Ilam Province

10 ILAM MOST POPULAR CITIES

Rank	City	Population
1	Abdanan	47,851
2	Badreh	15,614
3	Chardavol	57,381
4	Darreh Shahr	43,708
5	Dehloran	65,630
6	Eyvan	49,491
7	Ilam	235,144
8	Malekshahi	21,138
9	Mehran	29,797
10	Sirvan	14,404

A Brief History

The aforementioned areas were given the name "Ilam" for the first time in 1936, following the end of the Lor tribes' armed resistance and the establishment of the central government's dominance during the Reza Shah era. The name derives from the ancient kingdom of Elam, which included the provinces of Khuzestan, Fars, Isfahan, and Kerman in addition to the aforementioned area. As opposed to the Piskuh of Lorestan, which was situated in the eastern section of the province, the area was known as the Postkuh of Lorestan until the mid-1930s. Since the Safavid era, the walis (governors-general), who were descended from the chieftains of the Lor-e Kucek tribes, have been in charge of overseeing Lorestan.

Climate and weather

The province's mountainous region has a cold climate with regular precipitation and comparatively thick vegetation. The province's western region experiences warm summers and mild winters, while the middle region, which includes the Dinar elevations, has a temperate climate.

Where to Go in Ilam?

Ilam city

Koodak Park

Koodak Park is located at the end of Velayat Street. This park with this name drags the child with it, but it is suitable for all age groups. Among the facilities available in it are sports equipment for adults, playground equipment for children and a library. The children's park welcomes tourists all year round.

Mellat park

Mellat Park, which is also known as Sarab Park, is located on Jumhuri Blvd. This park has a large number of beautiful old trees and flowing streams, and it is considered a suitable place for hikers all year round, especially in the summer.

Museum of Natural History

This museum is located at the end of Modares Boulevard. In this museum, various animal, plant, and fossil samples belonging to different geological eras and taxidermied animals are exhibited.

Vali Castle

This castle, which was built by the order of Governor Gholam Reza Khan, is a very beautiful building located on Pasdaran Street and dates back to the Qajar period. The governor's castle is located on a hill called Chaghamirg and was once the favorite summer residence of Gholam Reza Khan Governor. One of the interesting points of Vali Castle is the presence of a 180 cm-long inscription in the Nastaliq script.

Choga Sabz forest

Chogha Sabz is a large, beautiful, and unique forest park located in the south of Ilam city on the way to the airport. This park has all kinds of fruit trees and different types of plants. On the other hand, it is also a habitat for rare birds. The area of Choga Sabz is about 4000 hectares. This park is the permanent exhibition place of the city and has an amusement park.

Sarkab Mountain

Sarkab mountain is located in the Mishkhas region and 8 km southeast of Ilam. The height of this mountain is about 2120 meters and it is part of the famous Kabirkoh ranges. Ab Aftab River originates from this mountain and forms the most beautiful scenery in the region.

Bankoul Mountain

Bankol mountain with a height of about 2300 meters is located in the Mehrab region, 10 kilometers north of Ilam. This mountain stretches from the northwest to the southeast with a length of 30 km and an average width of 6 km, and finally, it reaches Mount Manshet, and the Mort, Kangir, and Ab Zangan rivers originate from it.

Gachan waterfall

Gachan waterfall is located 15 kilometers north of Ilam city in the middle of Gachan gorge, which is one of the attractions of Ilam. The area where this reservoir is located includes Manshet, Qalarang, and Gachan mountains, and it is a very beautiful and heartwarming area. This area welcomes many nature lovers all year round due to its easy access.4

Gal Gal

Gal Gal is one of the historical attractions of Ilam province, which is located next to a village of the same name, 25 kilometers from Ilam city. This attraction is a stone inscription carved on the heart of the mountain belonging to the Assyrian era, 3 thousand years ago. The picture engraved on this inscription is an image of an Assyrian soldier with a hat on his head and an arrow in his hand, and a moon and a star above his head.

Cheker Lagoon

Checker Lagoon is a beautiful lagoon located in the west of Ilam city in the Boli region in the Checker district. The area of this lagoon is about 3 hectares and its height is 600 meters. Although this lagoon is located in a tropical region, it is always full of water. The depth of the checker lagoon varies according to the amount of annual rainfall and is about 2.5 meters. Checker lagoon water is supplied by rain and several boiling springs. Its average water temperature is 24 degrees Celsius. One of the beautiful aspects of Checker Lagoon is the presence of reeds around it, which forms a spectacular sight in the pristine nature of the area.

Chenar cemetery

Chenar cemetery, which is an ancient artifact belonging to 1000 years before Christ, is located in the Chenarbash region of Ilam. This cemetery has graves where the deceased was first placed in a grave along with his belongings and then buried.

Fellahati Palace

Falahati Palace, which is a building belonging to the Qajar era, is located inside a beautiful garden on Abdulrahman Heydari Ilami Street, within the administrative area of the Jihad Agricultural Organization. This palace was built by the order of Gholam Reza Khan in 1326 AH. Falahati Palace has very beautiful decorations in the front and columns, and artistic brickwork is used in it. Today, this palace is used as the Ilam Agricultural Museum, and the best time to visit it is during office hours.

