and Haft Asiab springs in Bijar, forests of Saghez and Sanandaj, Sarab, Neysar, and Baba Gargar mineral water springs in Ghorveh, Goaz mineral spring, Marivan forests, and Uraman and Marivan springs in Marivan region.