Photo depicts the atmospheric village of Shilandar, which its earth-colored houses are constructed one on top of another like giant Lego blocks! The village is situated in Taham rural district of Zanjan province, west-central Iran.

The unique ochre-brown structures of Shilandar follows similar architectural patterns to be found in some other mountainside villages such as Masuleh, Kang, and Uraman. 

Here, the relatively-intact landscape, architecture, and the local community flourish together. This is a village built not by trained architects, but by the inhabitants themselves. Like all vernacular architecture, it is clever in its sensitivity towards the environment, climate, materials, and local needs and traditions.

AFM/MG