From Wikitravel

Na'in is in Isfahan (province) of Central Iran.

[edit] Understand

The city of Naeen is located on the southern rim of the Iranian central desert, northeast of Isfahan. It has an area of almost 35000 square kilometers. With the population 75000. Naeen lies at an altitude of 1545 meters above sea level. It has a desert climate, with a maximum temperature of 41 degrees centigrade in summer, and a minimum of -9 degrees in winter. Name Researchers are not agreed on the city's nomenclature. Some authors believe the word Naeen may have been derived from the name of one of the descendants of prophet Noah, who was called "Naen". they also stated that the word Naeen is derived from the word "Nei" - meaning straw in English - which is a marshy plant.

[edit] Get in

From Esfahan, travelers can use the Jay terminal by taking the Na'in bus and mini bus (20000 to 25000 Rls) or Esfahan-Yazd bus which leaves the terminal once evey hour and ask the driver to get them to Na'in. The cost is 35000 Rls.

Also from Yazd, they can take the Yazd - Esfahan buses from Yazd terminal and ask the driver to stop in Na'in which cost for them 40000 Rls.

From Tehran, there are two terminals available.Jonub terminal with two buses leave on 10am and 5pm. Beihaghi (Arjantin) Terminal with one bus which departs on 11pm. ticket price is 100000Rls.

There is regular bus To Esfahan almost every half an hours is available in the only bus station of the town. also private Taxi would be available 24 hours a day on the "Falake Esfahan" , Esfahan roundabout. departing the town to Yazd is possible by waiting for the buses to yazd in "Falake Esfahan" , Esfahan aroundabout or taking a taxi to the Yazd road police station.

[edit] Get around

Jame Mosque

The initial construction of jame mosque is dating back to 8th century A.D but the whole of complex had been constructed periodically. It’s one of the oldest mosques in Iran. Magnificent plaster working over the niche, marvelous brick working around the yard, silent basement which some say it use to be fire temple before mosque built here are remarkable among the other various features of this mosque.

This mosque has no Iwan and dome unlike the other famous mosques in Esfahan and Yazd. There is a 28 meter octagon minaret added to mosque almost 700 years ago. When you stand at the middle of the yard, you will find yourself surrounded by the 14 columns, each one adorned with different brick working pattern. You might stand on the alabaster stones which is use to render the sunlight through the basement.

One of the most exquisite artwork inside the mosque is the wooden marquetry pulpit or Menbar in Persian term. The most important feature in this pulpit is using “mortise and tenon” technique. The carpenter matched the wooden parts together like a pieces of a puzzle. Also it is decorated by means of organic geometrical designs. According to the wooden inscription on the left side of this handicraft shows that it belongs to 700 years ago.

An underground water channel crosses beneath the mosque. There are stairway that connects the mosque to water channel and chambers embedded above the pool which the water stream crosses. The prayers used the water for ablution. The basement used to be a praying chamber in hot summers and cold winters. The temperature in the basement is always moderate. It’s always stable between 10 to 15 degree. The basement wasn’t built actually it was dug in the ground which means no materials used to construct it.

The Mosque of Mohammadieh

It's is located in a village by the same name east of Naeen, which is now part of the city. It was built in the late 10th and early 11th centuries A.D. The altar of the mosque and the ceilings on the two sides of the mosque's nocturnal prayer hall or (Shabestan) bear much resemblance to the Jameh Mosque of Naeen..

Mosallah edifice

Mosallah is another remarkable monument in Naeen. Its widespread garden used to be a popular recreational resort until a few years ago.

The mausoleum inside the Mosallah was a pilgrimage site for visitors. The dome of Mosallah is opposite the dome of the shrine of Emamzadeh Sultan Seyyed Ali. These two are connected by a street.

There is a water reservoir on one side of the garden, which can be accessed by people inside and outside the garden through a stairway on each side. Water in this reservoir was cooled by two wind tower. Water reservoir (ab-anbar), are structures, which were in use until a few years ago.. The architectural style of Naeen's Mosallah is characteristic of the Qajar dynasty. It is also the burying site of a number of literary, political and religious figures.

The Castle of Narenj (Narenj Qal'e)

it's the remnant of a structure that was also known as Narin castle. The construction materials used in the castle, as well as its style of architecture support the idea that it was built in the pre-Islamic era. According to surveys and evidences, this monument might belongs to Partiyan period. The exact application of the castle is not known, however it is thought to have been part of the military and official compounds of the city. Many researchers of the Safavid era have spoken of numerous castles known as Narikh Qalae, which were used for military purposes.

Hence, it can be concluded that Naeen's Narikh Qalae was also a military establishment. The famous historian and researcher, Estakhri mentioned there was a moat with 3000 feet perimeter dug around the castle.

The Bazaar

The Bazaar of Naeen is one of Naeen's remarkable attractions,. The bazaar extends 340 meters in a curved line from the Gate of Chehel Dokhtaran to the mosque of Khajeh Khezr.The bazaar is connected by main alleys, as well as tributary passages to centers of neighborhoods.

The bazaar has two crossroads or(Chahar Su). Parts of the the bazaar has been renovated. The shops in the bazaar have varying designs. They were active until a few years ago. The bazaar has been partly deserted since the economic district was moved to streets.A number of Naeen's important monuments, such as the mosque of Sheikh Maghrebi, the mosque of Khajeh, and the Hosseinieh of Chehel Dokhtaran are embodied in this bazaar.

Pirnia traditional house, ethnology museum

Pirnia traditional house is a perfect sample of the desert regions houses in both aspects of architecture and art.

The house consists: exterior, interior, deep garden, silo room and all of the facilities that a lord house needed to have.

