Kashan

Kashan Meaning

There are different hypotheses about the root of “Kashan” that sound logical but not certain. Some linguists believe that “Kashan” is the short form of “Kashian” that refers to the professional tile-working in this region. 

Some historians believe that the name of this phenomenal city means the king’s place that comes from two morphemes “Kei” and “Ashiyan.” This theory makes sense because Kashan has always been a perfect city for kings to rest and enjoy the ultimate beauty of the city.

Another idea about Kashan’s name relates to the architectural design of the houses. Some other linguists believe that Kashan means summer houses made of straw and wood. 

The History of Kashan

With more than 7 thousand years of civilization, Kashan is not only a significant city for learning about Persian culture, but also, this city has a long root in history. One of the very first traces of human beings’ presence was found in Kashan. 

According to the research in that region, Kashan was the home for Kassites people who were gifted fighters, skilled horse riders, and talented artists. Their remaining handicrafts show their exceptional ability to work with metals and iron to create sculptures and even creative weapons. 

Throughout history, Kashan had many ups and downs. However, during the Safavid Dynasty, Kashan started its development once again because the kings used to travel to this city and have a long holiday there. 

Besides producing rose water, carpet weaving had always been popular in Kashan, however, today, the moquette carpet industry is favored in the city, and people of Kashan are focusing on that. 

Kashan’s Map

Kashan is located in the north of Isfahan Province among high mountains. With a population of 326,115 in 2020, Kashan is the second-largest city in Isfahan Province as well. The perfect location of the city allows you to visit its fascinating landmarks during your trip to Isfahan. You can also access other cities of Iran from Kashan without any difficulties. 

If you are leaving Kashan to the Capital city of Iran, Tehran, you can take a VIP bus, and after 2.5 hours, you will find yourself in a bus terminal located in Tehran. Traveling from Kashan to Isfahan, which takes 2 hours and 20 minutes, you can use high-quality buses to make your trip comfortable. 

Termeh Travel can help you purchase the online bus tickets for every destination in Iran. You should only fill your information on the website and buy your ticket. Termeh Travel support team is always available to help you during the process as well. 

Here is the Kashan map to give you a better picture of the city.

Kashan’s Weather

Being surrounded by mountains and close to the desert, Kashan has hot summers and cold winters with a low amount of rain. 

During the falls, Kashan is filled with travelers who are eager to see the magic of the city and get enchanted with the rich Persian culture. From September to November, you can enjoy the nice weather of the city and explore different attractions without being worried about getting dehydrated or frozen because of the wintry temperature. 

Although fall is the best time to visit Kashan, traveling to this city during spring is perfect for those who enjoy warmer weather. You can come to Kashan, walk among damask rose gardens, and capture the outstanding pink scene in front of you.

What Are Kashan’s Top Attractions?

Traveling to Kashan and encountering some of the best places in Kashan can give you an authentic perspective of Iranian culture, art, and traditions. You can spend lots of time exploring different angles of the city, but here you can read about the diverse attractions of Kashan and make your decision about visiting them. 

Fin Garden

As one of the most significant Persian Gardens in Iran, Fin Garden is the representative of an architectural masterpiece. By walking inside the garden, you can feel a cool pleasant breeze on your skin and enjoy looking at the fountains in the middle of the pools. 

Since cedar is a symbolic tree in Persian culture, which means beauty, the majority of the trees in the garden are cedar to make Fin Garden look utterly stunning. The symmetric design of the garden shows the influence of Islamic Art on it. 

The garden was called Shah(king) Garden since the Iranian kings used to go there, but today, people know it as Fin garden because it is located in the Fin neighborhood. 

Historical Houses

Kashan is known for its ancient houses and the undeniable, fantastic beauty of them. Tabatabaei and Borujerdi Houses are two masterpieces of majestic architectural design in the city. 

Tabatabaei House is there to enchant you with the big blue pool in the middle of the yard and colorful glasses of windows that shine under the sunlight. The minor details of the rooms, such as the delicate plaster design, make you fall in love with Persian architecture. 

The trace of Islamic design and the symmetrical forms can be seen in Tabatabaei and Borujerdi houses as well. 

Borujerdi House, located in Alavi Street of Kashan, is an elegant combination of colors and plaster design. The oil paintings of the warm colors used in the design of the walls make the place look luxurious and phenomenal. The blue pool of the yard and the windcatchers or Baadgir on the roof, balance the temperature and provide Borujerdi House pleasant weather throughout the year. 

Qamsar

If you are looking for paradise, you should visit Qamsar, which is a city near Kashan. Qamsar is where you can get drowned inside the pink ocean of damask roses and feel enchanted with their wonderful aroma. 

After capturing these fascinating moments, you can have a tour to rose water factories in order to see the process of turning these flowers to the rose water. 

A bottle of rose water can be an excellent souvenir for your loved ones from Iran. 

