TEHRAN – In commemoration of International Museum Day [May 18], a team consisting of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences’ international students have toured Qazvin’s museums.

On Tuesday, May 14, 33 overseas students attended the excursion, getting to know the regions history through paying visits to a number of Qazvin museums, as mentioned by the organizers.

The one-day trip aimed at enhancing the students’ comprehension of rich history of Qazvin province.

According to the tour organizers, the international students, who hailing from different nations but mostly from India, had stopovers at Qazvin’s Chehel Sotun Palace Museum, Ali Qapo Historic Gate and Safavid Garden and Historical Complex.

Home to 845 inhabited villages, the Qazvin region was once the capital of the mighty Persian Empire, under Safavids, from 1548 to 98. Moreover, the province 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 castle of the Assassins and trekking in the sensational Alamut Valley.

Also known as the castle of the Assassins, the 12th-century Alamut castle is nestled on top of a peak. It was once a shelter for the followers of Hasan-e Sabbah (1070–1124) who was a spiritual leader of an Islamic sect. In the early 1930s, British-Italian explorer and travel writer Freya Stark described her exploration of the place in her book “The Valleys of the Assassins.”

Qazvin is also home to one of the biggest roofed caravanserais in the country, Sa’d-al Saltaneh caravanserai. Dating back to the Qajar era, it’s a place for discovering tens of Hojreh shops, cafes, yards, and a stunning mosque. It’s a place for visitors who want to experience the culture, cuisine, and hospitality of Iran.

 As claimed by provincial officials, with this new marketing strategy, Qazvin aims to significantly increase its share of international tourists, enhancing its global reputation as a must-visit location in Iran.

XF/AM