According to the Gilan Provincial Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, ICOMOS evaluator Shaifol bin Shahidan has arrived in the historic village, accompanied by a team of specialists, to examine the nomination dossier entitled “The Cultural Landscape of Masouleh and Its Ancient Ironworking Sites.”
ICOMOS is a non-governmental international organisation dedicated to the conservation and protection of cultural heritage, including historic buildings, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes.
It serves as an advisory body to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, providing expert evaluations of cultural heritage sites nominated for the World Heritage List.
The field mission is a crucial stage in the nomination process. During the visit, the experts are expected to assess the authenticity and integrity of Masouleh’s cultural landscape, its conservation measures, management systems and community participation.
They will also examine the historic relationship between local communities, architecture and the surrounding natural environment.
The ancient metal-smelting and ironworking sites included in the nomination add another important dimension, offering evidence of the region’s technological heritage, traditional craftsmanship and historical ways of life.
Nestled in the Alborz mountain range in northern Iran, approximately 25 kilometres southwest of Fuman, Masouleh is renowned for its extraordinary stepped architecture.
Its traditional houses, built into the steep mountainside, form a remarkable urban landscape in which the roof of one house often serves as the courtyard or passageway of the house above.
Surrounded by forested slopes, flowing streams, rice fields and tea gardens, the village is equally celebrated for its winding pathways, wooden windows and colourful flower-filled balconies.
Its distinctive architecture reflects generations of adaptation to the mountainous terrain and local climate.
Masouleh was officially registered on Iran’s National Heritage List in 1975.
Its proposed World Heritage status would recognise not only its architectural beauty, but also the enduring relationship between people and their environment, expressed through traditional knowledge, local livelihoods and sustainable ways of living
While the ICOMOS assessment does not guarantee inscription, its findings will contribute to the expert review and the World Heritage Committee’s eventual decision.
If successful, the nomination could strengthen heritage protection, support local communities, encourage responsible tourism and bring greater international recognition to one of Iran’s most remarkable historic landscapes.
