TEHRAN—The deserted caravanserai of Hajib in Qazvin province is planned to be temporarily ceded to the private sector with the aim of higher productivity and better maintenance, the provincial tourism chief said.

The historical inn will be handed over to the private sector through a tender process in the near future, CHTN quoted Alireza Khazaeli as saying on Monday.

The Safavid-era (1501-1736) caravanserai stands tall. However, it needs some restoration and rehabilitation works; the official added.

The monument is in good condition and it only needs minor repairs and restorations due to its poor appearance, he explained.

Handing over historical buildings to the private sector could lead to job generation as well as economic prosperity, he mentioned.

Over the past couple of years, tens of historical places and monuments have been provisionally 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.

Caravansary (also Caravanserai) is a building that served as the inn of the Orient, providing accommodation for commercial, pilgrim, postal and especially official travelers.

The earliest caravanserais in Iran were built during the Achaemenid era (550 - 330 BC). Centuries later, when Shah Abbas I assumed power from 158 to o 1629, he ordered the construction of a network of caravanserais across the country.

For many travelers, staying in or even visiting a centuries-old caravanserai can be a wide experience; they have an opportunity to feel the past, a time travel back to a forgotten age.

ABU/AM