Aqa Bozorg Mosque

Aqa Bozorg Mosque is not only important, since it was used as a school, but also from an artistic point of view for its spectacular design. Being built during the Qajar Dynasty, the architectural design of the mosque is unique. 

The geometrical clover-shaped pool in the middle of the yard can be seen from both of the floors. The brick-made dome of the mosque, as well as two minarets, looks delightful with the combination of Islamic floral design on the walls. 

Sialk Hill in Kashan

If you are a fan of history, you cannot miss the Sialk Tepe or hill in which one of the oldest civilizations was found. Visiting an 8000 years old attraction, you can feel like an archaeologist who is walking on the excavation site and looking for valuable objects. 

The Hill used to be one of the oldest ziggurats in the world, which was known as the cursed hill among people of Kashan, but a French archeologist called Ghirshman could find sculptures and vases of Silak Area there and send it back to France for more research. Based on this research, the value of Kashan became obvious for scientists and our understanding of the history of humankind on this planet increased.  Although this place is not well-known, visiting it would be a unique experience for you.

What Are Top Hotels in Kashan?

If you are traveling to Kashan and looking for a place to stay, you should go with the traditional houses and hotels which have high quality and can make you feel comfortable.

Here is a list of the best hotels in Kashan.

Aran and Bidgol Hotel

Aran and Bidgol or Yalow Hotel is located in the north of Isfahan Province in Kashan. The whole structure is inspired by Persian architecture and can give you a sense of Persian culture. 

Outside of the building is decorated with wooden chairs and “Takht”(Persian sitting area). There is a flower-shaped pool in the middle which is surrounded by rooms. Each room is designed with plaster, and oil painting ceiling and vintage colorful glasses along with hanging chandeliers make the place look absolutely stunning.  

Ameriha Traditional House

Just like other traditional houses in Kashan, Ameriha House is the representative of Persian culture with high trees and a stream flowing inside it. A fantastic building in the middle of the garden completes this mesmerizing combination and shows you the authentic ambiance of Persian gardens. One of the tallest windcatchers of the world exists in Ameris’ House in Kashan, where the white color of the building shines like a pearl. The round-shaped, colorful windows under the geometrical dome of the house look stunning and invite you inside for a comfortable accommodation. 

Manouchehri Traditional House

Another traditional house that was turned into a hotel is the Manouchehri house located in Mohtasham-e Kashani Street. With sustainable architectural design and paying attention to the details, this house is truly remarkable.  

All the wooden furniture inside the rooms have wood carving design and have great harmony with the simple yet traditional decoration of the rooms. 

The traditional restaurant of Manouchehri House is gorgeous. The wooden furniture and the walls are pure white, and the reflex of colorful windows on them makes them look amazing. 

Negarestan Hotel

The 3-star Negarestan Hotel located in Amir Kabir Street can be easily distinguished from other hotels in Kashan because of its modern design. The combination of the cream color of the exterior wall is eye-catching enough to encourage you to step inside and walk on the marble floor and book a room there. 

The large lobby of Negarestan Hotel looks bright and classic because of the lights and white color of its decoration as well as the brown color of the furniture.

What Are the Best Restaurants in Kashan?

To have a perfect dining experience while traveling to a new city, you should know its best restaurants. Although the hotels of Kashan are famous for their restaurants and you can be sure that you will have a high quality and delicious meal there, you can also try the restaurants below and enjoy their food as well. 

Mozaffari Traditional Restaurant

Mozaffari Traditional Restaurant located in Alavi Street is where you can sit on the Persian Takhts next to the pool and enjoy eating traditional meals in a Persian style. Mozaffari Restaurant used to be a traditional house that was turned into a restaurant. Dining in this restaurant, you have various options of Persian meals such as different Khoresht (Stew) and Persian rice as well as kebabs and vegetarian meals. 

After finishing your food, you can enjoy a cup of black tea with Persian sweets as the desert. 

Avgoon Cafe and Restaurant

The contrast of the traditional design of the Avgoon cafe and restaurant, along with its international meals, is interesting. You can pass Ameri Traditional House and enter the basement to find a seat and order your food in Avgoon restaurant. 

Besides their Persian and international food menu, you can ask for traditional drinks such as herbal essence cold refreshment. 

Mellal Restaurant

Mellal Restaurant, located in Amir Kabir Street, is a well-known dining option amongst tourists and travelers visiting Kashan. The exterior part of the restaurant is decorated with a pergola in the middle of the yard. You can walk inside and enjoy the elegant white and blue decoration of the restaurant. 

During the spring or summer nights, you have the option to sit outside and enjoy the pleasant weather of the city while eating your meal.  

The calm and relaxing atmosphere of Kashan, as well as its gorgeous historical attractions, can make your journey to Iran spectacularly unforgettable. You should apply for your Iran visa and pick Kashan as one of your destinations in this amazing country, without any hesitation.