Varzaneh

Built in 1100 CE. Three centuries later, in the Timurid era, it was extensively renovated. Its splendid Mihrab and all the tile designs at entrance of mosque and around the Mihrab makes the mosque a very special one in this region. You do not have to pay to visit this 600-year-old mosque. Local people say prayer here three times a day. If you do not wish to say prayer with them, wait for some minutes until people leave the mosque before you visit. The door is open from very early morning, until 1 hour after sunset. Though, if there is an occasion, including celebrations, memorial of a recently passed away local person, then mosque might be a bit occupied a couple of hours per day. If there is such an occasion, you would be listening to quite loud voice from the 20-m-high minaret, from almost all of the town. That is actually a function of Jame mosques in Persian post-Islamic age. In particular, on Friday afternoons, you could listen to the speech Imam speaking about religion and recent social, political issues. Like any other religious center around the world, from churches to temples, to enter such mosque wearing modest clothes is necessary. The dome and the minaret of the mosque are clear from almost everywhere in town, therefore it is easy to reach. It is in the centre of town.

The last old bridge over Zayanderud river and has 10 arches; 7 of the arches were built about 9 centuries ago during the Seljuq dynasty. While an extension of the three other arches was done by local people about 140 years ago. You would be able to recognise the extension by a small wall. The bridge is 67 m long and 6.5 m wide. The old bridge connects the old district of town to the new one. Some boat bike and motorboat tours are organized around the bridge for tourists.

A sample of very beautiful Qajar design traditional big house. In Yusefi house, you would find bedrooms, baking room, guestroom, water reservoir, fountain and gardens, wells and windows in traditional kind. The house is a museum as well, having collection of photo tableaux from local region, a sample of all of agriculture and cuisine appliances and gadgets. The house truly introduce you how people in Varzaneh and villages around were living hundreds of years ago. Yusefi house is located in northern part of old district of town, close to an intersection which is so-called between locals as Darvazeh-Abbas دروازه عباس, meaning (King) Abbas gate.

In dry regions, like Varzaneh district, the droppings were prized by farmers and collected for fertilizing their arid fields. From Varzaneh to the west, until Ezhieh (a town 25 km west of Varzaneh), and also from south to Hassanabad (a town 25 km south of Varzaneh) there are plenty of dovecotes or pigeon houses. The dovecote are also called Kabootarkhaneh in Persian literature, which means simply house of pigeons.

An old system of grinding wheat, has been revived for using male camels. Historically, the last time Iranian were using this system was a century ago. Mr. Mohammadi, the owner and founder of the camel-mill, is using it mostly for tourist purposes, though he grinds wheat occasionally. He sings, while pulling rope of camel, a very nice folklore song. The building is designed in completely traditional manner, as you can see in the pictures. The camel-mill is located off road of cemetery of town. Mr Mohammadi will offer you tea if you visit camel-mill.

Haj-Ibrahim revived the system from 50 years ago, using a specific race of ox which is so-called between locals as Zaboli race (Zabol is a town in southeast of Iran). In the case of Haj-Ibrahim's ox, it took more than 6 months to prepare the ox, being wild in the beginning. The very astonishing part is that now ox would work only by the song of his owner, in the sense that, the ox would start working and taking water from well, when Haj-Ibrahim starts singing. Plenty of such oxen can be found at southern east of Iran, or in Baluchistan region of Pakistan. The complex is mainly a well, an ox, rope, pulley and bucket. Using this system, water will be pumped to the fields, without making air pollution. For six hour working of an ox per day, the water for 1500 m² wheat field will be supplied, which is very efficient system. The system was broadly used from 600 years ago, till the 21st century when farmers beganto use fuel water-pumping machines. Haj-Ibrahim will offer you tea.

A water reservoir or āb anbār (Persian: ابی انبار) is a traditional reservoir or cistern of drinking water in Persian antiquity. While, a wind-catcher (in Persian, Badgir, بادگیر) is traditional Persian architectural element to create natural ventilation in buildings. In Varzaneh, you can see a water-reservoir employed a windtower to cool down its water. There are seven water reservoirs in Varzaneh in total.

There is a saying that King Abbas I established 999 caravanserai in the Persian empire to facilitate and promote trade and travelling, one of them is in Varzaneh. You can find this caravansary in the eastern exit road of Varzaneh, being about 400 years old.