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Na'in is a pre-Islamic town, more than 2000 years old, on the edge of the Central Desert of Iran in the Isfahan (province) of Central Iran.

Understand
Na’in (also known as Naein and Naeen) lies 170 km north of Yazd and 140 km east of Esfahan and the current population is about 75,000.

With an area of almost 35,000 km², Na’in lies at an altitude of 1545 m above sea level. Like much of the Iranian plateau, it has a desert climate, with a maximum temperature of 41°C in summer, and a minimum of -9°C in winter.

More than 3,000 years ago the Persians learned how to construct aqueducts underground (qanat in Persianکاریز, or kariz) to bring water from the mountains to the plains. In the 1960's this ancient system provided more than 70 per cent of the water used in Iran and Na’in is one of the best places in all the world to see these qanats actually working as they were intended.

Unique to Na’in are some of the most outstanding monuments in all of Iran: the Jame Mosque, one of the first four mosques built in Iran after the Arab invasion; the Pre-Islamic Narej Fortress; a Pirnia traditional house; the Old Bazaar; Rigareh, a qanat-based watermill; and a Zurkhaneh (a place for traditional sport).

Besides its magnificent monuments, Na’in is also famous for high-quality carpets and wool textiles.

Some linguists believe the word Na’in may have been derived from the name of one of the descendants of the prophet Noah, who was called "Naen". Many local people speak an ancient Pahlavi Sasani dialect, the same dialect that is spoken by the Zoroastrians in Yazd today. Other linguists state that the word Na’in is derived from the word "Nei" (“straw” in English) which is a marshy plant.

Get in
From Esfahan, travellers can use the Jay terminal and take the Na'in bus or mini bus (20,000 to 25,000 rial). An alternative is the Esfahan-Yazd bus, which leaves the terminal once every hour, if they inform the driver that Na'in is their final destination and the fare is 35,000 rial.

From Yazd, travellers can take the Yazd - Esfahan buses from Yazd terminal and ask the driver to stop in Na'in which costs 40,000 rial.

From Tehran, there are two terminals available: Jonub terminal, with buses leaving at 10:00 and 17:00; Beihaghi (Arjantin) Terminal, with one bus departing at 23:00. The ticket price is 10,0000 rial.

In Na'in, there is a regular bus to Esfahan almost every half hour, from the only bus station in town. Private taxis are available 24 hours a day at the "Falake Esfahan." Departing the town to Yazd is possible by waiting for the buses to Yazd at "Falake Esfahan," or by taking a taxi to the Yazd Road police station.

Jame Mosque
The initial construction of Jame Mosque dates back to the 8th Century CE, but the whole of the complex has been constructed in stages.

One of the oldest mosques in Iran, its magnificent plasterwork over the niche, the marvellous brickwork around the yard, and its silent basement--which may have been used as a fire temple before the mosque was built here—are only a few of the remarkable features of this mosque.

This mosque has no Iwan and dome as do the other famous mosques in Esfahan and Yazd. A 28 m tall octagonal minaret was added to the mosque almost 700 years ago.

If you stand in the middle of the yard, you will find yourself surrounded by fourteen columns, each one adorned with a unique and intricate pattern of brickwork.

You might also be interested in the alabaster stonework which reflects sunlight throughout the basement.

One of the most exquisite pieces of artwork inside the mosque is the wooden marquetry pulpit (Persian: menbar). The carpenter matched the wooden parts together like a pieces of a puzzle. The pulpit is decorated with organic geometrical designs. According to the wooden inscription on the left side of the pulpit, it was created about 700 years ago.

An underground water channel runs underneath the mosque. There is a stairway that connects the mosque to the water channel and to chambers above the pool. In the past, people used the water for ablutions before prayers.

The basement used to be a prayer chamber in hot summers and cold winters. The temperature in the basement is always moderate, never varying more than 10 to 15 degrees. The basement wasn’t actually built; instead it was dug into the ground, which means no materials were used to construct it.

The entrance fee is 5000 rial. The mosque is open Tu-Su 08:00-21:00 in summer, or 08:00-17:30 in winter.

Rigareh water mill
The ancient Rigareh--a qanat-based water mill--is located in the Mohammadieh neighbourhood.

The age of this engineering masterpiece is unknown; however, some historians believe that it dates back to the pre-Islamic era. The water is supplied by the Keykhosrow qanat channel and the mill is placed almost 28 m underground. The access corridor to the mill is about 133 m long.

A qanat channel crosses 12 m above the mill and fills the huge 8 m diameter water tank. When enough pressure is provided, the water is released and rotates the turbine. The waste water flows out along the channel and joins the main qanat channel with a gradual slope 12 m further down. This is the only place in the country where visitors can get inside a living flowing Qanat accessible through a 12 m corridor.