Dare city

Raziyaneh Canyon

This attraction is located on the slopes of Kabirkoh heights along the Ilam-Dara Shahr Road. Razianeh Gorge, which is registered in the list of national monuments of Iran, is a very suitable place for recreation and sightseeing. On the other hand, this gorge is a suitable place for the study of earth sciences, environment, and hydrology researchers

Abdanan city

The Posht Ghale fortress

This fortress is a historical fortress that is a relic of the Sassanid era. This castle has been registered as one of the national monuments of Iran on March 17, 2001. Pusht Qala fortress is located 5 kilometers south of Abdanan city and on the northwest side of Pusht Qala village, and it is made of materials such as rubble, plaster, and mortar.

Do Golo Siah Gav Lake

This lake consists of two lakes, Siah Gholo and Abdanan, near Abdanan city. Each of these two lakes is divided into two upstream and downstream parts. The depth of each part is about 20 meters. What connects these two lakes is a 10-meter channel.

Cherdowl city

Simre river

The Simre River is a raging river that is formed by the collision of two rivers, Qarasu and Gamasiyab, on the border of Ilam and Lorestan, near the city of Cherdowl. This river goes to the end of the Karkhe River and is about 650 km long. Simre river is one of the most famous places to visit in Ilam province.

Shele Amiri

The main ingredient of this food is mung bean, a useful legume that consumption prevents the occurrence of many diseases. This food is special for the cold months of the year, and with its properties, it is very good for treating colds. To prepare this dish, apart from mung beans, other ingredients such as local rice, onions, and oil are used. Just eat a bowl of these hot dishes on a cold winter evening to fall in love with its unique taste forever.

Kofte Sirabi

Various and unique meatballs are made in the provinces of the country, which are among the most famous and delicious dishes of each province. Depending on the geographical location of each province, ingredients of the same region are added to this meatball to create a different taste and aroma for the meatballs of each province. Meatballs are so popular and delicious that they are made even in countries bordering Iran. Sirabi meatball is one of the popular meatballs of Ilam, which is made with fresh Rumen, and it is said that eating it is beneficial in the first months of pregnancy. The necessary ingredients for making this dish are ground corn, flour, oil, aromatic herbs (thyme, tarragon, oregano, mint), onion, and local spices.

Tare Koohi stew

Every province of Iran has various and unique stews that are usually eaten with fragrant Iranian rice. In these stews, the taste, color, and aroma are used so skillfully that not only Iranians but also the surrounding countries fall in love with these stews. The people of western Iran, especially Iranians, make this delicious stew a lot. When you see this dish, you will probably be reminded of Ghorme Sabzi because not only is its appearance but also its flavor and taste are somewhat similar to Ghormeh Sabzi, although it also has its unique characteristics. The necessary ingredients to make this popular Elamite stew are mutton, leeks, oil, cobs (or beans), onions, tomato paste, and local spices.

Ghale Maso

The location of Ilam province amid hills, mountains, and green pastures has made it a suitable place for nomads to live, that's why many tribes have chosen this region of Iran to live, and on the other hand, it has led to the emergence of various foods. Ghale Maso is one of the local dishes of the nomads of Ilam province, so fresh animal ingredients and fresh vegetables from the plains are used to prepare it. This dish is made with tripe, curd (or buttermilk), oregano, and mint.

Bezhi Barsaq

Bezhi Barsaq is one of the local sweets of this region, which is prepared by women during the days of Nowruz. This sweet, which has a long-standing reputation, has a unique taste and aroma.

Kale Konji

Kale konji is a very sweet and tasty halva made from white sesame and dried dates. This halva is cooked in most areas of Ilam. The spitted sesame is mixed with pitted dates and pounded on a special plate with a wooden handle called (mieh kat) so that a layer of sesame oil appears on top of the halwa. After that, the halva is decorated in various ways and served as a sweet.

Bagel Halva

Bagel halva is prepared from a mixture of white sesame, powdered curd (bagel), quality dates, and local oil (dan) and is one of the traditional and popular local sweets of this region.

Shole Kineh

Shole Kineh or Lakineh is one of the local and traditional breads of this region, which is baked on Saj. The dough of this type of bread is a mixture of boiling water, fennel, flour, salt, cumin, a little local oil, and saffron, which are considered very nutritious.

Anbarboo rice

Contrary to what many people think, rice is not cultivated only in the north of the country. Anbarbo rice is one of the types of rice that is cultivated in some areas of Ilam and Khuzestan. This rice needs less water to cook and has short grains.

Boneh

Boneh is another name for the wild pistachio of this region, which usually grows in the highlands. Unlike other pistachios, the kernel is smaller. They also use the sap of the Boneh tree to produce turpentine. Turpentine is used to prepare chewing gum, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and perfumes.

Chiq

Chigh Bafi is one of the handicrafts of the lush province of Ilam, which is made from reed. The nomadic people of Ilam province build a tent for their rest and make the roof of it from goat wool, and the walls of the tent are made from a mat called chigh. Today, in some houses, they use this industry in partitioning.

Carpet

The carpet is a combination of carpet and rug, which is very famous. This type of rug, which does not weigh much and can be moved easily, is made of various colors and patterns.

ILAM CITY