TEHRAN – The tourism chief of Qazvin province has said UNESCO inspectors will pay a visit to Sa'd al-Saltaneh caravanserai next month to assess the possible registration of the centuries-old monument.

The inspectors would be arriving in Qazvin on October 13 to inspect the latest situation of the caravanserai. And their visits were deferred due to the coronavirus spread, Alireza Khazaeli said on Thursday, ILNA reported.

The caravanserai that is flanked by a beautifully restored Qajar-era bazaar of the same name is expected to attract more international visitors if it gains UNESCO status.

For many travelers to Iran, staying in or even visiting a centuries-old caravanserai, can be a wide experience; they have an opportunity to feel the past, a time travel back into a forgotten age!

An all-inclusive dossier of a select of Iranian caravanserais is being prepared to be evaluated during the next session of the World Heritage Committee, which will be held in 2022.

In 2019, the tourism ministry announced that Iran is developing a dossier for a selection of its historical caravanseries for a possible inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list. In this regard, cultural heritage experts are assessing such monuments that are scattered across the country to make a shortlist in terms of their architecture, historical and cultural values.

Qazvin was once the capital of the mighty Persian Empire, under Safavids, from 1548 to 98. It is a major tourist destination with a wonderfully restored caravanserai-turned-arts precinct, some quirky museums, and a handful of decent eating options. For most travelers, Qazvin is also primarily the staging point for excursions to the famous Castles of the Assassins and trekking in the sensational Alamut Valley.

AFM