Kandovan Village

Kandovan is a historic village in East Azerbaijan Province, located in Osku County. With a history of seven thousand years, it is one of the most appealing tourist destinations in the region. Kandovan lies 18 kilometres from the town of Osku and has a population of 601. Besides its rich history, the village also holds distinctive natural attractions and architecture. The lush, green summer pastures around the village, the Kandovan river and its refreshing spring, the everyday life of the village, and the interesting, distinctive lifestyle of its people have drawn both Iranian and international visitors to Kandovan.

One of Kandovan's unique features is its sugarloaf-shaped (cone-shaped) architecture, which was registered as a National Heritage Site of Iran on 15 Ordibehesht 1376 under registration number 1857. Because of their distinctive shape, the stone houses of Kandovan were once called "Kandjan", meaning a place for safeguarding life. This name is still used on the birth certificates of people born in the village, and it is a symbol of the history and cultural identity of its people. One of the most refreshing mineral waters in Iran originates in Kandovan. The water is so natural and pure that most people fill a few bottles of it when they travel to Kandovan. Like most villages in Azerbaijan, life in Kandovan revolves around orchard-keeping, animal husbandry, and the production and sale of handicrafts. Farming is not very prosperous in Kandovan, and what little there is consists of rain-fed (dry) farming, because most of the village's land is rocky and unsuitable for agriculture. Instead, the market for souvenirs and local and livestock products in Kandovan is thriving.

In 2023, Kandovan was named one of the Best Tourism Villages in the world by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). According to historical records, Kandovan was founded in the 7th century AH by the inhabitants of the village of "Hilevar", who were looking for a refuge from the Mongol invasions. The village is located at an altitude of 2,200 metres above sea level. Summers are mild, while the cold seasons bring freezing, cold weather, which affects the number of visitors in these two seasons. In general, considering the climate and the seasons, the best time to visit Kandovan village near Tabriz is from mid-spring to the end of summer.