TEHRAN –A restoration project has been commenced on Iran Hotel, one of the oldest accommodation centers in Rasht, the capital of the northern province of Gilan, the provincial tourism chief has said.

A budget of 600 billion rials ($1.5 million) has been allocated to the project, Vali Jahani explained on Monday.

The historical structure is planned to be ceded to the private sector after being fully restored, the official added.

Originally constructed as a residential building in 1935, the building was later converted into an accommodation center.

It was registered on the national heritage list in 1977.

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/AM