Abyaneh

Abyaneh is a small village, around 2,000 meters above sea level, tucked away in a remote valley. It's a UNESCO heritage site and certainly worth a visit. This was a day trip from Kashan.

Some buildings were beautifully restored, with a lot of others visibly slated for the same treatment.

A close-up of the door above reveals two knockers. One for the women, one for the men. If a woman knocks at the door, the lady of the house can open up without having to put on her veil. 

I took the six pictures below simply strolling through. It was a target-rich environment.

There were more donkeys coming my way than I knew what to do with. There were six or seven more around the corner.

Abyaneh is fiendishly difficult to find. There is no regular transport to it. The nearest bus stops 22 kilometers from the junction to Abyaneh and then you need to hitch a ride. I took the bike so of course it was not an issue. On the 22 kilometer section, I didn't see a single car, so traffic to and fro is not very heavy. Also, for those who love military toys, there are about 50 or more (I counted 48, then lost interest) anti-aircraft setups around an area that is Iran's main nuclear research lab. It's close to the road you take to get to Abyaneh. The site is huge, more like a small city. It's one of those areas you know you shouldn't pull over for whatever reason. Abyaneh is located at N33 35 11.5 E51 35 23.5 and for those interested, here's the track log (gpx format) from Kashan.