TEHRAN - Belqeys citadel, famed as the second-largest mud-brick fortress in Iran, is set to host a permanent handicrafts exhibition in the near future.

“Using traditional architectural patterns, stalls of the permanent exhibition will be set up on the way to the entrance of the historical Belqeys citadel,” the tourism chief of North Khorasan province said on Tuesday.

The ruined citadel, which is sometimes referred to as Shahr-e Belqeys (“The city of Belqeys”), is located in the northeastern province. It lies at a short distance from the city of Esfarayen.

Evidence suggests that Shahr-e Belqeys was hectic from the late Sassanid era to a time when Nader Shah Afshar (one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian history) assumed power in the early 18th century.

Belqeys citadel is one of the largest mud-brick fortresses in Iran after the UNESCO-registered Bam citadel. It lies at a short distance from the city of Esfarayen. Remnants of the citadel, family lodgings, irrigation channels, a cistern, and a hypostyle hall are amongst objects so far unearthed in Belqeys during rounds of excavation.

With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India with three ones come next. Ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious gemstones are traditionally exported to Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, the U.S., the UK, and other countries.

AM