TEHRAN – New boundaries have been defined for 19 historical properties, which are scattered across the northern province of Gilan, CHTN reported on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has announced the exact legal boundaries of the properties in separate letters to the governor-general of the province, the report added.

The demarcation projects are aimed at preventing further destruction and damage as well as preserving and protecting the historical sites, which have been inscribed on the national heritage list.

Malek, Golshan, and Mohtasham caravanserais, Historical Bazaar of Rasht, Safi Mosque, and Ashkevari Mansion are among those demarcated recently.

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, the 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