Kerman, the capital of Kerman province, a province with a great antiquity, located in an altitude of 1860m above the sea level and 1062km to the south of Tehran. The town is situated close to Dasht-e Lut, from which

it is separated by a range of mountains.

Its name probably derived from the tribe of Germanioi listed by Herodotus. Believed it has been found in the early of 3rd century AD by Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanian dynasty. It was from the 7th century ruled in turn by Arabs, Buyids, The Seljuk’s, The Turkmen and Mongols. Town expanded rapidly under the Safavid Dynasty (16and17 century AD), both the English and Dutch exporting Kermani carpets from the port of Bandar Abbas. Kerman has had a log and turbulent history, and it has only for short period enjoyed peace and prosperity at the same time. Late in the 18th century AD, Agha Mohammad shah of Qajar dynasty took a terrible revenge on the people of Kerman because they had given help to his mortal enemy Lutf Ali Khan Zand. The town has a Zoroastrian minority, altogether much smaller than that in Yazd.

Most of the ancient Kerman was destroyed by earthquake in 1794. Jabalieh Domb, Malek and Jameh masques, Vakil tea house, Ganjali Khan Bath house and square are among the place of interests. Other attractions in Kerman province are: Prince Garden, Mausoleum of Shah Ne’matullah Vali the great Sufi of 14-15 century AD and founder of Ne’matullahi sect, in Mahan and Rayen Citadel (which is another interesting mud clay monument after Bam citadel which was demolished by earthquake in 2004).

Prince Garden

Mausoleum of Shah Nematollah Vali