Since the advent of electricity to grind the wheat and barley, this water mill has become a part of history. The mill is closed most of the time, except Noruz (the Persian New Year holiday). But, visits can be arranged through the man who rents bicycles - but only in the morning. See our [[Na%27in#Do|"Do" section] below. The fee is US$4 per person and includes a guide.

Pirnia traditional house and ethnology museum
The Pirnia traditional house is a perfect example of this region's desert houses in terms of architecture and art and was constructed in the Safavid Period. The house consists of an exterior, an interior, a deep garden, a silo room and all of the facilities that a lord’s house needed to have at the time it was constructed.

When you enter the house and pass the first corridor, you reach an octagonal room called “hashti”, which used to be a waiting room for clients and visitors.

Beautiful paintings, amazing plasterwork of Qur’anic stories, a book of famous poems and exquisite calligraphy decorate the living room.

First, a judge of Na'in lived there. Then, during the Qajar Period, the house belonged to a governor of Na'in. Just a few decades ago, the house was purchased by the Ministry of Culture and Art. After renovation in 1994, the house was converted into the desert ethnology museum.

The entrance fee is 5000 rial and the museum is open Tu-Su 08:00-21:00 in summer and 08:00-17:30 in winter.

Mosallah edifice


The Mosallah is another remarkable monument to see in Na'in. Its vast garden used to be a popular recreational area until a few years ago.

The mausoleum inside the Mosallah was a pilgrimage site for visitors. The dome of the Mosallah is opposite the dome of the shrine of Emamzadeh Sultan Seyyed Ali and these two are connected by a street.

There is a water reservoir on one side of the garden, which can be accessed by people inside and outside the garden through a stairway on each side. Water in this reservoir was cooled by two wind towers. The water reservoir (Persian: ab-anbar) was in use until a few years ago.

The architectural style of Na'in's Mosallah is characteristic of the Qajar dynasty and a number of literary, political and religious figures are buried at this site. “Mosallah” is an Arabic word for a place of prayer but, no one knows if any praying was ever done at this location. The Mosallah is an octagonal mausoleum of dervishes and Qajar and Pahlavi political figures.

It is encompassed by a military fort from the Qajar era with a high wall thick enough for a horse to be ridden along the top. The pistachio trees around the turquoise-domed mausoleum and two tall wind towers make the complex very photogenic.

The entrance fee is 5000 rial and the site is open to the public 08:00-12:00 and again 15:00-17:00.

The Castle of Narenj
Narenj Qal'e is a remnant of a structure that was also known as Narin castle. The construction materials used in the castle, as well as its style of architecture support the idea that it was built in the pre-Islamic era. According to surveys and other evidence, this monument might belongs to the Partiyan period.

The exact use of the castle is not known. However, it is thought to have been part of the military and official compounds of the city. Many researchers of the Safavid era have spoken of numerous castles known as Narikh Qalae, which were used for military purposes. Hence, it can be concluded that Naeen's Narikh Qalae was also a military establishment. The famous historian and researcher, Estakhri mentioned there was a moat with a 3000 ft perimeter dug around the castle.

The Bazaar
The Bazaar is another of Na'in's remarkable, historical attractions. The bazaar extends 340 m in a curved line from the Gate of Chehel Dokhtaran to the mosque of Khajeh Khezr and is connected by main alleys as well as by tributary passages to various neighbourhood centres. The bazaar has two main crossroads or chahar su.

Parts of the bazaar have been renovated and the many and varied stalls in the bazaar were active until a few years ago. However, nowadays the bazaar has been almost deserted since the retailers moved to shops in the city's streets.

A number of Na'in's important monuments, such as the mosque of Sheikh Maghrebi, the mosque of Khajeh, and the Hosseinieh of Chehel Dokhtaran are still noteworthy facets of Naein’s extraordinary bazaar.

Fatemi House


Fatemi House is the grandest traditional house in Na'in. It is located in front of Narenj Castle, beside the old bazaar of Na'in. The house was originally the possession of one of the most influential families in Na'in.

Fatemi House consists of a large number of sections, each one with a different function: winter living rooms, summer living rooms, stable, resting rooms, silos, corridors, dining rooms for guests, and other facilities. Most of the rooms are furnished with stained glass windows, inlaid wooden doors, and plasterwork. The house is now the property of a cultural heritage organization.

Aba bafi man made caves
In Muhammadieh, a precinct of Naein, there are some man-made caves. Locals call them sardab and aba bafi. Evidence shows that they were dug by the Zoroastrian inhabitants who used to live there because the cave entrances open to the east where the sun rises. After they were abandoned by the Zoroastrians, Muslim inhabitants used them as loom workshops to weave cloaks and rugs.