When you enter the house and pass the first corridor the first plate you reach an octagon room called Hashti, which used to be as waiting room for clients and outsider people.

There are beautiful paintings, plaster working of Quran stories and a famous poem book stories and calligraphies decorated the Ivan and living room. The house is constructed in Safavid period first the judge of Naeen lived here. During the Qajar period this house belonged to Naeen governor and a few decades ago this house bought by the culture and art ministry and after renovation some part in 1994 converted to the desert ethnology museum.

Fatemi the traditional house

Fatemi house is the biggest traditional house in Naeen. It is located in front of narenj castle beside the Naeen old bazaar. The house belonged to one of the most influential families in Naeen.

the Fatemis it has a consist a large number of sections each with different function. Winter living rooms, summer living rooms, stable, resting rooms, silos, corridors and dining rooms for guests and other facilities. Most of the rooms decorated with stained glass windows, inlaid wooden doors and plaster working. This house is belonged to cultural heritage organization now.

Cloak weaving

Hand weaving cloak industry is one of the most important handicraft and historical art of Naeen. The center production of this industry is in Mohammadie, a precinct of Naeen which the excavated workshops are located at middle of it. Naeen cloak winter textiles are very famous and are produced by two types of sheep and camel wools. Now this place is one of the main tourist draws in Naeen. Once since the people clothing style changed this industry weakened. But it’s still quite famous in some Arabic countries. Some of the workshops are 700 years old.

Handy knot carpets

Handmade products in Naeen are very important. Weaving carpets which is a kind of art, began in Naeen about the period world war two. Because carpet weavers from Naeen dealt with thinner wools, so they began to weave high quality rugs which had sixty flexure in each knot and since the number of production was few and the quality of material was very good, therefore, they found a profitable market. In that way Naeen carpet which maybe is one of the best in Iran was created. Naeen carpet has a background of applying non-Iranian wools and also it’s a symbol of good Iranian carpet. Proper using of traditional designs with accompany of special coloring of Naeen carpet gave to it a universal identification. Using high quality wools caused the carpet to be at the first grade and drew attention of world market to this beautiful carpet.

Naeen carpet is woven in divers places in Iran and this is because of the high techniques carpet weaving domination in the country, which means that the Iranians can weave any kind of carpet. But one should consider that the quality of carpets in divers places is different from each other. From the point of view of coloring, Naeen carpet is one of the symbols of using natural and traditional colors which it owes a great portion of its popularity to that. The act of coloring or dying in this region is done by natural and traditional colors which has a little difference with other carpet weaving centers in Iran and in spite of some chemical colors which are use as an aid, The natural colors are still dominant in the region.

The number of colors which are used in weaving carpet are 11 main colors and 4 subsidiary colors.

Carpet structure relies on mixture and traditional style which are very accurate. Some deficiencies such as curving, not applying stamen, starching, color mixing and wrong weaving in Naeen carpet are very little and the quality of production is very high and it has a top standard. Weaving devices are mostly made of wood and attempts has been done to change the wood devices in to metal devices. Naeen can easily claim that it is one of the best producer of hand woven carpets in Iran

Rigareh Water mill

The ancient rigareh water mill is located in mohammadieh district. the age of this smart engineered masterpiece is unknown yes but some of the archeologists believe that it’s belong to the pre-Islamic era .The water is supplied by Qanat channel.

The mill is placed 30 meter underground. The length of access corridor to the mill device is about 120 meter. There is a Qanat channel crosses 12 meters above the mill fills the big jar and when enough pressure provided, then water is being released and rotates the wheel. The used water leads out by the channel and joins the main Qanat channel with a gradual slope 3km farther. Since the using the electrical mills to grind the wheat and barley, this water mill joined the history.

Mohammadieh

The mohammdieh is a village located in distance of 2km east of Naeen. The village name of the village changed to Mohammadieh, meant the ones who follow the prophet of Islam, since the village inhabitants converted to Islam.

There are some important cultural and economic factors that remark this village among the other village among the others. The beautiful Jame mosque and Sar kuche mosque, The glorious fortress, the ancient Rigareh watermill and cloak workshops or Abba baffis prove this claim.

[edit][add listing] Do

Desert trekking

Desert trekking is one of the possibilities in this desert town. There is a desert with moving sand dunes available on 70km south east of Na'in. there is no regular transport and private taxi/car should be hires.

Cycling around

there is an internet cafe owner who is a local guide and also has some bicycle to rent. you can contact him with +913 923 0520.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Na'in carpet and cloak are famous with a reasonable rate to buy.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Lale Sahra "لاله صحرا" restaurant located in Motahari Bolivar. it has some typical but high quality Persian food with the neaty service.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Jahangardi hotel and Gholami Inn are available for both of budget and midrange travelers. 1-Government-run excellent Jahangardi hotel is located in 150 south of Imam square toward the Isfahan road.it has stylish split-level, apartment style rooms. (0323 225 3088) 2-Budget travelers can try good value "Mosaferkhaneh Gholami" about 300m east of Imam square toward the Imamzadeh. there this no English sign but it's a three story building placed above a bakery. (0323 225 2441.) there are two other hotels in this town. all four hotel can be reserve in advance and get some discount (depend on season) by an English speaking hotel handler "0939 863 6090" also can arrange you some discount.

[edit] Contact

0323 is the town code.

[edit] Get out

There is regular bus To Esfahan almost every half an hours is available in the only bus station of the town. also private Taxi would be available 24 hours a day on the "Falake Esfahan" , Esfahan roundabout. departing the town to Yazd is possible by waiting for the buses to yazd in "Falake Esfahan" , Esfahan aroundabout or taking a taxi to the Yazd road police station.

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