Yaseh Chay Village

Yaseh Chay Village (also written Yaseh Chah) is one of the historic and best-known villages of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. It belongs to Saman County, lies on the banks of the Zayandeh Rud River, and is about 400 years old. The village is known by its Turkic name "Yaseh Chay", meaning "the place where the river spreads out and widens", a word formed from "yaso", meaning wide, and "chay", meaning river. The village fabric dates back to the Safavid era, and because of its unique structure it has also been inscribed on Iran's National Heritage list. The combination of historic architecture and the surrounding orchard landscape, including walnut and almond trees and the nearby Zayandeh Rud, makes this village one of the rare examples of traditional settlements in Iran.

What sets Yaseh Chay apart from other villages is its entirely tunnel-like structure and the absence of ordinary alleys: all movement through the village takes place along covered passageways. These mud-brick passageways, some of which are more than 400 metres long, connect the north and south of the village and form a complex network of routes between the houses. The architecture of the houses is also completely inward-facing and dense, containing spaces such as a courtyard, a small porch (eyvancheh), a kitchen, a storeroom and living rooms. Besides its climatic and security functions, this structure showcases a unique example of vernacular engineering in mountain regions, and this very feature has made the village an important cultural tourism destination. The people of Yaseh Chay have a rich culture and beautiful traditions, and local music plays an important role at ceremonies, especially weddings. Instruments such as the karna, sorna, ney, dohol, tombak and kamancheh are among the most important local instruments of the area. Most villagers work in farming, orchard keeping and animal husbandry, and in addition to their daily chores, the women weave beautifully patterned and colourful carpets, which are among the region's important handicrafts.

Yaseh Chay Village can be reached by paved roads from Saman County, Zamankhan Bridge, Shahrekord, Chadegan and the Zayandeh Rud Dam. It can be visited in all seasons, although spring and summer are considered the best time to travel because of the green orchards and the flow of the Zayandeh Rud. When visiting the village, it is very important to follow the principles of responsible nature tourism, including preserving the historic fabric, not damaging the passageways, and respecting the privacy of local residents. Yaseh Chay is not only a tourist destination but also a living example of the coexistence of people, architecture and nature within a cohesive historic structure.