Kerman lies on a sandy plain, under the shadows of barren rocky hills, surrounded by mountains on the north and east and experiences a cool climate and frequent sandstorms in the autumn and spring.
Believed to have been founded in the early 3rd century AD by Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanian dynasty, it was from the 7th century ruled in turn by the Arabs, Buyids, the Seljuks, the Turkmans and the Mongols. The population here is mostly Persian-speaking Muslims, with a Zoroastrian minority.
Famous for being the largest carpet-exporting centre in Iran, the city formerly owed its industrial reputation to shawl making. You will discover the water is brought in by qanats, underground aqueducts from the surrounding hills, an enormous brick-made citadel in the world, and inspired Persian gardens considered some of the most attractive in Kerman.
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