Bridges in Iran

 

“Bridges in Iran” is a topic that could be extended to books with many pages. 

The vast land of Iran is a high plateau with many elevations. The central part of Iran is formed by the desert and Lut plain, surrounded by the Alborz Mountains in the north and the Zagros Mountains in the west and the eastern mountains. 

The existence of these low and high altitudes has caused climatic diversity so that in the northern and western districts, the amount of rainfall is relatively high and in the central part of the rainfall is very low.

However, Iran has a vast network of running water, both as permanent rivers and as temporary rivers.

Rivers were major obstacles to caravan routes. Inevitably, the need to build a bridge for road construction was strongly felt. 

It may be difficult to answer the question of who started the construction of the first bridge, but undoubtedly when humans were able to build a dam by accumulating rocks or soils in front of the water and direct the rivers to their desired routes, bridge construction started by using tree trunks to cross the rivers.

In Iran, there are enough ruins of old bridges to study the art of bridge construction from ancient times. 

The oldest bridge in Iran is the one built by the Urartu on the Aras River, which is now the border between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Although the bridge was destroyed around the eighth century BC, there are still enough traces of it to understand the existence of the bridge and its design and size.

In the Achaemenid period, which was the era of conquests and military campaigns, the biggest obstacles were rivers that stood in their way. But, the experts always solved the problem with tact and solutions.

Historical texts of this period show that during the establishment of the royal roads, several bridges were built in Iran along the road, of which there are few traces today.

Only in the corners of the vast country of Iran can be seen the ruins of bridges attributed to this period, which were built around ​​palaces and gardens of Pasargadae in the fifth and fourth centuries BC and a few years ago archaeologists excavated them.

No Parthian bridges have been found in Iran, but it is inconceivable that new roads were not constructed in the middle of this period, especially the Silk Road, which began in China and through Kashgar, Samarkand, Merv, Balkh, and northern Iran to Asia Minor and Rome. Could you imagine this possible without a bridge?

Considering the remnants of the Sassanid reign in Iran, we find that the Sassanid had a brilliant history in construction and architecture, in addition to the necessary conditions which at the time required that bridge construction.

This need was most noticeable in the Khuzestan region, which had roaring rivers.

Bridges attributed to this period in the Fars region are Pirin and Khair Abad bridges, Sassanid bridge of Darrehshahr, Dokhtar Mamolan bridge, Sassanid bridge of Kashkan in the Lorestan region is a proof of the importance of roads and bridge construction in this era.

In Khuzestan, there are several cases of combining bridges and dams. At a distance of 300 meters west of the dam, the ruins of a bridge can be seen, which is known as Shadirvan Bridge.

Some of the bridges attributed to the Sassanid have only Sassanid foundations and were built in Islamic periods.

Bridge construction stagnated in the first two centuries of Islam, and if a bridge was ever built across the country, it was the result of the efforts of rulers and wealthy natives, not the government.

There are no reliable documents and sources about the construction of the first bridge in the Islamic period. Hamdollah Mustawfi writes: The first bridge in the Islamic era was built by Bakr bin Abdullah on the Aras River.

The fourth-century AH coincides with the rule of two Shiite sects in Iran, the Buyid dynasty, which ruled in Hamedan, Rey, Isfahan, and Iraq, and the Hassanid Kurdish tribe, which ruled in Lorestan and Kurdistan.

The Daylamites paid a lot of attention to the development of the areas under their eye, and for this reason, not only were most of the ruined bridges at that time repaired, but they also built large bridges and huge dams. Band-e Amir Bridge and Talkan Bridge are examples of works of this period.

Several dams and bridges remain from the Ghaznavid era. Perhaps the most famous of these is the Tus Bridge, which overlooks the Kashafrud River on the road that connected Tus to the cities of Herat and Balkh.

There are credible documents that show that bridge construction was of special importance during the Seljuk period. Band-e Qesar on Karbal River in Fars is one of the well-constructed examples of this period.

During the Ilkhanate dynasty, after the establishment of peace in the country, the construction of bridges and roads continued. One of the most important bridges of this period is the strong and beautiful bridge that Alishah Jilani built on the Zayanderud River.

The chaos that had arisen throughout Iran after the death of Sultan Abu Sa’id Teymouri subsided with the advent of Shah Ismail Safavid and the severe repression of the enemies, and peace based on power emerged and paved the way for reforms during the reign of Shah Abbas.

