According to the head of the tourism department of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province of Iran, 17 Armenian cemeteries in different villages of the province were included in the country’s list of national heritage.
The cemeteries belong to Armenians who fled to Isfahan and then to Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari during the Ottoman-Safavid War (1603-1618). The Armenians who settled in this province began to develop the area by cultivating orchards and vineyards, the official added.
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari has various unique traditions and rituals associated with the “tribal” lifestyle. Special forms of music, dance, and clothing are noteworthy. This place has significant potential to become a vibrant tourist attraction thanks to its changing natural landscape.
The province is also a center of woolen felt production, most of which is exported overseas. It is home to about 500 artisans and more than 250 workshops that hand-craft felt products.