Tehran – Governor Garmsar Ali Hemmati has announced plans to develop several salt mines into tourist attractions as part of the city’s priorities programme.
He told Isna that the salt mines at Gaumzsal boast high potential in the tourism sector in terms of their natural charm and proximity to the capital.
Hemmati mentioned the tourism industry as a favorable industry, adding that “introducing historical and natural charms apart from cultural functions plays an important economic role for local people.”
Pointing to the city’s numerous tourist axes, he added: “Promoting salt mines and tourism in the Qasr-e Balam region is one of Governor Ghamsal’s priority programs that are being pursued seriously this year.”
He said boosting tourism by converting salt mines into tourism destinations would be considered a sustainable and attractive alternative to the line of economic development. It can also create jobs and preserve natural relics, he added.
Also, Milad Rezaei, head of Garmsar Cultural Heritage Department, said the Garmsar Cultural Heritage department has two short- and medium-term projects to boost the city’s tourism industry.
He made the news that it would be revitalizing travel agencies, adding that these agencies would serve tourism activists.
Rezaei continued, with the next step, filming and recording of the historic tourist destination began with the aim of attracting tourists by introducing the tourist possibilities of Nowruz and Garmsar during the late summer period.
Gahmzsal is a city in Semnan province, adjacent to Damavand to the north, Balamin to the west, Aradhan to the east and Iran’s central desert to the south. The area boasts a diverse array of fascinating natural attractions and tourist attractions.
From the unique Mars Hills to salt tunnels, Garmers attracts many tourists each year. With the largest mine and salt tunnels in the Middle East, Garmsar currently has 40 salt tunnels, playing an important role in Iran’s salt extraction.
Various countries around the world, including Italy, Germany and Poland, are taking advantage of the positive effects of salt by establishing specialized facilities for energy or salt therapy to promote medical tourism. Blessed with abundant salt mines, Iran can take advantage of this natural wonder to boost tourism, especially during the winter season. Geological studies examined the quality of water resources in the Habuld region of Garmamur.
Pade, a village in the Aradan district of Garmassal in Semnan province, stands out from other tourist attractions in the area due to its large salt tunnels.
The Kouhdasht mine is located southeast of Garmsar and east of Tehran. This is where salt domes covered in plaster and salt appear. Within these salt domes, oil traps can be found.
One of these mines resembles a mountain, and the salt extraction process leads to the formation of hand-dried caves.
Typically, certain patterns are adopted in tunnel structures on roads to ensure the strength, durability and safety of the tunnel. However, excavations of this salt cave entrance and formation only take into account the height and width from the surface, with the height being almost twice the width and being rectangular.
At the entrance to the cave, the walls are dark, but as you get closer to that depth, they gradually brighten up. The proximity to these illuminated surfaces suggests that the excavation at that time of the cave is recent.
Walking through these tunnels, visitors will encounter walls made up of salt decorated with dairy stones, hanging salt ice that enhances the beauty of the tunnel. Mars hills, domes and salt tunnels are scattered throughout the vast area. Approximately 27 salt mines surround Garmersal, and these attractions are located particularly about 15 km west of Garmers and 90 km from Tehran along Evankee and Garmersal Road.
To visit the salt tunnel, you must obtain permission from the traffic police to access the salt mine road by bus.
In 2022, Iran chose Semnan to represent the country in a union of cities on the Silk Road, based on an initiative launched by China to promote tourism along the ancient route that once linked Asia to the Western world.
The ancient Silk Road has existed for thousands of years, passing through empires, kingdoms, rule and society throughout history. At certain times in its long history, traders were free to travel along these routes, but travel was difficult or dangerous for others.
According to UNESCO, the Silk Road enriched the countries it passed through, transporting cultural, religious, linguistic and material goods to European, Asian and African societies, connecting them all together with a common thread of cultural heritage and multiple identities.
KD