Since Shah Abbas choose Isfahan as the capital of all Iran, this city expanded as one of the most wonderful cities in the East and became a full-fledged mirror of Safavid architecture.

In this city, several bridges were built on the Zayanderud River. Sio- Se- Pol Bridge, Khaju Bridge, and the wooden bridge, in addition to providing traffic, the place of recreation of the king and courtiers and sometimes ambassadors of foreign countries in this era.

Most of the bridges that can be seen in different parts of Iran today are valuable works related to this period.

Unfortunately, during the Afsharid dynasty, not much attention was paid to road construction and bridges in Iran. More or less during the Zand dynasty, bridges gained some attention from the government like the bridge of Khoshk River in Shiraz, which is one of the innovations of Karim Khan.

During the rule of the Qajar sultans, due to the Shaky foundations of independence, disorder, hypocrisy, and betrayal of agents, no important action was taken to reform the country.

Bridges in Iran in the last century have followed new architectural methods, often made of iron and reinforced concrete, or in which cut stones have been used.

There are two very large bridges on the Iranian railway, which are different from ordinary bridges due to their grandeur. One of them is the Veresk Bridge in the Alborz Mountains, built by German engineers, and the other is the Ghotour Bridge in West Azerbaijan, built by Austrian engineers.

The 153-meter-long White Bridge, which was inaugurated in 1930, and Ahvaz Grand Bridge over the Karun River are also masterpieces of bridge construction in the recent century.

Bridges in Iran, like any other place, were not just to ease the traffic, they were also connection routs for people in different districts. Can you see the cultural trade when you look at a bridge? 

 

 

Persian Gulf

 

The great economic upheavals and the strategic and political situation of the Persian Gulf from ancient times to the present day have made the colonialists thirsty for presence and hegemony in the region and have made them try to always impose their policy on this region.

Hence, the Persian Gulf has always been the scene of conflict and battle, and its peripheral lands have also been affected by these conflicts. In such a way that the political and economic life of these countries is oriented according to the current issues and currents in the Persian Gulf.

The Portuguese first entered the Persian Gulf in 1506 AD under the command of the famous Portuguese sailor Albuquerque, and after a while, they completely occupied Qeshm, the islands of Hormuz and Gambron (Bandar Abbas). Imam Qoli Khan was one of the famous commanders of Shah Abbas I who fought with a strategy to free the islands and Bandar Abbas and thereby, he took the Persian Gulf back.

April 30 has been named the National Day of the Persian Gulf, which is the anniversary of the expulsion of the Portuguese from the Strait of Hormuz by Shah Abbas I Safavid and the Persian Gulf.

This large area of ​​water with its islands and long beaches, the cradle of various civilizations, the center of cultural and commercial exchanges, and one of the most well-known and most famous seas in the world. 

In the geography of Strabo, this sea is referred to as the Persian Gulf or the Persian Sea, and the sea between the Arabian Peninsula and the east coast of Africa (Egypt and Sudan), now called the Red Sea, is called the Arabian Gulf. 

Names appear on maps and in authentic historical documents in a variety of languages, and research in any of the historical and geographical sources, the sea between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, has no name other than the Persian Gulf.

Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr Al-Zahri, an Arab geographer, mentions the Persian Gulf in his book Al-Geography, which is almost a thousand years old:” The land route of the Egyptian people to Syria, Iraq and the Persian Gulf it is here (Sinai Peninsula).”

Indian Ocean water advance through the Sea of ​​Oman and the Strait of Hormuz to the Zagros Valley, a crescent-shaped bay that is what exactly the Persian Gulf is.

It is said that its length has formed the “Persian Sea” or “Persian Gulf” east-west, which has been 900 km for hundreds of years and its average width is 250 km. Eight countries are located around the Persian Gulf. 

This large area of ​​water is located in the south and southwest of Iran, in the neighborhood of Khuzestan, Bushehr, and parts of Hormozgan provinces. 

Countries like the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait, with different coastlines, other than Iran, surround the Gulf.

The Persian Gulf is essentially the remnant of the seas of the third geological period that covers the entire Zagros region. However, due to the declining water level of the oceans, not only has its water decreased, but according to some evidence on the seabed, it has also been completely dry at times.

The present Persian Gulf is a part of the land on which the ocean water has re-collapsed through the Strait of Hormuz.

