TEHRAN  – Lorestan province remains one of Iran’s most significant cultural heritage regions, holding records in national heritage registrations, archaeological sites, and historic bridge architecture, according to provincial heritage officials. 

Ata Hassanpour, director-general of the Lorestan Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, on Sunday said the western province was Iran’s leading region for national heritage registrations until 2010 and continues to hold several cultural heritage distinctions.

“We were the national record holder in heritage registrations until 2010, with around 2,000 sites listed on Iran’s National Heritage List,” Hassanpour told ISNA.

He said Lorestan also retains the record for the highest number of heritage registrations completed in a single year. In 2006, approximately 1,000 sites and monuments from the province were added to the national register.

According to Hassanpour, Lorestan currently has about 2,700 registered national heritage sites, placing it second only to Fars province in the total number of registered monuments.

He attributed the change in ranking partly to a quota system for heritage registrations that allocates more registration opportunities to provinces with fewer recorded sites, allowing them to catch up with regions that historically led the process.

Despite the shift, Hassanpour said Lorestan remains one of the country’s most important heritage regions due to the scale and diversity of its cultural assets.

The province covers approximately 28,000 square kilometers and contains one of the highest concentrations of archaeological sites in Iran. Officials say Lorestan continues to hold a leading position in terms of archaeological landscapes and the number of identified ancient settlements.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the official highlighted the province’s role in managing key heritage conservation centers. Lorestan hosts three major heritage bases of Falak-ol-Aflak Fortress, the historical urban fabric of Borujerd, and the one dedicated to the national historic bridges.

The province is regarded as Iran’s center for historic bridge studies and conservation, with around 100 historic bridges located across its territory.

He noted that bridge building in the region dates back to the Achaemenid, Parthian and Sasanian eras and continued during the Islamic period. The fourth century AH is often considered one of the peak periods of bridge construction in ancient Iran.

“As a result, Lorestan holds a distinguished position in bridge architecture and engineering within the country,” he said.

Earlier this year, Lorestan’s international heritage profile received a significant boost when the Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley were collectively inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The property includes five caves and one rock shelter situated within a narrow ecological corridor rich in water resources, vegetation and wildlife. Archaeological evidence indicates continuous human occupation dating back approximately 63,000 years.

Researchers have identified remains from the Middle and Upper Paleolithic periods, including evidence associated with Mousterian and Baradostian cultures. The sites provide important insights into early human evolution and migration routes from Africa into Eurasia.

While Lorestan remains less known internationally than some of Iran’s major tourism destinations, the province combines significant cultural heritage with mountainous landscapes, rivers and archaeological resources, making it an important destination for both researchers and nature-oriented travelers.
AM