Bahram Palace complex or Caravanserai of Bahram Palace is one of the significant buildings of Safavid era. This complex is also known as Siahkooh Ribat. Unfortunately, it was deserted for many years but recently has been restored to be the haven of people who are tired of crowded cities.
The caravanserai is located near Garmsar city, Semnan Province. Many of the historians claim it belongs to the reign of Sassanid dynasty and Shah Abbas Safavi restored it. By the way, there are no firm evidences about the Sassanid role in the construction of this caravanserai. The only thing that is obvious in the style of architecture which belongs to the Safavid culture.
There are some evidences about the Sassanid activities in this district which reveal the ancient construction was not related to caravanserai.
An attractive point about the caravanserai is the relations with Maranjab Caravanserai. During the Safavid reign it was a significant official stations of trade between east and west of central desert of Iran. The caravanserai was built to establish a new route from Isfahan (the capital city) to Khorasan.
The caravanserai comprises various sections, rooms, hall, alcove, subbasement, stalls and kitchens. The defensive towers also must be mentioned.
Geographic location of caravanserai and being apart from light pollution makes it a suitable place for astronomers and even some national observation competitions have been held in recent years.
The building is located outskirt of Kavir National Park which is the largest protected area in Iran and many rare species live there e.g. Asian Cheetah and Sand Cat. It’s necessary to have official permission from the department of Environment to visit this place and it’s not an easy process, but, fortunately there are many tourism agencies to help you. They do this process vicariously.
Desert night is one of the wonderful embodiments of nature. In Caravanserai of Bahram Palace, you can enjoy the silence of the desert and contemplate while you are watching the stars and galaxy cloud.
The best time to visit this place is mid-autumn. In the desert areas the difference between the temperature of night and day is considerable, so don’t forget warm clothes.
