Takht- e Soleyman was a principal sacred place of Zoroastrianism, the Sassanid (224 – 650 CE) State faith that influenced monotheism. The general layout of the site became an architectural reference for East and West architecture, especially Islamic architecture. Takht-e Soleyman also has strong symbolic significance about the continuation of a cult related to fire and water over the last 2,500 years.

The site consists of an artesian spring-lake, Azar Goshnasp Zoroastrian fire temple, a temple dedicated to Anahita (the divinity of the waters), a Sasanian royal sanctuary, an ancient volcano, Zendan-e Soleyman (Prison of Solomon), and remains of temples older than burgeon of Zoroastrianism.

Located in ancient Ganzak or Shiz, Azar Goshnasp fire temple housed one of the three revered Great Fires dedicated to the warrior class of the Sasanid. In 624 AC the Roman Heraclius attacked Ganzak and destroyed Azar Goshnasp. The chahartaq (an architectural unit consisted of four barrel vaults and a dome used for keeping the sacred fire in Zoroastrianism) with surrounding corridors is located on the north side of the spring-lake.

The biggest construction on the site was Sassanid royal court with rooms of different size surrounding an iwan. The three rooms at its western front have wide openings to the outside perhaps for ceremonial purposes, and the iwan opens to the north side of the lake. Because of destructions and reconstructions in the Sassanid era, different materials including mud bricks, baked bricks, and stone are used in the buildings.

The site obtained its name after the Arab conquests. According to folkloric legend, King Solomon (whose name is come in Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, and Quran) incarcerated monsters inside a nearby 100 meters-deep crater known as Zendan-e Soleyman or prison of Solomon.

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Chapel of Dzordzor, Armenian Monastic Ensembles – Maku, West Azerbaijan, Iran
Photo by Uwe Seidner / Shutterstock

Iranians and Armenians have long had numerous cultural exchanges throughout history. Iran became the second home for Armenians when Shah Abbas I of Persia forced some Armenians to leave their land to Iran in 1622 CE. Thus, Armenians settled in several cities, and built their own neighborhood and magnificent churches. Three churches in West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces, date back to the 7th to 14th centuries CE, have kept their utter integrity and authenticity. These churches demonstrate the influence of Armenian architecture and decorative arts and their interaction with other regional cultures such as Byzantine, Orthodox, and Persia.

These works were registered in UNESCO World Heritages list in 2008.

Saint Stepanos Monastery, Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran
Photo by DyziO / Shutterstock

Saint Thaddeus Monastery

Situated in the Chaldoran Mountains, The Monastery of Saint Thaddeus or so called Qara Kilisa in Azerbaijani (meaning the black church because of its white and black stones) is the best maintained medieval church in Iran (West Azerbaijan).

According to Armenians, Thaddeus and 3000 of his Armenian followers became massacred by the king of Armenia. But to commemorate, three centuries later a chapel was made for them, when Armenia became to the first Christian nation in the world. Every year at the beginning of summer, Armenians from Iran and Armenia undertake a three-day pilgrimage in this monastery on the martyrdom day of Saint Thaddeus.

This rectangular monastery was seriously damaged after an earthquake in 1319 CE, but it was reconstructed in 1810 CE chiefly with white stones. Saints, angels, and kings are carved inside the monastery.

Saint Thaddeus Monastery, Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran
Photo by knovakov / Shutterstock

Saint Stepanos Monastery

In the north-west of Jolfa and close to the Iranian side of the Aras Riverin (East Azerbaijan), the Saint Stepanos Monastery is located in green canyon. Its construction dates back to the 9th century but similar to the Saint Thaddeus monastery, the edifice suffered from the earthquake of 1319 CE and was rebuilt in the Safavid era. Its name is derived from the name of Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity.

The Monastery consists of a cross-shaped main hall adorned with beautiful paintings, and a detailed sanctuary. Red stones are used in the construction of the monastery, the architecture resembles Armenian and Georgian monasteries, and its bell tower is built upon a structure with eight decorated columns which stands on a porch connected to the southern wall.

Chapel of Dzordzor

The Chapel of Dzordzor or so called Holy Mary is situated in West Azerbaijan province on a mountain slope near Maku. The chapel looks minimal and made of carved stones, and windows are decorated with ogee arch columns.

Interestingly the chapel was relocated to a place 600 meters away and 110 meters higher than its primary location following a plan to build a dam in the region. In 1987 CE, this dislocation took 25 days; every single stone was transferred to the target location in accords with scientific principles.

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The magnificent nature along with a rich history attracts a significant number of annual domestic tourists to the region. With an area of about 37411 square meters, the province is the 12th largest province in Iran. It has 17 counties, of which the most populated ones include Khoy, Bukan, and Takab. It holds about four percent of the country’s total population and the majority of its population are Azeri Turks. In addition to Turks, Kurds, Assyrians, and Armenians also live in the province each of which with their own ethnic language.

The history of this area dates back to the Median Empire (678-549 B.C.). At the time of the invasion of Macedonian Alexander to Iran (330 B.C.), this area kept its sovereignty under the ruling of the brave commander Atropates whose name was derived for the current name of Azerbaijan. During the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736), many bloody wars, most notably the Chaldoran War, took place in this region between Iran and the Ottoman Empire.

After the collapse of the Safavid Dynasty, Azerbaijan fell into the hand of Ottomans for a while and after World War I, Iran came under the influence of Britain. With Iran’s forced participation in World War II, the Soviet Union took control of the northern parts of the country. Eventually, Iran complained to the United Nations about the Azerbaijan occupation, leading to the evacuation of the foreign forces from this province.

 The historical attractions of West Azerbaijan Province registered in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites include Takht-e Soleymān (Solomon’s Throne), the Holy Virgin Mary Church (Chapel of Dzordzor), and Saint Thaddaeus Monastery.

The province has many other historical attractions that are yet to be introduced to the world. The famous Ghotour Bridge in the Iranian-Turkish railroad track is one of the largest railway bridges in the Middle East, introducing it as a tourist attraction of the province. Other attractions include Lake Urmia (the most important permanent lake in Iran), Ghasemlou Valley, Sirdaghi Mountains, Bastam Citadel, and the ancient Teppe Hasanlu.

The province is also known for its handicrafts and traditional arts as well as its cuisine. The skilled masters of delicate woodworks, chessboard and chess pieces, and felt clothes are from this province. Varieties of sweets such as honey, Halva (a sweet paste dessert made of walnut, carrot, and wheat flour), and natural extracts of grapes (maybe mixed with walnuts, pistachios, and almonds) are among the main souvenirs of West Azerbaijan. The dishes called by the locals as Gatkh-Shurbasi (Yogurt Stew) and Ghorout-Shurbasi (Curd Stew) are the main local foods as   typical examples of the cooking style in the region.

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