Digi and glimpses of culinary heritage in Qaleh Bala village

TEHRAN – A traditional dish known as Digi, prepared using a centuries-old method in Iran’s Qaleh Bala village, offers insight into the area’s indigenous culinary culture, reflecting local knowledge, communal practices and social traditions passed down through generations.

‘Forest to Desert’ project, an opportunity for tourism development in Shahroud

TEHRAN--The ‘Forest to Desert’ project is an exceptional opportunity for tourism development in Shahroud county, Semnan province, said Shahroud Governor Mohammad-Hassan Asafari.

Restoration work begins on centuries-old water mill

TEHRAN - Restoration and revitalization work has begun on an ancient water mill in Qaleh Bala, a touristic village in Shahrud county of Semnan province, according to the local heritage authority.

By Hani Rastegaran

Qaleh Bala Village: a model of solidarity, creativity, and local development

TEHRAN - Qaleh Bala, a village nestled on the southern slopes of Mount Shahvar where the dry expanse of the desert blends into the wind‑shaped hills of the Kharturan buffer zone, has become one of the most remarkable examples of community‑based rural development in Iran. Its people, who have long struggled with drought, isolation, and lack of infrastructure, have relied on social cohesion and a series of small yet persistent innovations to transform what was once a depopulating settlement into a destination for community‑led ecotourism.