TEHRAN – A fire that broke out across gardens of Abyaneh village in the central province of Isfahan on Wednesday has inflicted no damage to the historical texture of the village, CHTN reported.

Preliminary reports indicate that 15 hectares of gardens of the historical village have been engulfed in flames, the director of the historical site Hossein Yazdanmehr said.

Although the volume of fire was too high, it was contained and successfully extinguished by firefighters as well as volunteer forces that prevented the spread of fire to the historical and valuable texture of the village, the official added.

Dominated with reddish hues and lost in the labyrinth of heights, Abyaneh village is one of the oldest in Iran. It is an example of human adaptation to nature, wherein one can redraw the boundaries of time and feel a flavor of ancient Iranian culture and civilization.

Nested at the foot of Mount Karkas, Abyaneh is at a distance of about 80km to Kashan and 40km to Natanz in Isfahan Province. It draws thousands of domestic and foreign tourists year-round, mainly when it hosts special feasts and ceremonies.

It is an open-air anthropology museum that showcases architecture and traditions from the Sassanid era (224–651) onwards, for instance, an ancient temple, the ruins of a fortress, a mosque with a unique altar from Seljuk period (ca. 1040–1196) to name a few.

Its distinctive architectural facet, variety of deeply-rooted-in-time rituals, apparel of inhabitants, and rows of earthen houses dotted on the slope contribute to its charm. The roofs of some houses serve as the courtyard for others higher up on the hill.

The residents are deeply committed to honoring their traditions. Females wear traditional clothing, consisting of a scarf with floral motifs and pleated pants.

Even today their costume, way of life, and their ancient dialect are still practically unchanged so that there lie ample reasons for travelers even though the anthropologists to hear for the village.

Aside from the village, which was inscribed on the National Heritage List in 1975, 32 historical monuments inside the village have been also registered on the list.

Iran also eyes a possible inscription of Abyaneh village on the UNESCO World Heritage List in the near future.

ABU/MG