Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System

The Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System, also known as the Historical Water Structures of Shushtar, is an interconnected complex of 13 historical monuments: Band-e Mizan (Mizan Weir), Borj-e Kolah Farangi (the Kolah Farangi Tower), the hand-dug Gargar River, Pol-Band-e Gargar (Gargar Bridge-Dam), the complex of waterfalls and watermills, Band-e Borj-e Ayyar and the Sabaean Temple, Band-e Khodaafarin (Khodaafarin Weir), Salasel Castle, the Darian Canal, Pol-Band-e Shadorvan (Shadorvan Bridge-Dam), Band-e Khak (Khak Weir), Pol-Band-e Lashkar (Lashkar Bridge-Dam) and Band-e Sharabdar (Sharabdar Weir). These 13 monuments work together as a single hydraulic system and were built between the Achaemenid and Sassanid eras to make better use of water. The complex of watermills and waterfalls lies east of Shushtar, on the course of the Gargar River and south of the Gargar Bridge-Dam, and covers an area of 5 hectares. One of the most striking features of the watermills and waterfalls is their proximity to the historic fabric of Shushtar. Besides its industrial uses, this site also supplied the residents with the water they needed in times of drought.

These 13 historical monuments stand a short distance from one another within the city of Shushtar. Meeting criteria I, II and V, they were inscribed together as the Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System, Iran's tenth site on the UNESCO World Heritage List, under number 1315. Some non-Iranian websites use images of the Shushtar water structures to introduce Iran. The complex also has a beautiful and unique visual quality that gives it a special appeal: the water discharged from the mills spills as lovely artificial waterfalls into a pool-like area, creating a captivating, enchanting view for every visitor. The area behind the weir, where the three famous tunnels called Seh Koureh, Dahaneh Shahr and Beliti take in water, also offers a beautiful landscape.

To see the Shushtar water structures, you need to travel to Khuzestan and then head for Shushtar. If you are travelling from Tehran, you can take the Khorramabad–Andimeshk freeway towards Shushtar, which takes nearly 9 hours to reach the city. Once you enter the city, signposts will guide you to this astonishing attraction.