TEHRAN – A media tour in Semnan province on Wednesday took journalists to five historic and cultural sites, offering an overview of the city’s architectural heritage and preservation efforts, IRNA reported.

The tour began at the 1,000-year-old minaret of Semnan’s Jameh Mosque, considered one of the oldest and best-preserved minarets in Iran. 

The structure is said to date back to the Al-e Ziar dynasty, predating the Seljuk era by at least 110 years. He said restoration work in recent months included cleaning the upper section, reopening a basement closed for five decades to create a gallery, washing 90-year-old rugs, and preparing lighting and cultural programs for a December 2024 commemoration ceremony.

The second stop was the Adab Historical House in the Kohneh Dej district, a Qajar-era structure notable for its brickwork and traditional plaster carvings. Officials said the complex is being restored for administrative and cultural use and may serve as a model for revitalizing surrounding historic homes.

Journalists then visited the Arg Gate, a remnant of Semnan’s Qajar-era fortifications, before travelling to the Mahallat area in the west of the city. There, the group viewed the Zavqan Mosque, which sustained heavy flood damage in 1961 but remains partially standing. Nearby, they toured the Zavqan Icehouse, a Qajar-period structure restored this year and listed on Iran’s National Heritage List.

The tour concluded in Khairabad village, where a renovated historic bathhouse now operates as Semnan’s first handicraft house. The center offers training in eight fields, including jajim weaving, pottery, leather embroidery, carpet weaving, ceramics and gem cutting. Organizers said the facility purchases and markets students’ products as part of efforts to support local artisans.

Semnan has 156 nationally registered heritage sites, ranging from bazaar complexes to religious monuments, underscoring the depth of the province’s cultural landscape.

KD