Rasht
North of Iran is so rich in culture and nature. One of the amazing must-see cities and it has a special place among the most popular northern Iranian destination is Rasht. In fact, it is Iran's third tourist destination with it's lush nature, dense forest, beautiful sea and spectacular houses. Aside from its nature, this city is well-known for its food. It’s so famous that UNESCO registered it as creative city of gastronomy.
Description
The city is surrounded from the north by Anzali Lagoon and the Caspian Sea. Also the city is the largest city on Iran's Caspian Sea coast. It is a major trade center between Caucasia, Russia and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali. Historically, this city was a major transport and business center which connected Iran to Russia and Europe and because of this was known as the " Gate of Europe ". Local people speak Gilaki or Persian with a Gilak accent and are considered one of the least religious Iranian ethnic groups.
The city is surrounded by rice fields and areas of half-cleared jungle. Also Rasht has many impressive and famous historical and natural attractions. At this region, the mostly two-storied houses have much woodwork, such as broad verandas and overhanging eaves; roofs are red-tiled, and the houses often are raised from the ground. Modernization is confined to the main streets.
Sightseeings of Rasht
Some of the city’s historical attractions include the open-air Rasht Bazaar which dates back to the Safavid era, Safi Mosque as the oldest house of prayer in the city, Rudkhan Castle which was originally built in the Sassanid era and later became an Ismaili stronghold, the tiered city of Masouleh which is nearly 1,000 years old, Mirza Kouchak Khan House and Museum, which was the residence of the fierce Forest Movement leader and nationalist hero and is now a museum, Mirza Kouchak Khan’s Mausoleum, Gilan Rural Heritage Museum which was founded by moving and reassembling nine villages from across the province to Sarvan Forest Park in order to preserve the traditional architecture and agriculture of Gilan.
Foods
It has got UNESCO’s recognition as one of the best places in the world for its gastronomy. Its gastronomy sector benefits from a rich variety of natural resources and rely on the exploitation of local resources, especially various species of fish and in-season products. Their cuisine has not only carried on ancient recipes, but also unique cooking utensils and methods.
This city is full of traditional and local foods. Sour Kebab (Kabab Torsh in Persian) and Mirza Ghasemi (a vegetarian eggplant, tomatoes and egg dish are two of the well-known foods in this city. Baghali ghatogh is also quite popular which is a stew made of vegetables, garlic, beans and eggs. Aloo Mosamma is also another Persian stew cooked in this city, comprising of chicken and plum stew.
