Are you going to take the opportunity and visit Iran after World Cup 2022? Excellent choice, because as a World Cup 2022 fan, you are going to be welcomed in Iran visa-free for 20 days and this is going to be a perfect time for finally visiting Iran while you have come to Qatar, the neighbouring count of Iran. Apart from free visa, Iran is going to offer more travel services to World Cup fans like Qatar-Iran ferry and flights, hotels and facilities in Kish Island and Qeshm Island, and etc., in order to make exploring different attractions of Iran a wonderful experience.
Rural tourism is a type of ecotourism that focuses on rural culture, activities, and lifestyle and lets travelers get acquainted with a wide range of rural activities and aspects of rural life from agriculture to traditional music, ceremonies, culinary etc., all of which are interesting activities among travelers who travel to villages from cities and take a rest from chaotic urban life. Rural tourism has also benefits for the hospitable rural society that host travelers and visitors from all over the world with generosity, and share their lifestyle experiences with their guests. With diversity in culture and geography, Iran is one of the countries where you can experience authentic rural life in unique villages of Iran scattered all over this vast country.
Meymand Village – Kerman, Iran
Among all the exotic and wonderful touristic vilages of Iran, Meymand Village is a must-see that leaves you speechless. This rocky village is the first village in Iran that was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and that is because of its antiquity and astonishing rocky architecture. Meymand village is located 234 kilometers away from Kerman (the center of Kerman Province in the east of Iran) and between Sirjan, Rafsanjan and Shahr-e Babak, other towns of Kerman Provice.
The exact history of Meymand Village is not known, and there are different theories about that. Some historians say that the establishment of Meymand Village is related to Mithraism and since the followers of Mithraism believed in invincibility and immortality they dug rocks to build houses that last forever. Another theory says that Meymand Village dates back to the time of Medes and archeologic excavations show that the rocky houses of Meymand Village date back to 2000-3000 years ago. Also, studies on pieces of potteries found in this area trace the antiquity of Meymand back to Parthian era, while the cave paintings found around the area show that people have lived here earlier than this.
Why is the architecture of Meymand Village so unique?
The amazing architecture of Meymand Village will leave you speechless. Thousands of years ago, people living in this area, made hand-carved caves in the heart of rocks to build houses and shelters without using any mortar or other material. The hand carved houses are named Kicheh, and there are about 406 Kicheh in Meymand Village. It is interesting to know that since these Kicheh houses are from a single stone, they act like thermal insulators and temperature fluctuation during day and night is too low, and it is also very safe during windy and rainy winter days and hot sunny days of Summer. The cave houses of Meymand Village don’t follow a similar construction and they have different sizes. A medium sized Kicheh is 3 in 4 meters with ceiling which is 190-290 meters. The biggest Kicheh in Meymand is 90 square meters. The stove inside the houses have caused the ceilings and the walls of houses become black by soot, that prevents the walls from getting destroyed.
Locals living in Meymand
Although many of the locals of Meymand have migrated to big cities, the ones that have stayed in their village still have their traditional lifestyle. They are nomads who make a living farming and animal husbandry and they migrate between their winter and summer houses. Meymand Village is their winter residence; therefore, this winter is going to be a good time to visit the UNESCO listed Meymand Village of Iran after World Cup 2022 in Qatar. During spring and summer, locals of Meymand Village are busy with animal husbandry, and as the weather gets cold they move to Meymand and spend their time on farming and gardening. The rivers and Qanats (underground water wells) of this area has helped locals in having lush farms and gardens. Locals of Meymand Village are also busy with producing different handicrafts like felt rugs, kilims, beautiful carpets, wicker crafts, and also selling local products from dried fruits and herbs, to dairy and traditional bread. However, in recent years, tourism has become a new resource of income for locals of villages like Meymand.
If you are interested in visiting this ancient and wonderful village in Iran after the World Cup, you can also enjoy a camping in Lut Desert, which is one of the most amazing and adventurous pleaces that you can visit in Iran during autumn and winter, and is located in Kerman, the same Province where Meymand Village is located, too.
