Baq-e Shahzadeh garden wall,
Mahan, Kerman - 19th century
Kerman
August 1997
The Iranian
If I was in Iran right now and thinking about going on a trip, I'd probably pack up and go to Yazd or its twin sister, Kerman (see map).
The region's architecture has a charming modesty and simplicity that is missing in the magnificent, almost perfect, monuments of Isfahan.
The desert-colored structures in Kerman are anything but imposing. They eminate unpretentious beauty and generate a good deal of unconditional warmth.
And these are just impressions from years of looking at pictures of this quiet southeast region. Recently my interest was renewed when I saw "Kerman" -- a collection of photographs by Batoul Izadpanah published by the Culture and Islamic Guidance Office of Kerman Province (1993). Click on titles below to see sample images.
Kerman,
the city by the mountain
Vakil bath
house
Chahr Sough
great dome, Kerman main bazaar
Domes of
Moshtaqiyeh mosque
Mirrored
mosque interior
Zoroatrian
priests performing Sadeh ceremony
A "Zour-khaneh",
or traditional gym
A Sassanid
fort overlooking Kerman
Lion-shaped
doorknob
Ancient
Bam citadel
The National Library: 1) Snow-sovered,
tree-lined walkway , 2) Entrace
gate
Iran-Iraq War: 1) The
Martyrs' , 2) A
statue
Wind towers
above a water reservoir
Baq-e Shahzadeh garden: 1) Entrance
arch , 2)Entrance
structure , 3) Fountains,
residence , 4) Wall
decoration 5) Ducks
Snow-covered
mountain
Fruits and nuts: 1) Fresh
pistachios , 2)Citrus
fruit
Colorful
carpet
* Weakness
replaced bu stubbornness
British scientist's observations from a visit to Kerman in 1950
