TEHRAN – Varamin’s tourism directorate will hold night tours of the ancient city situated southeast of the Iranian capital.

“Due to the coincidence of Noruz holidays with the holy month of Ramadan, some of our tourism programs and tours will be held after Iftar (the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset),” Varamin’s tourism chief said on Friday.

In such a manner, night tours of Varamin will be held for sightseers from March 22 to 28, Mohammadreza Tajik said.

In addition, the official said the historical tomb tower of Alaodoleh had recently undergone a lighting project to become more attractive for Noruz travelers.

Located to the north of Varamin, the cylindrical brick monument, which is called Borj-e Ala ad-din as well, was constructed in 1289 over a local ruler's grave.

Varamin served as Ray's main agricultural hub until the 1220s. The raiding of Ray by the invading Mongols led to a migration wave and economic growth.

Varamin became a major city as a result. The Jameh Mosque of Varamin was constructed by Yusuf Quhadhi, a vizier of Ilkhanid Abu Sa'id. Imamzadeh Shah Husayn, Imamzadeh Yahya, and Sharif Mosque are a few other noteworthy structures since this period.

Due to invasions by the armies of the Timurid Empire, Varamin began to decline at the beginning of the 14th century. Ruy González de Clavijo described the city as mostly deserted in 1405, though Imamzadeh Hosein Reza and the Jameh Mosque of Varamin underwent minor restorations during the early Timurid era. Tehran began to develop into the region's major city by the 16th century.

AFM