Ardakan

This region is one of the Zoroastrian centres of Iran, and there are numerous holy sites for
Zoroastrians in Sharif-Abad, a village near Ardakan. Each summer thousands of
Zoroastrians from around the world gather there for pilgrimage.
The most important shrine is Pir-e Sabz Chek Chek.
Ardakan is the birthplace of former Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami.

A traditional center of a major agricultural area which was formerly served by more than
thirty qanāts, Ardakān developed during the 19th and 20th centuries into a major caravan
stop. It is said that the town had approximately 15,000 inhabitants around 1900. It was
surrounded by high walls; in 1933 parts of these ramparts were torn down and replaced
by a modern highway encompassing the old center of the settlement on its southern and
western side. In 1959 a new avenue was cut through the old center of the town itself,
destroying parts of its old bazaar.

Abarkuh
Sarv-e Abar-Kuh. It is protected by the Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran as a
national natural monument and is indeed a major tourist attraction with a height of 25
metres and circumference of 18 metres. It is estimated to be over 4000 years old and may
be the oldest living thing in Asia. According to the China Daily ranking of the top 10
oldest trees in the world, Sarv-e Abar-Kuh is the second oldest tree in the world.