Palangan Village

Having its long-standing customs, special staircase-like architecture, and pristine natural landscapes, Palangan Village of the green and scenic province of Kurdistan is considered one of the best tourist destinations of Iran. This village is located in the Avroman or Hawraman region, and because of the structure of its houses - where the roof of each house is the courtyard of the upper house - it is also called the “Masuleh of Kurdistan”.

Avroman or Hawraman is a mountainous region located within the provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah in western Iran neighboring the north-eastern part of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. The people of this region speak the Kurdish language and it houses beautiful natural landscapes. It is said that the history of human habitation in this region goes back to prehistoric times.

History of the Palangan Village

In 1926 AD a jar full of millet was found in a cave in the Tangehvar Valley of Palangan, in which there was an inscription written in Greek and Parthian Pahlavi. This writing became known as “Bonchaq of Hawraman” and is the oldest document that has been discovered so far in this region. There are some dates on this writing that are equivalent to 87 or 88 BC and 22 and 21 BC. This document suggests that the longevity of Palangan is probably more than that of other regions of Hawraman.

An interesting point is that the Palangan people of that time spoke a language similar to the people of the Caspian Sea area. Therefore, there is a hypothesis that the earliest inhabitants of Palangan were immigrants who had migrated from the border areas of the Caspian Sea and gradually spread throughout Avroman.

Where Is the Palangan Village Situated?

Palangan village is located in Kamyaran County and is at the beginning of a region called Avroman or Hawraman. If you intend to travel to this village from Kamyaran, you have to travel a distance of 50 kilometers by crossing "Shahu" Boulevard and Kamyaran-Marivan Highway. Kamyaran is located between the two cities of Sanandaj and Kermanshah, and it is 75 kilometers from Sanandaj and 55 kilometers from Kermanshah. Because of passing through mountains and numerous slopes, the Sanandaj-Kamyaran Highway is considered quite a dangerous route.

Palangan Village is situated at the foot of the Zagros mountains and a valley called “Tangehvar” through which flows the beautiful roaring “Tangehvar” River. This river is the border of two parts of the village on two sides of the valley.

Being located in mountainous areas, The climate of Palangan Village is very cold in winter and cool and pleasant in summer.

Traditions Observed in Palangan Village

One of the unique features of Palangan Village is its ancient history and ancient traditions.

The Hezar Daf Custom

The custom of Daf playing is one of the traditions that is mostly performed during religious celebrations in some regions of Kurdistan. In the “Hezar Daf” ceremony, the people of the village wear local clothes and stand on the roofs and in the alleys with the daf in their hands. Then one person as the leader of the group starts playing the daf and everyone accompanies him.

Daf playing is sometimes accompanied by another instrument called tanbur. Tanbur is one of the popular musical instruments of Kurdistan Province, which has a long handle and a pear-shaped body.

The Historical Castle of Palangan

Palangan Castle is a historical monument of this village, which is located 800 meters from the village and dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries AD. This castle, which was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 2005 AD, had been the residence of Kalhor rulers for a long time. It is possible that this castle was deserted in the 16th century and after the transfer of the center of the local government Palangan to another area.

Sirvan and Tangehvar Rivers

The Tangehvar River, which passes through the center of the village, is a branch of a larger river called “Sirvan”, which passes through the north of Palangan Village. Many bridges have been built on the Tangehvar River, which connects the people of the two parts of the village.

The Springs of the Village

There are a number of springs, including “Seyyed Ala al-Din”, “Khatun” and “Shiteh” springs in the “Sheikh Omar” Garden of Palangan Village.

Palangan Village, which is a part of the Hawraman landscape or cultural axis, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in the year 2021 AD.

Having its long-standing customs, special staircase-like architecture, and pristine natural landscapes, Palangan Village of the green and scenic province of Kurdistan is considered one of the best tourist destinations of Iran.