Iran adds 22 to natural heritage list

Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) has recently entered 22 natural spots and landscapes to the national heritage list.

Ali Qomi, affiliated to the CHTHO, said the properties are in the provinces of South Khorasan, Mazandaran, and Qazvin.

Located in the eastern, northern and west central parts of Iran, some of them date back to the Cretaceous and Quaternary geological eras, he added.

He also noted that Lake of Ghosts and the Danial Cave in Mazandaran and the Black Land of Tabas in South Khorasan are among the most outstanding ones in the list.

Located about 120 kilometers south of Tabas and in the northernmost point in the Naiband Wildlife Refuge, the Black Land dates from the last glacial period which started about two million years ago.

Belonging to sometime between the Middle Cretaceous to the Quaternary periods and measuring roughly 300 by 700 meters in the heart of a forest, the Lake of Ghosts is infused with some dead threes that contribute to its picturesque scene.

Located 5 kilometers south of Salmanshahr in Mazandaran Province in the intersection of two faults that come from different geological eras, the Danial Cave has two bat halls with needle-shaped stalactites, a fixed temperature throughout the year and drinkable water.

Offering luxurious tourist tours with more than 20 UNESCO World Heritage sites, Iran has plans to gain greater share of the international tourism industry by 2025.

MG/AI