Majarshin Village

Many tourists look for such destinations that, in addition to having historical monuments, also have natural attractions and provide them with a pleasant and peaceful environment. Perhaps, finding such a destination may not seem so easy at first glance, but there are many regions in Iran, that combine all these features. The historical Majarshin Village is one such destination, which is an ideal tourist attraction both geographically and historically.

Where Is Majarshin Village Located?

Majarshin village is located in Osku County of East Azarbaijan Province and at the foot of Mount “Yake Soura”, 30 km from Osku City and 20 km from the city of Azarshahr. The mountainous texture of the village makes its weather very pleasant in summer. Its green and vast pastures, along with the high mountains that surround the village, have created pristine and unique landscapes. Several springs as well as walnut, apple, apricot, almond, cypress, poplar, and Tabrizi trees are abundantly available in this village. In addition, medicinal plants such as Ziziphora, Descurainia sophia, Nasturtium, Marjoram, and Savory also grow abundantly around the village.

Majarshin is located at the intersection of the roads from Osku to Gonbarf and Azarshahr to Gonbarf, and this position has given it an advantage over the neighboring villages. The approximate area of the village is 160 thousand square meters and its height above sea level is 2050 meters. Mount Yeke Soura is 2170 meters high and Mount Oryan is the highest peak near the village with a height of 2850 meters.

Nomenclature and History of Majarshin Village

It seems that the name “Majarshin” has been derived from the name “Mirzansehin”. Those who could read and write were called Mirza in the past, and the application of this name to the village probably meant that the people of the village were literate. In addition, the village may have been a place for people of high rank or princes to stay. Investigations show that the tradition of feudalism, which was quite common in Iran, did not exist in this village and the villagers were the owners of their lands. Due to being located in a mountainous environment, the village has a stepped structure, so that the roof of one house is the yard of another one.

Presently, the population of this village is about one thousand people who mainly engage in agricultural activities. Walnuts, marigolds, wheat, barley, alfalfa, chickpeas, potato, and willow are among the agricultural products of the village. In the wintertime, when the weather is extremely cold and there is no possibility of agriculture and animal husbandry, the people of the village engage in such activities as carpet weaving.

Tourist Attractions

One of the oldest sites of human habitation in this village includes three hand-knotted rock houses in the heights. Some people believe that these houses, each of which has rooms with small niches, are several thousand years old. Local people call these houses “Bushlar” which means “empty house”.

There is a historical cemetery in the village, where several hundred-year-old tombstones can be seen. One of these tombstones bears some writings in Arabic, which show that this language was spoken in the village at some point. According to the writings and the way of burying the dead in this cemetery, it can be considered to be a post-Islamic one. A rock mosque can also be seen in Majarshin, which was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 2007 AD.

Majarshin has several springs, the most famous of which are Mahir Spring, Agh Bulagh, Rostamcheshmeh, and Quyicheshmeh. The Gonbar Chay River, which flows near the village doubles the pleasure of nature tourism in this region. Majarshin Dam, which is a reservoir with a height of 24 meters and a crown height of 18 meters, attracts many tourists every year. The lake behind this dam contains nearly 150,000 cubic meters of water and the area of the dam covers an area of nearly five square kilometers. The water of this dam is used to supply water to 50 hectares of downstream lands. Due to the fact that between 600 and 700 mm of rain falls in this area annually, the most important function of the dam is to control seasonal floods.

Situated in the heart of the mountains of East Azarbaijan Province of Iran, Majarshin Village is an excellent destination for tourists who look for natural and historical attractions.