Iran - Andrew Burke [105]
Qareh Kalisa is tucked behind a photogenically low-rise Kurdish village, 8km off the quiet Shot–Chaldoran road. This crosses rolling arid hills that turn into bright green flower-filled meadows in spring. There’s no public transport. Taxis from Maku ask IR120,000 return from Maku via Shot including waiting time.
Chaldoran
In 1514 the Ottoman forces of Selim the Grim devastatingly defeated Safavid Shah Ismail’s formerly invincible Persian-Azari army at Chaldoran (Chaldiran, Chaldran). Of 27,000 Iranian soldiers a phenomenal 26,000 died, cut down by Selim’s newfangled secret weapon, the cannon. The pivotal battle was followed by a scorched-earth policy that devastated agricultural settlements across much of west Azarbayjan and Kordestan, leaving the emptied land to grazing nomads for centuries to come.
Chaldoran Changi, the lonely battlefield, is commemorated by an impressive brick-domed tomb tower built in 2003. In front stands a statue of Seyid Sadraddin, the Persian army’s hapless commander. It’s beyond quaint Jala Ashaqi village. That’s around 6km (IR10,000 by taxi) from Siyah Cheshmeh, a scraggy little market town, itself now officially renamed Chaldoran, where a predictable statue of Shah Ismail rides a rearing horse.
Savaris run infrequently between Siyah Cheshmeh and Qareh Ziya’eddin. It’s better to combine Chaldoran with a taxi charter from Maku to Qareh Kalisa. Maps show a Bazargan–Chaldoran road via Kalisa Kandi, but it’s slow and painfully potholed.
Bastam & Qareh Ziya’eddin
pop 24,000
Of Iran’s many Urartian sites, Bastam (aka Rusai-Urutur) is probably the most impressive. That’s not saying much. It’s simply a steep unfenced rocky hill, but if sheer age excites you, reflect that the occasionally visible, eroded steps were probably carved into the rock around 685–645 BC. Along with slithering sheep-paths, these teeter up the edge of a precipice forming a veritable stairway to heaven. After a 30-minute scramble, the summit reveals what looks like a Bronze-Age helipad. There are lovely views into the valley beyond. Note that the most obvious rock-block ‘walls’ near the tiny settlement at the hill’s base are from a 2004 reconstruction by the archaeology department.
From unexciting low-rise Qareh Ziya’eddin taxis want IR30,000 each way (15 minutes). Arrange a return ride or pay IR15,000 per hour waiting time (you’ll need around 1½ hours to explore). If driving take the Chaldoran road then at the Qareh Ziya’eddin city limits turn west and continue about 6km (though the signpost says ‘7.5km’).
Buses (IR5000) and savaris (IR12,000, 50 minutes) to Khoy are frequent from central Qareh Ziya’eddin. For Maku and Tabriz, passing transport picks up on the main Bazargan road, 3km northeast of Qareh Ziya’eddin.
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KHOY
0461 / pop 179,000
Occupied since Median times, Khoy (Salt) was named for the salt mines that made it an important spur of the silk route. While not worth a lengthy detour, Khoy is more appealing than much bigger Orumiyeh, with which it shares a long history as an important Christian centre.
Orientation & Information
At central Imam Khomeini Sq, Enqelab (east), Shari’ati (north) and Taleqani (south) Sts all intersect with commercial Imam St. This runs west to Basij Sq then continues as dreary Kuchari St to Gumsal (Kesharvaz) Sq passing several internet cafés. Unsigned but more central Eyvan Coffeenet (Taleqani St; internet per hr IR6000; 10am-midnight) is approximately opposite the conspicuous blue-and-white Bank Sadarat building. Taleqani St continues south of Imam Khomeini Sq passing Valiasr Sq and the Salmas bus terminal, 2km beyond. Bank Melli (Enqelab St) changes money.
Sights
The huge Motalleb Khan Mosque (Taleqani St; admission by request) is a roofless 13th-century