TEHRAN – Every year, 100 historical monuments in northeastern Khorasan Razavi province are restored, the deputy provincial tourism chief has said.

The province undertakes urgent and comprehensive restorations of 100 historical monuments every year based on needs and priorities, Ehsan Zohrehvandi explained on Monday. 

So far, some 2,044 moveable and immovable historical properties of the province have been inscribed on the national heritage list, the official added. 

Most of these historical monuments need restoration and maintenance, but there is not enough funding for all of them throughout the year, so about five percent are restored each year, he explained. 

The provincial capital of Mashhad attracts hundreds of pilgrims each day from various Iranian cities, neighboring countries, and even across the globe; the raison d’être is the striking massive shrine complex of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam.

Dozens of five-star hotels and hostels are dotted across Mashhad. The city has also the highest concentration of water parks in the country, and it also embraces a variety of cultural and historical sites that are generally crowded. The metropolis is also a good place to buy top handwoven rugs and carpets, and it’s a staging post for travel to Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and little-touristic Khorasan regions. 

ABU/AM