TEHRAN–A restoration project has recently been completed on Jameh Mosque of Forumad, a 700-year-old place of worship situated in Semnan province.

The project involved flooring, repairing walls and rooftops as well as building gutters, a local tourism official said on Saturday.

Dating back to the Anushtegin era (1077 to 1231), the historical structure has undergone several restoration projects over the years, Seyyed Mohammad Sadeq Razavian explained.

The Jameh Mosque of Forumad has been inscribed on the national heritage list.

The terms “Jameh Mosque”, “Masjed-e Jameh” and “Friday Mosque” are used in Iran for a grand communal mosque where mandatory Friday prayers are performed: the phrase is used in other Muslim countries but only in Iran does it designate this purpose.

The historical structure of Mayamey includes several caravanserais, natural sights, and historical sites such as the Shah-Abbasi caravanserai, Aqaian Mosque, Aqaian Mansion, Aqaian bathhouse, and Emarat cistern.

The main population centers of Semnan province lie along the ancient Silk Road (and modern-day Imam Reza Expressway), linking Rey (Tehran) with Khorasan (Mashhad). While few visitors spend much time in the area, driving through you can easily seek out several well-preserved caravanserais (notably Dehnamak and Ahowan), cisterns (the Cafe Abenbar in Garmsar is a special treat.), and ruined mud citadels (Padeh is lumpy but fascinating.). The large, bustling cities of Semnan, Damghan, and Shahrud (Bastam) all have a small selection of historic buildings and Semnan has a fine old covered bazaar.

ABU/AM