One of the three provinces of old Khorasan is called North Khorasan. This province is located in the northeast of Iran and is one of the less known regions in terms of tourism. Different tribes of Fars, Tat, Kermanj Kurds, Turks and Turkmens live side by side in this area.
History
The discovery of ancient artifacts in North Khorasan shows the very high age of this province in terms of human habitation. The ancient site of Pahlan and Jajarm hill are nearly 12 thousand years old, and buildings such as the Spakho stone building have been built in this area since the pre-Islam era, which is considered the oldest structure in this part of history.
Geography
North Khorasan is bordered by Turkmenistan to the north, Khorasan Razavi province to the east and south, Semnan to the southwest, and Golestan province to the west.
Its area is 28,434 square kilometers and it ranks 15th in terms of size compared to other provinces of the country. The population of this province was equal to 959 thousand 70 people based on the census conducted in 1995.
North Khorasan is divided into two mountainous areas and low and flat areas. This province has countless vineyards and ranks sixth in terms of grape production.
weather
The different parts of this province of Iran are divided into two categories of high mountains and low and flat areas in terms of climate, and the highest point of North Khorasan in the Aladagh mountain range is Shahjahan peak, which is 3051 meters high. The lowest area of this province is in the village of Tasheyab in the outlet of Etrak river, which is located at an altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level.
The average height of North Khorasan is 1326 meters above sea level. Most of the regions of North Khorasan have mountainous and dry weather, and the best time to travel to this province of our country is spring and early autumn.
Cities of North Khorasan province
Bojnurd city is the center of this province and Shirvan, Jajarm, Faruj and Esfrain form some other cities of North Khorasan.
Bojnurd
Bojnurd, which the locals call Bojnard Telft, is the center of North Khorasan, and in old books its name is "Bijangerd" which means "made by Bijan". Cold winters and almost hot summers are the weather features of this city.
Some of the tourist attractions of this city include Abdul Abad Earth Dam, National Bank House, Jajermiha Hosseiniyeh, Aliabad Garden Kush, Mofakham Mansion, Bash Qardash Promenade, Baba Aman Promenade, and Aine Khane Mofkham Mansion.
Jajarm
Due to its location on the edge of the central desert and its proximity to "Bahar" mountain, this city has a diverse vegetation and climate. Jajarm is the only city in North Khorasan province that is connected to the national railway of Iran, and this feature has increased the economic importance of this city.
Jalaluddin Castle and Jame Mosque of Jajarm can be mentioned as the main historical monuments of Jajarm. Miandasht Wildlife Sanctuary in the neighborhood of Jajarm is one of the few Asian cheetah habitats left only in Iran.
Faruj
This city, which is known as the "City of Nuts" in Iran, is the gateway to North Khorasan and has a mountainous climate. Among the tourist attractions of Faruj, we can mention ancient hills and sites such as Tepeh Tawal, Tepeh Khalqabad and Tepeh Yam.
Esfjir waterfall in the northwest of Faruj, Khosroviah village, Aliabad historical castle and Shahjahan are other sights of this city.
Esfarayan
Most of the residents of this city are Kurdish speakers, and other ethnic groups such as Tats, Turks and Berbers live next to them. The temperate climate of this city, as well as the presence of extensive pastures and forests, have created diverse habitats for wildlife, including Sarigal National Park and Saluk National Park.
Residences
Northern Khorasan has few hotels, and travelers prefer to stay in eco-tourism accommodations or rent local houses when traveling to cities such as Bojnurd Of course, Bojnurd city has Dariush Hotel and Negin Hotel, and Shirvan city also has Jahangard Hotel and Reza Hotel.
Traveling to North Khorasan and staying in ecotours of this province brings a good experience. Among its eco-tourist resorts, we can mention Omudardy Bejnord eco-tourist resort, Wasal Royan Esfrain, Gudersen in Raz and Jerglan, Behjati in Shirvan, Chashmebid in Mane and Samalghan, and finally Topraq eco-tourist resort in Raz and Jerglan.
local foods
The presence of different races in this region has caused a variety of food in this province. The traditional dishes of North Khorasan province are prepared based on special customs with the help of aromatic seasonal vegetables.
Yarmeh soup is a local soup that is cooked in Bojnurd city with a mountain vegetable called neem. The ingredients of Ash Yarmeh are bulgur wheat or barley, chickpeas, buttermilk, onion and dry mint. Another famous dish of Bojnoord is Shalemash, which is made from mung bean, rice, minced meat, hot onion, some cumin and spices.
Local Qatab bread, Qoruto, Ash Qulieh, Zireto or Kachi Bejnordi, Ashkeneh, Deni and Dimedeni, Ash Joshwareh and Ghalibelo are other local dishes of this region.
Handicrafts
The fluffy hat is the most famous handicraft of the people of North Khorasan, which is woven by the people of Jajarm. Namdmali, the production of double carpets, which the Turkmens of the province specialize in, and the Kurdish table cloth, which is a product of the Kurdish nomads of North Khorasan, are some other handicrafts of the province.
Embroidering, which is more popular in the village of Ruyin Esfrain, can be seen in many cities of the province along with traditional embroidery, embroidery on skins, tapestry and tassel weaving, embroidery and silk embroidery.
souvenirs
Sweets are the most famous souvenirs of North Khorasan and Bojnoord has won the first rank of these souvenirs. Grape varieties are another important option that travelers usually buy from this country. We should not forget the curd, curd and sugar cheese, which have a unique and delicious taste.
Customs of North Khorasan
Racial and ethnic diversity has increased the spread of North Khorasan customs and traditions.
In this province, in various ceremonies, Turkmen music is performed inspired by famous Turkmen poets. The music of this region of Iran is generally composed of Kurdish and Turkish, and instruments such as fiddle, surna, two strings, dahl and ni are among the well-known instruments of this region.
During Nowruz, the Turkmens of the province hold various competitions, among which horse racing, bacchuhe wrestling and cockfighting ceremony can be mentioned.
Every year on the days of Eid al-Fitr, on the 13th and 14th of Farvardin, Chukheh sport is performed, which is one of the traditional and indigenous rituals and sports of the people of this province.
