Kandovan village is one of the most famous and amazing natural and historical attractions in Iran. It is unique in the respect that it is one of the few rocky villages in the world where people still live. Kandovan is renowned for its pea-colored, cave-like stone houses carved by hand in the shape of a cone at the foot of the mountain. 

 Despite being located close to a modern city like Tabriz, after several thousand years it still maintains its originality and has experienced the least change in its simple and primitive lifestyle. Some archaeologists estimated the origins of this village to date back 3,000 years, while another group estimated it to be 6,000 to 7,000 years. 

In 1997, the village was inscribed in the country’s Cultural Heritage list. Since then, the villagers decided to make a living through tourism and preserve their traditional houses whereby emigration rates to big cities decreased considerably. The resemblance of the stone houses to hives also encouraged the local community to introduce honey as a main product. Furthermore, local women decided to collect herbs to sell to visitors and transform a part of their houses into lodgings whereby tourists could experience a truly unique accomodation experience. As a result of their innovative efforts, the villagers’ houses have been preserved and the village remains an active presence in the rural tourism sector. 

 Alongside the village being inscribed in the country’s National Heritage List because of its unique natural condition, this has resulted in some challenges relating to construction work where strict rules and regulations exist. Additionally, erosion and climatic change have caused a concern for preserving rocky structures in the village. The establishment of the Cultural Preservation Centre has assisted in actively monitoring reconstruction and leading the research projects by East Azerbaijan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Provincial Office.