Abyaneh Village - The village of red houses

The historic Abyaneh Village is located in Isfahan Province on the slopes of Karkas Mount, and this is one of the most exceptional villages of Iran, where you can feel that the culture is remained untouched. For reaching this scenic village you have to pass a road crawling through the mountains and valleys, and this inaccessibility might be the reason why the culture and traditions are remained untouched here.

History of Abyaneh Village

With an ancient fire temple located in the village and the fortresses, and the Parthian Pahlavi language of the locals, the antiquity of Abyaneh traces back to more than 2000 years ago. Locals of Abyaneh, still call their village with its old name “Viuna” which meant the land of willow trees. The reason why this village was named Viuna, is that this was a lush region full of willow trees and the kings and commanders of Safavid Empire used to hunt in Karkas mountain area and stay at this village during summer.

The locals of Abyaneh Village

Meeting the warmhearted people who live in Abyaneh Village will make visitors feel like they have traveled through history. The locals, that are mostly old women and oldmen, are loyal to their traditions and their language consisting word from Parthian Era, and they still wear their traditional costume as their ancestors did. The women wear a white scarf with pink floral patterns, a vest and a black under-knee skirt and the men wear a loose baggy pair of pants with a coat. The people of this village are mostly busy with farming in their fruit gardens, animal husbandry, and selling their handicrafts and dried fruits they’ve planted in their gardens in small stores. They are usually keen to have a chat with visitors, but it is better to ask for their permission if you want to take a picture of them.

The architecture of Abyaneh Village

In Abyaneh, the alleys are cobblestoned and narrow and remind a wonderfully twisted maze. In some parts of the village, the houses are built based on a stepped layout like Uraman and Masouleh villages, which means the roof of one house is the courtyard of the upper house. The houses are constructed with local materials and are covered with red clay which gives a reddish shade to the whole village and doubles its beauty. Lattice windows and wooden doors are other features of Abyaneh Village architecture style, which characterize this unique village.

Things to do in Abyaneh Village

Apart from taking a long walk through the alleys in Abyaneh and enjoying the pleasant weather, there are other things you can do here, like visiting the ancient fire temple named Harpaak, which dates back to Sassanid Era and is the most ancient attraction of Abyaneh and is remarkable for its Chahartagh construction, literally meaning four arches. Jaame Mosque of Abyaneh, named Mian Deh (at the center of the village) is another must-see attraction in the village. This mosque dates back to the 11th century and has a famous Mihrab, which is made with walnut tree wood and ornamented with carved floral patterns and calligraphies. You can also walk to the other side of the river flowing below the village and enjoy the view of houses from afar.

Where to stay in Abyaneh Village?

There are two 3-star hotels named Abyaneh Hotel and Viuna Hotel that provide good accommodation service to travelers. There are also plenty of traditional inns and village houses for travelers who look for more simple and cheap accommodations, with more interaction with the locals.

The peaceful atmosphere, the awe-inspiring traditional architecture, and the warmhearted locals the reasons why travelers prefer not to miss visiting this village during their adventure in Iran. Abyaneh Village is located on the route of Iran classic tours between Tehran and Isfahan; therefore, this can be included on your Iran travel itinerary without having to go off the beaten path. Visiting the magnificent Abyaneh Village is included in some PackToIran tours like "the persuit of peace: dunes and waves tour", "Iran ancient tour", and Abyaneh and Natanz day tour. Take a look at the itineraries and choose between them!