However, this long depression is the result of the folding of the Zagros Mountains and due to its low level above sea level, it is submerged. 

In the past, the Persian Gulf was larger than what it is today. The Mesopotamia and Khuzestan plains have been formed as a result of the filling of the northern part of the Persian Gulf by the alluvium of rivers that now have to travel farther inland to enter the bay.

The most important rivers that flow into the Persian Gulf are Karun, Karkheh, Dalaki, and Mond. Karun is the longest navigable river in Iran.

These rivers are located in a large part of the west, southwest, and south of the country and often originate from the huge Zagros Mountains.

The Persian Gulf has many important islands such as Khark, Kish, Abu Musa, Greater, and Lesser Tunbs, Lavan, Hengam, Lark, Hormuz, etc. Qeshm is the largest island of the Persian Gulf.

The Persian Gulf is a semi-enclosed sea between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula that runs through the Strait of Hormuz to the Sea of ​​Oman and from there to the Indian Ocean. 

In the National Atlas of Iran, the area of ​​the Persian Gulf has estimated at around 225,000 square km, its length is 900 km2 and its width is 180-300 km2, and elsewhere it has a width between 185 to 333 km and an average depth of 25 to 35 m.

From Bandar Abbas to Faw estuary, Iran has 45.3% of the total coastline of the Persian Gulf, i.e. Iran has the longest coastline compared to other Persian Gulf countries.

There are several port cities on the coast of Iran that, in addition to their strategic importance, also have commercial and economic opportunities.

The ports of Khorramshahr, Abadan, Deylam, Bushehr, Bandar-e Deyr, Kangan, Asaluyeh, Lengeh, and Bandar Abbas are among the important centers of the country’s maritime connection with the world.

Some of these ports, such as Khorramshahr, Abadan, Bushehr, and Bandar Abbas are also important population and tourism centers of Iran.

The Persian Gulf, with its vast reserves of oil and gas and other exploitable resources and its export outside the region, as well as the existence of suitable and safe ways for trade exchanges, has always been considered by regional powers and colonial governments.

One of the reasons for the importance of this bay is the maritime trade and the existence of huge oil and gas resources underneath the Persian Gulf’s floor and all kinds of fish and shrimp.

The Persian Gulf is one of the most important centers for pearl fishing and breeding. The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf to the Sea of ​​Oman, is one of the most important strategic places in the world.

The Persian Gulf is a name standing still and solid mentioned even in the oldest sources. Because it dates back to centuries BC and it represents Persia. The name of the land of the Iranian nation.

Iran the Land of Four Seasons

 

When you decide to travel to a specific destination, you cannot ignore its climate. Iran’s climate has a special chapter for itself.

Climate is important. Not just because of how it designs the geographical landscape and natural features but also because it directly has an impact on how cultures and traditions, even the belief system of civilizations are built.

When Iran for instance, has faced drought most of its lifetime, many rituals are formed precisely to bring the water back. Water goddesses emerge and every pond becomes sacred.

If you stay as a guest and your departure date arrives, just watch the tradition. They escort you to the door with a bowl of water. If Iran’s climate was like the Amazons, would water still make these tractions?  

On the other hand, the climate of each region is undoubtedly an effective factor in determining the architectural form of that region. The solutions that the inhabitants of different regions have taken for centuries to build their shelters and adapted to the climatic conditions of the region are praiseworthy.

These methods have amazingly reduced the difficult conditions of the region and benefited from its useful aspects. Therefore, getting to know Iran’s climates will hopefully, make you more prepared for your trip.

To start you must know that, twenty-five to forty degrees desert and semi-desert areas occupy more than half of the country and affect Iran’s climate. 

About one-third of Iran is mountainous and then there is a small part of Iran like the southern plains of the Caspian Sea and the plains of Khuzestan are fertile plains.

Iran’s climate has a high diversity. From the north to the south of the country, one could gradually experience different climatic zones. 

Iran’s climate could be considered as arid and semi-arid in terms of rainfall. The annual rainfall varies in different parts of the country and different seasons of the year.

Now, why do they call it “the Land of Four Seasons”? 

Iran’s climate has made the land, one of the few countries in the world where four seasons are well visible. Not just in the whole country but even in one province, at a specific time, you could enjoy all the climate changes possible.

This climate characteristic of the country is because of the Siberian high-pressure systems, the Mediterranean rain system, and the southern low-pressure system.

