Kermanshah is one of the major cities of Iran and capital of Kermanshah province which is considered as the ninth most populated city in Iran. Kermanshah is the largest Kurdish city and the most important one in the central region of western Iran. Kermanshah is regarded as one of the historical and cultural cities of Iran whose origin dates back to the fourth century.

Kermanshah has a temperate and mountain climate. The city which was a village with pleasant weather in the old days was chosen as the second residence for the Sasanian Empire. Large gardens were built in the area and it became a pleasure place for Sasanian kings for a long time. Therefore, there are a lot of amazing historical sites and ancient places to visit in the city.

Below you can find some tourist attractions of Kermanshah.

1. Taq-e Bostan

Taq-e Bostan which means an arch of stone is a collection of petroglyph and epigraphy belonged to the Sasanian period and it is located in the Northwest of Kermanshah. The monument was built in the third century and it has a great artistic and historical value. Several historical scenes, including coronation of Khosrow Parviz, coronation of Ardashir II, coronations of Shapur II & III as well as several epigraphs written in Pahlavi scripts have been engraved. The mountains and springs existing in this place have made it an exhilarating public park which has been noteworthy from ancient times up to the present. There is also a very beautiful spring in the western part of the arch which creates a stunning lake flowing into Cham Bashir.

2. Bisotun

Bisotun historical site is located 30 km Northeast of Kermanshah, in Southwest of Bisotun city and at the foot of a mountain with the same name on Hamedan-Kermanshah road. This historical, cultural and natural site has 28 registered national monuments and more than 150 historical monuments have been identified in the area. Bisotun ancient site is the only monument in Kermanshah which has been registered in the World Heritage List. Unique monuments such as epigraph and inscription of Darius, Statue of Hercules and Safavid Caravanserai are a few examples belonged to the site.

3. Kermanshah Flowers Garden

Flowers Garden is one of the spectacular tourist attractions of the city which was recently opened with an area of ​​about 5 hectares in 2014. It is considered as the second Flowers Garden throughout the country, followed by Flower Garden of Isfahan. You can observe different types of plant species in this unique and beautiful garden. To design and create this special and spectacular garden, experts have used the most up-to-date techniques and elements available in the world. First rate Dutch seeds have been used to plant most of the plants in the garden. This large and beautiful garden includes cactus exhibitions, ponds, canals, a section for seasonal flowers and shrubs and various species of flowers collected from different countries.

4. Sarab-e Nilufar

Sarab-e Nilufar (literally means “lotus mirage”) is a small lake located fourteen kilometers Northwest of Kermanshah, at the beginning of Sanjabi region and at the foot of Komajar Mountain. This mirage is filled with lotuses. Buds and leaves of these flowers emerge from the water in warm seasons of the year and cover a large area of the mirage. In recent years, a park and some facilities have been built around the mirage for the visitors’ well-being. Sarab-e Nilufar is the fifty-fifth national natural monument that was included in the natural heritage of Iran list on March 18, 2009.

5. Hashilan Wetland

Hashilan Wetland is located about 30 km Northwest of Kermanshah. The General Department of Environmental Protection of Kermanshah has declared it a no hunting or shooting zone. In the wetland, there are about 110 small and large islands with an area of ​​approximately 100 square meters to about one hectare, some of which are hidden under the water in the winter and on rainy days due to an increase in the wetland water flow rate. According to Kurdish language, the wetland name is comprised of two parts, “hashi” meaning snake and “lan” meaning house. Therefore, the name “Hashilan” means snakes’ nest because there are a lot of snakes in the wetland, especially the natrix and the dice snake.

6. Tekyeh Biglarbeygi

Tekyeh Biglarbeygi, located in the old texture of Kermanshah, is a religious place which dates back to the Qajar period and it was built by a one of the well-known and important officials of the city called “Biglarbeygi”. A museum entitled “Museum of Calligraphy” was opened in the Tekyeh in 2004. Instruments, historical documents and manuscripts are kept in the museum and it is opened to visitors. Furthermore, Zagros Paleolithic Museum which is the only Paleolithic museum in the Middle East is located in the Tekyeh. Tekyeh has a relatively large yard whose floor is about 2.5 meters lower than the street floor. There is also a large pool in the middle of the yard. The yard plinth is made of stone and it is decorated with some stone plaques engraved with geometric and plant motifs in some parts, especially on the foot. The yard is surrounded by several spaces, of which some Northeastern and Southern parts have a residential function and the western part is occupied with a vault. The Eastern part of the yard includes two-story spaces.