The
city of Kermanshah is the capital of Kermanshah Province, located in the
western part of Iran. Kermanshah is the largest and central city in the west
with a population about one million people. Kermanshah developed in the 4th
century AD under the patronage of the Sassanid. The city is situated on the
foothills of the Zagros mountain range, 525 km south-west of Tehran. It has
many natural and historical sightseeing in the city and the towns around. The
city enjoys a temperate climate and regular seasons. The people of Kermanshah
are warm and friendly. The languages spoken by the people are Kurdish and
Farsi. The beautiful nature,
together with its people’s dialects and their spiritual and religious
characters make the province substantially unique in the region. Kermanshah has
a rich history of culture and civilization, possessing monuments illustrating
its people’s values for life and humanity throughout historic and prehistoric
periods.
Taq-e Bostan
One of the most impressive reliefs inside the largest grotto or ivan is the gigantic equestrian figure of the Sassanid king Khosrau II (591-628 CE) mounted on his favorite charger, Shabdiz. Both horse and rider are arrayed in full battle armor. The arch rests on two columns that bear delicately carved patterns showing the tree of life or the sacred tree. Above the arch and located on two opposite sides are figures of two winged angles with diadems. Around the outer layer of the arch, a conspicuous margin has been carved, jagged with flower patterns. These patterns are also found in the official costumes of Sassanid kings. Equestrian relief panel measured on 16.08.07 approx. 7.45m across by 4.25 m high.
Bistun
Bistun inscription is considered one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The
inscription includes three versions of the same text, written in three
different cuneiform script languages: Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian.
The
inscription is approximately 15 meters high, 25 meters wide, and 100 meters up
a limestone cliff from an ancient road connecting the capitals of Babylonia and
Media (Babylon and Ecbatana). It is extremely inaccessible as the mountainside
was removed to make the inscription more visible after its completion.
Eat
- Nan Roghani: It
is a kind of sweet bread made of sugar and local traditional oil.
- Nan Berenji and Nan
Shekari: They are special cookies
made in Kermanshah for many years and passengers buy them as souvenirs.
- Kaak: A
kind of cookie that is in a bar shape.
- Naan Khormaei: It
is a kind of cookie which is made of a mixture of date, walnut.
- Roghan Kermanshahi: It
is a kind of local traditional oil which is made from cow, sheep and goat
milk. It has special taste and aroma.
- Khoresht-e Khalal: It
is a special food of kermanshah. People can eat it in all of resturants of
Kermanshah.
- Dande Kabab: It
is a special Kebab of Kurdish nomadds of Kermanshah. Here as with most of
Iran, the standard national dish of Chelo kebab is a must. Try the
regional variations of this dish in the numerous restaurants in
Kermanshah. Food is usually of high standard. In some parks in Kermanshah,
you can simply obtain a carpet and tea from the park warden, and have a
picnic on the grass! You will find families gather in these parks, and
bring barbecues and cook freshly made k'ebabs, which smell (and taste)
delicious.