TEHRAN –Four historical places and monuments across the northern province of Gilan have been temporarily ceded to the private sector in order to receive further care and maintenance, the provincial tourism chief has said. 

The historical Sadeqi building in Lahijan, Iran Hotel and Shah Abbasi Caravanserai, both in Rasht, and Merian Public Bathhouse are planned to be restored and repurposed by the private sector, CHTN quoted Vali Jahani as saying on Monday. 

As the government and other organizations are unable to restore all historical monuments across the province, some have been ceded to the private sector under certain conditions with the goal of receiving better maintenance, the official explained. 

Over the past couple of years, tens of historical places and monuments have been temporarily ceded to the private sector under the supervision of the Revitalization and Utilization Fund for Historical Places.

Affiliated with the tourism ministry, the Fund is in charge of concession with the aim of historical sites receiving better maintenance by repurposing them into thriving boutique hotels, eco-lodges, traditional restaurants, or other profitable niches.

The country boasts hundreds of historical sites such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 26 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Gilan is well-known for its rich Iron Age cemeteries such as Marlik that have been excavated over the past century. It was once within the sphere of influence of the successive Achaemenian, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sassanid empires that ruled Iran until the 7th century CE. The subsequent Arab conquest of Iran led to the rise of many local dynasties, and Gilan acquired an independent status that continued until 1567.

Sophisticated Rasht, capital of Gilan province, has long been a weekend escape for residents of Tehran who are looking to sample the famous local cuisine and hoping for some pluvial action – it's the largest, and wettest town in the northern region. Gilan is divided into a coastal plain including the large delta of Sefid Rud and adjacent parts of the Alborz Mountain range.

ABU/MG