Lahijan

Lahijan Tourism

2016-04-05 23:24:11

Lahijan

Lahijan is a Caspian sea resort in and the capital of Lahijan County, Gilan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 71,871, in 21,518 families.

The resort Lahijan has both traditional and modern architecture. The town, which has an Iranian-European urban structure, lies on the northern slope of the Alborz mountains. Its culture and climatic favorable condition have made Lahijan a major tourist hub in northern Iran. The city is basically founded on the sediments remaining from big rivers in Gilan, including the Sefid-Rud (White River). Historically, the city was the major business center and of course the capital of East Gilan during the time of special rulers. Lahijan has also been a tourism hub of the Islamic world during different eras in Iran’s history.

Tea in Lahijan

Historically, Lahijan is the first town in Iran to have tea plantations. With its mild weather, soil quality and fresh spring water, Lahijan stands to have the largest area of tea cultivation in Iran. One of the most notable families involved in the tea industry was the Fallahkhair family, owning hectares of tea farms controlling a vast majority of the industry’s export.

But today the country’s tea industry is deep in trouble and the verdant gardens that once sustained millions of farmers and their workers are used only for grazing sheep and other personal purposes. Despite having one of the world’s most avid tea drinking populations, the Iranian tea economy is reeling from an influx of foreign imports and smugglers who, local traders complain, often have close family ties to powerful figures in the Islamic government. The consequences are plain to see. In Lahijan, the historic capital of Iran’s tea industry, land that was once a lush vista of tea bushes is now occupied by houses and flats, built by tea factory owners who have moved into the building trade in response to their industry’s decline. Several of the town’s tea mills are derelict. Others are at a stand-still or operating at half capacity. Some 40% of the half-million tea farmers in tea-rich Gilan province have gone out of business, because the factories are no longer buying their crops. Hundreds of thousands of pickers have been forced out of work.

Cookies (Kulucheh)

Lahijan’s cookies (Kulucheh) are well-known and sold all across the world. Culucheh is a traditional Persian-style filled cookie. It has a shell that encrusts a soft filling. The filling comes in different variety of flavors like cocoa, walnut, or coconut. For centuries, using traditional methods, these types of cookies have been produced in Gilan. Noosheen,Grand naderi, Naderi, Nadi and Peyman brands are four famous cookie producers in Lahijan.

Tourist Hubs

Sheitan Koh (Satan’s Hill) and its waterfall – Sareshke – Baam-e-Sabz – Lahijan Pool (Estakhr) – the Tomb of the Four king (Char Padeshahan) – Golshan Bath – Sheikh Zahed Gilani Tomb – Shen Chal & Sustan Pool – Lahijan Daily Markets No.1 and No.2 – Iran National Tea Museum – Brick Bridge (pole Kheshti) – Amjadossoltan (Tomb of Farah Pahlavi(Diba)’s ancestor – National Library) – Lahidjan gondola – At’ah Kuh – Bulvar . . .