In addition to that, the existence of high mountains, vast plains, deserts, rivers, and different lakes are other factors to diversify Iran’s climate.

The difference in temperature in winter between the hottest and coldest point of Iran sometimes reaches more than 50 degrees Celsius. Meaning that when the temperature of a town in Kurdistan province reaches 30 degrees below zero at night in winter, the temperature in Ahvaz is about 25 degrees above zero.

To sum it up Iran’s climate code goes like this: the northern coasts of Iran have hot and humid weather in summer and moderate in winter, the northwestern and western regions have mild summers and cold winters, the southern and southeastern regions of Iran have extremely hot summers and mild and spring winters, while the central provinces experience all four seasons.

The northern coasts of Iran’s average rainfall are higher than any other region. The tall Mount Alborz in those parts has abundant vegetation and forests. 

In most seasons the Caspian Sea region is 25 to 30 degrees during the day and between 20 and 23 degrees at night and the humidity very high. Precipitation and humidity in the temperate and humid areas along the coastline, from east to west.

If you move down, to the central parts, you would find Iran’s climate different. The central parts are where the Deserts and salt-pans are located, a significant hot and dry region. 

The dry winds in these areas could be very annoying though the desert sky is clear and cloudless most of the year and beautiful to watch. Rainfall is low and haze and storms occur a lot. 

Low rainfall has reduced the level of vegetation in this area. There is a big difference between day and night temperatures in hot and dry climates. If it rains it is usually very heavy but short.

Despite the deserts, Iran has two main mountain range that has a clear impact on creating “the Land of four seasons”.

The Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges separate the central regions of Iran from the Caspian Sea in the north and the Mesopotamian plain in the west. There are also mountains individually in central and eastern Iran, including Mount Taftan and Shir Kooh. The western slopes of the Zagros Mountains, are among the coldest regions of Iran.

 

Consecutive snow covers most of their peaks. There is always snow at altitudes above 3000 meters and these mountains are the source of rivers and aqueducts in the country.

Then again, there is a narrow and relatively long coastline that is more than two thousand kilometers which starts from Arvand River in the southwest of Khuzestan province and ends at the Gwadar Bay in the southeast of Sistan and Baluchestan province.

Iran’s climate in this region is also humid but because it is closer to the Equator, it is also very hot and winter is short.

Since most of the soil on these coastlines is calcareous and vegetation is rare, rain cannot sink into the ground. Even a little could cause a flood.

Having special geographical conditions creates “the Land of Four Seasons”. Therefore, Iran’s climate change is unique and so, as a natural result, it has made Iran rich and beautiful in terms of natural attractions.

Each corner has a specific natural landscape. Iran is an ancient land yes, we must give it that but “the Land of Four Seasons” also has a series of mountains, plains, deserts, salt-pans, waterfalls, forests, rivers, lakes, coastlines, islands, volcanoes, and caves.

These aspects of nature have their exclusive wildlife too. Many different types of species live here because of Iran’s climate variety.  

It all comes to this, what are you looking for in a destination. Sometimes the purpose of your journey gives you the clues to look for special destinations. 

Iran offers everything. It’s like the perfect package.

Iran Desert

Long ago, it seemed only those seeking solitude would ever plan a journey to a desert. Now, it’s the most adventurous thing a person could do.

Iran’s nature could amaze people in ways they never had ever thought. Iran Deserts are like a great magician, Merlin perhaps, or Dumbledore himself. Many lands with many different shapes could change.

It’s not like if you go to Shahdad salt-pan for instance, the next time, those yardangs would be the same.

Iran offers you various types of deserts and salt pans. Each have their unique features, each has their atmosphere, and spiritually take you to places you have never explored inside you. 

The Desert and Salt-pans of Iran could be divided into five sections. Each section contains a different type of desert and salt-pan that has been known so far.

Iran’s central desert is bounded on the north by the eastern Alborz mountain range and Mount Binalud on the east. 

 

 

Masileh Desert

This is limited from the north to the eastern and central Alborz mountains, from the south to the Rig-e Jenn desert, from the west to the central mountains of Iran and the Karkas mountain range, and from the west to the western deserts.

This particular desert includes the deserts of Maranjab, Rig Dam, Nakhjir Valley, and mountains such as Siah Kuh and also located in the central parts of Iran and the western margin of the central desert. Maranjab desert is located in the south, and Kavir National Park is located in the west.

