I want to introduce a terraced village named Palangan with its unique vernacular architecture which is listed as a world heritage in 2021.
Palangan (which means ‘leopards’) is located about 50 kilometers Northwest of the city of Kamyaran in the Kurdistan province in Iran. The village is spread over both sides of a steep valley. In the middle flows a river. Connecting both sides of the village are several narrow bridges. The surrounding nature is filled with endless scenic spots.
Palangan is most famous for the distinct terraced structure of the stone houses. The roof of each house is the yard of the one above it. This ecofriendly design makes the entire village look like a steep staircase carved into the rocky chasm.
No one knows the exact date Palangan was founded, but it has been inhabited since the pre-Islamic period. The city itself has been completely destroyed and rebuilt stone by stone several times. The current location was built 500 years ago, with ruins of the previous village located about 2 kilometers away.
Residents were semi nomad which live in the village in fall and winter and go to upper places where their garden were in middle of spring and summer. Because of rocky steep mountains and lack of flat lands they makes terraced garden too. Each houses are built on a big rock wich are craved and the stones were used to built the bearable walls, and the roof are made of woods and its branches then covered with mud. Houses are mostly 2 stories the first was for their herd and the second is for themselves. Windows were made of woods and they were in small size in order to not lose heat besides they use stone as lintel wich could not span big size. But later they use wood as lintel then windows and doors got bigger. Unfortunately its houses are going to be invade by urban and modern houses which needs a immediate action to stop these trends and devise a scheme to preserve its architecture.
The photo credits are unknown
