Masouleh
Encyclopedia
Masuleh is a city in and the capital of Sardar-e Jangal District
, in Fuman County
, Gilan Province
, Iran
. At the 2006 census, its population was 554, in 180 families.
Historical names for the city include Māsalar and Khortāb. It was founded in the 10th century AD.
and 32 km west of Fuman. The village is 1,050 meters above sea level in the Alborz
(or Elburz) mountain range, near the southern coast of the Caspian Sea
. The village itself has a difference in elevation
of 100 meters.
The first village of Masuleh is approximately established around 1006 AD, 6 km northwest of the current city, and it is called Old-Masuleh (Kohneh Masuleh in Persian). People moved from Old-Masuleh to the current city because of pestilence and neighbor attacks. Some of old families do have a written ancestral tree as old as one hundred years.
Masouheh-Rood-Khan is the river passing through the city with a water fall 200m away from the village. Many other springs are found around Masuleh.
Masuleh is also surrounded by forest from valley to mount.
Fog is the predominate weather feature of Masuleh. Although it has been written that the community was established around 10 AD, the province of Gilan has a long history.
The spectacular architecture of Masuleh is popularly known as "The yard of the above building is the roof of the below building".
Yellow clay coats the exterior of most buildings in Masuleh. This allows for better visibility in the fog.
Buildings are mostly 2 stories (1st floor and below floor) made of adobe, rods and bole. A small living room, big guest room, winter room, hall, WC and balcony are usually found in 1st floor. A cold closet, barn and stable are located on the floor below, which are connected to the upper floor by several narrow steps inside the building.
There are four main local communities at the city named: "Maza-var" (meaning beside the Mosque) at the south, "Khana-var" (beside homes) at the East, "Kasha-sar" (stretched on top) at the North, and, "Assa-mahala" (Assad community) at the West. Apparently, down town is the Market (Bazaar) area and also the main mosque of the city, named "O-ne-ben-ne Ali" (Awn Ibn Mohammad Ibn Ali Ibn. Abi Taleb) built in 969 AD .
Sardar-e Jangal District
Sardar-e Jangal District is a district in Fuman County, Gilan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 15,339, in 4,065 families. The District has one city: Masuleh....
, in Fuman County
Fuman County
Fuman County is a county in Gilan Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Fuman. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 96,788, in 25,978 families. The county is subdivided into two districts: the Central District and Sardar-e Jangal District...
, Gilan Province
Gilan Province
Gilan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, just west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil, north of the provinces of Zanjan and Qazvin....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. At the 2006 census, its population was 554, in 180 families.
Historical names for the city include Māsalar and Khortāb. It was founded in the 10th century AD.
Geography, history and climate
Masuleh is approximately 60 km southwest of RashtRasht
Rasht is a city in and the capital of Gilan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 551,161, in 159,983 families.Rasht is the largest city on Iran's Caspian Sea coast. It is a major trade center between Caucasia, Russia and Iran using the port of Bandar-e Anzali...
and 32 km west of Fuman. The village is 1,050 meters above sea level in the Alborz
Alborz
Alborz , also written as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan...
(or Elburz) mountain range, near the southern coast of the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
. The village itself has a difference in elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 100 meters.
The first village of Masuleh is approximately established around 1006 AD, 6 km northwest of the current city, and it is called Old-Masuleh (Kohneh Masuleh in Persian). People moved from Old-Masuleh to the current city because of pestilence and neighbor attacks. Some of old families do have a written ancestral tree as old as one hundred years.
Masouheh-Rood-Khan is the river passing through the city with a water fall 200m away from the village. Many other springs are found around Masuleh.
Masuleh is also surrounded by forest from valley to mount.
Fog is the predominate weather feature of Masuleh. Although it has been written that the community was established around 10 AD, the province of Gilan has a long history.
Architecture
Masuleh architecture is unique. The buildings have been built into the mountain and are interconnected. Courtyards and roofs both serve as pedestrian areas similar to streets. Masuleh does not allow any motor vehicles to enter, due to its unique layout. It is the only city in Iran with such a prohibition. However, the small streets and many stairs simply wouldn't make it possible for vehicles to enter.The spectacular architecture of Masuleh is popularly known as "The yard of the above building is the roof of the below building".
Yellow clay coats the exterior of most buildings in Masuleh. This allows for better visibility in the fog.
Buildings are mostly 2 stories (1st floor and below floor) made of adobe, rods and bole. A small living room, big guest room, winter room, hall, WC and balcony are usually found in 1st floor. A cold closet, barn and stable are located on the floor below, which are connected to the upper floor by several narrow steps inside the building.
There are four main local communities at the city named: "Maza-var" (meaning beside the Mosque) at the south, "Khana-var" (beside homes) at the East, "Kasha-sar" (stretched on top) at the North, and, "Assa-mahala" (Assad community) at the West. Apparently, down town is the Market (Bazaar) area and also the main mosque of the city, named "O-ne-ben-ne Ali" (Awn Ibn Mohammad Ibn Ali Ibn. Abi Taleb) built in 969 AD .
Lists of mayors
| Office Term Number | Name | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amir Ostovar | Unknown | First person to be specifically appointed Mayor |
| 2 | Assadollah Gharib Masuleh | Unknown | |
| 3 | Mohammed Mohammadi | Unknown |
External links
- Masuleh Pictures
- HORIZIN, Masuleh, Photo Set, flikr
- Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization: http://www.masooleh.ir/