Estahban; A City with Various Natural and Historical Attractions

With a population of nearly 75 thousand and an area of 2652 square kilometers, Estahban is 1767 meters above sea level, is surrounded by mountains, and has a beautiful natural landscape. All kinds of trees are found in the scattered forests of this city. The presence of numerous fig trees in Estahban has made it known as the “city of figs”.

There are two strong possibilities about the meaning of Estahban. While some people believe it means vineyard, some others consider it to mean “guardian of the pool” and believe this name was given to this area because of the presence of numerous water springs.

Natural Attractions

Ghahri Spring

The very beautiful nature of this spring, which is located near the city of Estahban, is a pleasant place for nature tourists. It is said that this spring was dug by a person named Gorgin Milad, a king of the legendary Kayanian dynasty. The stream, which flows from this spring, passes through winding valleys and irrigates the surrounding gardens.

Zakaria Cave and Damtang Valley

Another natural attraction near the city of Estahban is Zakaria Cave, which is located at the height of Tudej Mountain. The entrance of the cave is about one meter in diameter and its height is about four meters. The cave has several interconnected corridors, which have beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. The pottery found in this cave has made archaeologists believe that Zakaria Cave was probably used as a hiding place at some point in history.

Damtang Valley of Tudej Mountain is another tourist attraction the difference between the highest and lowest point of which reaches 1000 meters.

Backback Habitat

There is a protected area in the southeast of Estahban where diverse and valuable species of migratory birds have been seen.

Tarik (Dark) Tang Lai

This gorge is located in the southwest of Estahban and is famous for its vast forest and numerous springs.

Estahban Forest Park

This park is accessible at the foothill of Tudej Mountain where various types of grapes, almonds, pistachios, and figs trees can be found. The flowing streams in this forest park have created a beautiful promenade next to the fountains and its spectacular waterfall.

Sarasiab Waterfall

This waterfall was created in 1956 by cutting 16 steps. In the past, there was also a water mill at the bottom of the waterfall, the remains of which can still be seen. According to historical reports, due to the existence of many waterfalls, there were 11 water mills in Estahban eight of which are still intact and two of them (8th and 9th mills) are still functional.

Tomb of Sheikh Ali Naghi Estabanati

Built in the Safavid era (17th century), the tomb of Sheikh Ali Estahbanati who was an Islamic scholar of the 11th century AH (17th century CE) has been inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage.

Haji Mahrim Reservoir

Like many old cities in Iran, Estahban used to have a reservoir the height of the dome of which is seven meters and it is five meters wide. In the construction of the reservoir, stone and mortar have been used. Unlike other reservoirs in Estahban, this reservoir has a rectangular shape. This reservoir was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in 2008.

Eshteban”s Dokhtar Castle

This castle was probably built in mid-Islamic era (around the 13th to the 15th century AD). According to historians, this castle was built during the period of a dynasty called “Shabankareh”, which ruled parts of Fars province and its surrounding areas for about 300 years. After the down fall of this dynasty the castle was completely destroyed and no traces of it can be seen today. Nevertheless, the ruins and pieces of pottery found in the ruins are of historical value. This work was also inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in 2008.

While some people believe Estahban means vineyard, some others consider it to mean “guardian of the pool” and believe this name was given to this area because of the presence of numerous water springs.