Chavars Village

Chavars (Chowras) village is located in West Azerbaijan Province, in Chaypareh County, about 8 kilometres southeast of Qarah Ziaeddin. With a population of about 2,080 according to the 2016 census (1395 in the Solar Hijri calendar), it is one of the province's target villages for tourism. This ancient village, with a history of 6,000 to 8,000 years, is a legacy of the Urartian civilisation and is home to important archaeological sites such as the Anaqizli and Bozorg hills, Mulla Junid Castle, the Safavid-era "Qirmizi" Mosque and the Buzkhana ice house.

Set on the slopes of Mount Safar Dagh, Chavars offers mountain scenery with numerous springs (such as the Ishiq Bulaghi spring), lush greenery and delightful nature walks. The stepped architecture of its houses, jajim weaving, traditional qanat construction, and historical remains from the Russo-Persian wars and the Constitutional Revolution era are other notable features of the area. Historical sources describe Chavars as one of the thriving centres of the Safavid period. In his dictionary (Loghatnameh), Dehkhoda describes Chavars as a village west of Nakhchivan and writes that in the time of Shah Abbas the Safavid, Salman Khan Surbashi Donbali ruled there. It is also said that the village once had public buildings such as several bathhouses, a caravanserai and numerous mosques, of which no trace remains today.

To reach Chavars, drive from Urmia towards Chaypareh and then Qarah Ziaeddin; the road is paved all the way to the village. Spring and summer are the best times to visit. Visitors are advised to stay on marked paths, not to litter, and to respect the historical heritage and the residents, so that this cultural and natural heritage is preserved.