Baghlaq Cemetery

Baghlaq Cemetery is located in the village of Baghlaq, in the Central District of Raz and Jargalan County, North Khorasan Province. The cemetery stands on a fairly high clay hill outside the village. Vertical wooden pillars, set on the graves in place of headstones, give it a mysterious and distinctive look, and it is regarded as one of the cultural and tourist attractions of the region.

Instead of the usual headstones, Baghlaq Cemetery has vertical wooden pillars on the graves, with the details of the deceased carved into them. On entering the site, the scene is reminiscent of "a garden of cut tree trunks." This custom is rooted in the local beliefs and rituals of the region's Turkmen people, who built the cemetery on a clay hill away from the village to preserve respect for the dead. The cemetery is also so prominent in local culture that special customs govern burials here; from preparing the grave to setting up the vertical wooden posts and holding the funeral prayer, all are unique features of this place.

To visit Baghlaq Cemetery, start from the city of Bojnord and head toward Raz and Jargalan County. Once you reach the area, signs for Baghlaq village will guide you to the cemetery. The road is in good condition and can be driven by private car or taxi, and you can enjoy the region's natural scenery along the way. The best time to visit is from spring to early summer, when the weather is mild and the natural light lets you see the wooden pillars and the historic atmosphere of the cemetery clearly. Visitors should respect the burial ground, avoid touching or moving the pillars or changing their arrangement, and keep the area clean so that this cultural and spiritual heritage is preserved for future generations.