TEHRAN - With its rich culture and unique natural landscapes, Iran’s West Azarbaijan province is becoming an increasingly popular destination for local and even international travelers.

The province has seen a nearly 100 percent rise in the number of visitors to its museums during the Iranian calendar month of Tir (June 22-July 22) in comparison to the same month last year, a provincial tourism official said on Saturday, CHTN reported.

Nearly 19,174 people toured museums across the northwesrern province during the month, according to the report.

Along with museums, cultural heritage and historical sites such as the two UNESCO sites of Takht-e Soleyman and Qareh Klise (St. Thaddeus Monastery), as well as the archaeological site of Teppe Hasanlu and the ruined Bastam Citadel were also hosted many more visitors, the official added.

There are eleven heritage museums across the province that harbor some 30,000 objects, testifying its vibrant history, arts and architecture.

Azarbaijan is bounded on the north by the Aras River, which separates it from Azerbaijan and Armenia, and on the west by Iraq and Turkey.

The region was a center of several ancient civilizations. According to Britannica, it was conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC and was named Atropatene after one of Alexander’s generals, Atropates, who established a small kingdom there. Ultimately, the area returned to Persian (Iranian) rule under the Sasanians in the 3rd century CE.

AFM/MG