Palangan Village

Palangan is one of the most distinctive and beautiful villages in Kurdistan Province, in Kamyaran County. It lies in the Tangivar Valley on the province's western border, close to the Oraman (Hawraman) region, and is known as an important cultural and nature tourism destination in western Iran. Thanks to the unique terraced layout of its stone houses and its historic fabric, the village was inscribed on Iran's National Heritage List in 1393 (2014 CE), and in recent years it has been put forward as a candidate village in the global Best Tourism Villages project.

Palangan sits on a mountainside, on the slope of a valley called Tangivar. Its traditional terraced houses are built so that the roof of each house serves as the courtyard of the house above it. The style recalls other terraced villages in Iran, such as Masuleh, but with distinctive Hawrami features suited to the mountain and valley. Besides the striking architecture, the Tangivar River runs through the village, and springs, small waterfalls and natural orchards in the surroundings create beautiful scenery. The cultural life is just as impressive: the people speak Hawrami Kurdish, and traditional ceremonies such as the Nowruz celebration, with music and local dances, are held often. In Palangan, the Nowruz celebration features young people carrying torches across the cliffs, while villagers play Kurdish music and wear colourful costumes to welcome the new year. Historical remains include Palangan Castle, the remains of old mosques and houses, and a cemetery with Kufic gravestones dating to the 6th and 7th centuries (AH), all of which show the historical importance of the village and its terraced architecture.

To reach Palangan, the main route is the asphalt road from Kamyaran toward Hawraman and Marivan, which reaches the village after about 47 kilometres. Other nature-tourism routes along this road can also be included in your trip plan. The best time to visit is spring and summer, when the weather is pleasant and the lush nature of the Tangivar Valley and the village's surroundings is at its peak. It is very important to follow the principles of responsible nature tourism, including protecting the historical and cultural fabric, respecting the local residents and not littering in nature.