 

Lut Desert or the Dasht-e Lut 

It is another impassable desert not just in Iran but also in the world. In some parts of this desert, there are no living creatures, not even one single bacteria. The hottest spot on earth is located in this desert.

 

Darreh-ye Khoshk Rud 

Or in English, “the Valleys of the Dry River”, are located in Kerman province and 150 km from Shahdad city in the direction of Nehbandan, northern Dasht-e Lut.

Kal Shor is the only permanent river in Lut. At the same time, other channels flow into the area of ​​Lut pits, the most important of which is the Khoshk River. This route does not have permanent water, but it is the passage of seasonal waters in northern Lut. 

Three parallel paths with a steep slope from north to south fall into Lut’s salt pit.

Water erosion in a vertical direction has affected sedimentary strata with different pressure and has created scattering systems and sedimentary blocks. 

It looks like the ruins of a city known as the city of Lut. This example and complications are specific to this region and have not been created in other areas of Lut.

It extends 20 km to the south of the corner of the dry valley in the form of a claw and is about 400 m above sea level, with vertical walls that intersect in a pyramidal shape. The grooves are created vertically as a result of techno-kite movements.

 

Shahdad Desert

The yardangs of Kerman are located in a plain that is on the southern edge of the Lut desert. 

The shapes you see in Shahdad are the result of wind and water erosion over many years. They seem to be the ruins of an old city doorway, walls, and everything but these shapes are compacted masses of soil, sand, and tall pebbles.

Although, some archaeologists believe that this desert was once inhabited.

Shahdad is full of eerie wonders. You could easily feel invisible people staring at you, and if you shout, the mighty winds will steal your voice.

 

Gandom Beryan

From above it looks like a ladle, and on the surface of the earth, it has almost flat basaltic rocks. These rocks are the result of the eruption of several volcanic craters.

Within the heart of these volcanic plains lies the hottest spot on earth. In Persian, they call it “Gandom Beryan”. In English, it means, roasted wheat.

Some locals believe that travelers would place their wheat grains on black basalt stones and after a while, they would roast due to the heat. Color-infrared Aerial Photography has proven that this special spot is the hottest place on earth.

 

Rig-e Jenn

Ok, the thing about deserts in Iran is that they have weird names. In Persian, Rig means pebbles, that’s fine but Jenn is the word for “Goblin”.  It is the boundary between Tabas and Yazd deserts. This dessert is one of the most impassable areas in the world due to its vast swamps, high and vast dunes. Only a limited number of people have crossed it so far. Tabas and Yazd deserts are also the boundary between the Dasht-e Lut and the Great salt-pan. Gavkhouni swamp is located in this area.

The Lack of water resources in this vast expanse of dunes, along with natural barriers such as salt marshes, have been the reasons why this region has out of human’s reach for centuries. Therefore, it was known as the goblins’ territory.

Folk tales, obscure myths, and legends about Rig-e Jenn have generally originated from the inability of travelers to cross this desert.

Anyway, there is no clear boundary for the goblins’ territory. Briefly, this region is located in central Iran in the western part of the central desert and salt-pans. 

 

Maranjab Desert

Located in Isfahan province and its average altitude is about 850 meters above sea level. Most of this desert is dunes and is rich in vegetation. The vegetation of this area includes saline plants such as turmeric trees and arches and shrubs.

The Maranjab Desert and its beautiful nights can compete with any forest or sea. Maranjab Desert’s features have attracted around 120% of the tourists who come to Kashan in the first four months of the year. 120 percent means over one and a half million people.

Along with the dunes that are the main attraction of the desert, the presence of Maranjab Castle and the island wandering in the Maranjab Desert, gives more motivation to tourists to come and explore this region. 

Contrary to popular belief that the desert plain lacks a sign of human life and livelihood, we must hand it over to the deserts that were once magnificent places for the early humans to live in. 

Evidence from the desert reflects the fact that in prehistoric times, human groups continued to live in their particular social forms in today’s desert, which had different living conditions.

However, because of gradual climate change and under the impact of certain geographical and historical conditions, they have been forsaken.

This is perhaps why, nowadays they look as if they are weird, mysterious, and even scary. But planning a journey to the desert could change your life forever. There is more to the desert and salt-pans than what we hear about or see in pictures. It’s a journey from within.