There is an ancient fort over the hill, 150 m away, with a small entrance at the back. There visitors can enjoy a beautiful perspective of the village and the desert around it.

There is no fee for visiting the caves or the fort. The caves are open dawn to dusk, with a short break from noon to 13:30. Weaving cloaks by hand is one of the most valuable handicrafts and historical arts of Na'in. Some of the workshops are 700 years old.

Naein’s winter textiles are very famous and are woven from two types of sheep and camel wools. Clothing styles have changed, but the cloaks are still quite famous in some Arab countries.

Hand woven carpets
Handmade products in Na'in are very important. Weaving carpets, a fine art, began in Na'in about the time of World War II. Because carpet weavers from Na'in worked with thinner wools, they began to weave rugs of much higher quality. Since the number of carpets produced was low and the quality of carpets was exceptionally high, the weavers found a profitable market.

Carpet-weaving in Na'in has a history of using non-Iranian wools and of using local, traditional designs with unique colouring, thus drawing the attention of the world market to Na'in.

Using natural and traditional colours and dying techniques peculiar to the region around Na'in, carpet weavers in Na'in can easily profess that they are some of the best producers of handwoven carpet in all of Iran and the world.

Na'in style carpet is woven in different places in Iran - but the quality will be very different in each place. One reason that carpet actually woven in Na'in is so popular, is that it uses predominantly natural and traditional colours rather than synthetic dyes. Other reasons include the sheer quality of the weft obtained from using mainly wooden looms.

This all means that Na'in can easily claim that it is one of the best producers of hand woven carpets in all Iran.

The Mosque of Mohammadieh
This mosque was built in the late 10th and early 11th centuries CE. The altar of the mosque and the ceilings on the two sides of the mosque's nocturnal prayer hall or Shabestan resemble the Jameh Mosque of Na'in.

The village of Mohammadieh is located about 2 km east of Naein and also houses the beautiful Jameh and Sar Kuche Mosques, a fortress, the ancient Rigareh watermill and the cloak workshops.

Do
Desert trekking is one of the exceptional possibilities for sightseers in this desert town, since a desert with moving sand dunes surrounds Na'in. There is no regular desert transport, so a private taxi or car should be rented. The same man who rents bicycles can also organize the budget tours to the desert.
 * Desert trekking

There is an internet cafe owner who is a local guide. He also has bicycles to rent. Contact him at +913 923 0520.
 * Cycling around

Buy
Na'in’s carpets and cloaks are famous and reasonably priced. Woolen textiles are available in Muhammadieh. You can buy the handicrafts directly from the producers.

Eat
Lale Sahra "لاله صحرا" Restaurant, located on Motahari Street, has some typical but high-quality Persian food, with the good service. There is a place for having traditional “abgusht” in front of Masjid Al-Reza. Also, “del'o jigar” is available in a small shop front of Laleh Park. You can have a delicious meal for just US$2. Mirza traditional restaurant is scheduled to open soon.

Drink
If you want to taste a good yoghurt drink, you can find it at Del'o Jigar. Doogh (دوغ) is a sour drink made from yoghurt, salt, and water; sometimes carbonated and sometimes flavoured with mint or other plants. It is an acquired taste but will rehydrate you quickly in the heat of Iran's summer. It is the same as Turkish ayran.

Sleep
Jahangardi hhotel (ITTO) and Gholami Inn are available for both budget and mid-range travellers. The government-run, excellent Jahangardi Hotel is south of Imam Square, toward Isfahan Road. It has stylish, split-level, apartment-style rooms. +98 323 225-3088

Budget travellers can find good value at Mosaferkhaneh Gholami, about 300m east of Imam Square, toward the Imamzadeh. There is no English sign, but it's a three-story building placed above a bakery. + 98 323 225-2441

There is a free, quiet, secure place for camping for those who like to stay outdoors. It is popular among cyclists, motorcyclists and backpackers. It's in the historical complex of Babol Masjid, where the Jameh Mosque is located. The camping area is the open part of Hussainieh. The public rest room is always open. The locals are very friendly and helpful. The Hussainieh is off-limits only during religious ceremonies.

Two hotels are going to be open within two years in the historical part of town. One hotel will be traditional; the other in the mid-range class.

Naein has two other hotels. Rooms at all four hotels can be reserved in advance and at a discount, depending on the season. Each hotel is staffed by an English-speaking hotel manager. Room discounts can also be acquired by calling +98 323 225-7930.

Contact
0323 is the town code.

Go next
There is a regular bus to Esfahan almost every half an hour from the only bus station in town. Private Taxis are available 24 hours a day on the Falake Esfahan (Esfahan roundabout). Trips to Yazd are possible by waiting for the buses to Yazd on Falake Esfahan or taking a taxi to the Yazd Road police station.